Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 4
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive
One dream that you need to surrender to God
One challenge that you need to face and deal with
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 96
"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.." ( vs. 1 )
I have been singing a certain song all my life. God wants me to sing a new song. I can not keep doing things the way I have always done them and expect to have new results. It will not work that way. We get set in our ways and live in frustration but when we are shown something new that is working for someone, we doubt and are skeptical. We have many excuses and eventually we just say it is too much trouble to figure out how to do something different. At least I know that is how I am too often. I would rather stick with the familiar even if it is miserable than venture out into the unknown.
God would have us live another way. He shows us how to truly live in His word and He calls us out to follow. He wants us to start over and do things a new way, a way that works. Let us venture out and trust God. Let us sing a new song. It doesn't matter to God how it sounds, He just wants us to sing. He will make it beautiful.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Help me to sing a new song. You can and will make it beautiful. You are deserving. You are good. We will sing.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What song have I been singing? How would I describe my life and my life priorities?
2. Is my song working? Am I satisfied with what I am accomplishing and who I am as a person?
3. What do I think God's song and my new song are? Am I finding out? How can I find out? Is there someone who I can talk to that can give me insight?
4. What would keep me from singing a new song? What fears do I have about doing something differently? Why? How can I overcome these fears?
5. Do I believe God can help me change? Do I want to sing a new song? Why or why not?
Showing posts with label letting go. Show all posts
Showing posts with label letting go. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Daily Devotional - 10/3/15
Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 93
"The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; You are from all eternity
The seas have lifted up. O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea - the Lord on high is mighty.
Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns Your house for endless days, O Lord." Psalm 93
God is in charge. God is majestic, and God is strong. The earth runs on fixed principles. It is more ancient than we are. It is established. This psalm speaks to me of how life is so much more than we are. We get caught up in our lives and our struggles and it is hard to have a true perspective of how small we really are. If we can think about all the people that have come and gone through all generations, it helps a little. If we stand by the ocean that helps as well. When I am near the ocean, it calms me. I look at the wide expanse in front of me and am amazed that this is only a small fraction of the water that covers this planet. This planet is truly immense and we like tiny ants run around as if we control it. How funny and sad we are at the same time. We control nothing.
I love the comparison of God and the ocean. The psalmist stresses the power of the ocean, its magnificent waves and the thunder they produce. Waves can truly destroy as we saw with all the tsunamis in recent years. It is amazing the power that is with in the ocean and yet the psalmist closes with God. God is mighty. God is mightier than the strongest things we see on our planet. And God is consistent. His statutes, His word doesn't change. He does not change. He is always holy and always good. He is the only thing that we can trust in. He is all we need.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that You are unchanging. We are grateful that Your creation runs on fixed principles so that we can have consistency. We are grateful for the cycles of life and we are grateful that You allow us to see the beauty of nature around us. Nature speaks to Your power and glory. It points out Your magnificence because it is powerful, and glorious, and magnificent. You have created all of this. We can not fathom You and all that You are but we are grateful for You anyway, and we are grateful that You allow us to serve You. We rest in You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about God reigning? Do I have issues with authority? Why or why not? How can I come to appreciate authority?
2. How do I view God? Do I think He is majestic, holy, and strong or do I have conflicting views? Why do I see God as I do? Does it have anything to do with how I see my father?
3. Do I see God in the world around me? How do I feel about nature and science? Do I see God's hand in the laws of nature? Do I see God's hand in science? How can nature increase my love for God?
4. What helps me to put life in perspective? Am I tempted to view life from a narrow viewpoint and think it is all about me? Do I see how not in control we are? Does this turn me to God or just stress me out? How can I turn to God more and let go of my desire to control everything? How can I have a whole world perspective?
5. How do I feel about God's statutes? Do I see them as consistent? Do I see them as valuable? Am I following them and putting them into practice in my life? Why or why not? How can I do this and what do I think I will gain from it?
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 93
"The Lord reigns, He is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; You are from all eternity
The seas have lifted up. O Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea - the Lord on high is mighty.
Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns Your house for endless days, O Lord." Psalm 93
God is in charge. God is majestic, and God is strong. The earth runs on fixed principles. It is more ancient than we are. It is established. This psalm speaks to me of how life is so much more than we are. We get caught up in our lives and our struggles and it is hard to have a true perspective of how small we really are. If we can think about all the people that have come and gone through all generations, it helps a little. If we stand by the ocean that helps as well. When I am near the ocean, it calms me. I look at the wide expanse in front of me and am amazed that this is only a small fraction of the water that covers this planet. This planet is truly immense and we like tiny ants run around as if we control it. How funny and sad we are at the same time. We control nothing.
I love the comparison of God and the ocean. The psalmist stresses the power of the ocean, its magnificent waves and the thunder they produce. Waves can truly destroy as we saw with all the tsunamis in recent years. It is amazing the power that is with in the ocean and yet the psalmist closes with God. God is mighty. God is mightier than the strongest things we see on our planet. And God is consistent. His statutes, His word doesn't change. He does not change. He is always holy and always good. He is the only thing that we can trust in. He is all we need.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that You are unchanging. We are grateful that Your creation runs on fixed principles so that we can have consistency. We are grateful for the cycles of life and we are grateful that You allow us to see the beauty of nature around us. Nature speaks to Your power and glory. It points out Your magnificence because it is powerful, and glorious, and magnificent. You have created all of this. We can not fathom You and all that You are but we are grateful for You anyway, and we are grateful that You allow us to serve You. We rest in You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about God reigning? Do I have issues with authority? Why or why not? How can I come to appreciate authority?
2. How do I view God? Do I think He is majestic, holy, and strong or do I have conflicting views? Why do I see God as I do? Does it have anything to do with how I see my father?
3. Do I see God in the world around me? How do I feel about nature and science? Do I see God's hand in the laws of nature? Do I see God's hand in science? How can nature increase my love for God?
4. What helps me to put life in perspective? Am I tempted to view life from a narrow viewpoint and think it is all about me? Do I see how not in control we are? Does this turn me to God or just stress me out? How can I turn to God more and let go of my desire to control everything? How can I have a whole world perspective?
5. How do I feel about God's statutes? Do I see them as consistent? Do I see them as valuable? Am I following them and putting them into practice in my life? Why or why not? How can I do this and what do I think I will gain from it?
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/26/15 (1/26/10)
Prayer Focus - Wants
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 86
"Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to You. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.
The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life - men without regard for You. But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant. Give me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me." ( vs. 1-2, 14-17)
Sometimes we feel like we are being attacked on all fronts. We feel poor and needy and overwhelmed. I often find myself saying that my life is just too much for me, and I know there are so many people out there that have more difficulties than I do. But life can be overwhelming regardless. This is when it is good to remember who God is and meditate on His characteristics. God is good, always good and faithful, always faithful. He is slow to anger. He is strong. We also need to remember that He has given us a specific race to run that is already marked out for us. Everything is all in God's hands and He does know what He is doing.
God is also compassionate. He is not being mean to us when we face challenges. He is training us. I give my students a lot of work and push them because I want them to be excellent. I make them follow my directions so that they can become thorough and learn to complete projects. If I made things too easy for them, it would be as if I thought they were not intelligent enough or capable enough to do more. Difficulty is often a sign of the belief that one is able. God feels that we are able to handle whatever He has given to us. He knows exactly what we can take and He is faithful. He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear (I Corinthians 10:13). He is training and disciplining us for our eternal benefit and also for His glory here on Earth. As we grow in our faith throughout our lives and through our struggles, we are being transformed and this points others to God as well.
God will also often push us to our limits because He wants us to rely on Him. As I go about my incredibly busy schedule, sometimes I look back and wonder how I got everything I did, done that day. I know it was only because of God because it seems too much for one person to accomplish. I laugh and think that I am walking on water. I do not know how long I can keep it up but I will focus on one day at a time and on the One who is able. He will grant me strength and He will save me. Each sunrise I see as I drive to work in the morning is His sign of goodness to me that I have another day. I am so grateful to be alive.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Continue to grant us Your strength. We are nothing without You. We appreciate all the signs of goodness that You bring us. The sunrises and sunsets remind us that we have another day. The ocean and mountains loom large and unfathomable. They are solid representations of the unchanging nature of You. We get so caught up in the now and forget to see You. When we look at You, everything else seems to fall away. Thank You for believing in us and for pushing us to be our best. We want to please You. We put our days in Your hands and we wait for Your salvation.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What is my view of God? What influences how I feel about Him? Why? How can I develop a more accurate vision of who He is?
2. Do I seek God's mercy and strength or am I trying to do it all on my own? What holds me back from relying on God? Why? When do I find I can easily trust God and when do I struggle with letting go?
3. What signs of God's goodness have I received? Do I miss some of God's signs? Why? How can I change my view of life so that I see the good more than the bad?
4. How do I feel about my struggles? Do I see them as an opportunity for growth and as training or do I blame God? Why? How can I improve my perspective?
5. Do I ever feel that God is not taking care of me or does not have control over the events of my life. How will trusting that nothing is outside of God's will affect how I react to difficulties?
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 86
"Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to You. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.
The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life - men without regard for You. But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; grant Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant. Give me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me." ( vs. 1-2, 14-17)
Sometimes we feel like we are being attacked on all fronts. We feel poor and needy and overwhelmed. I often find myself saying that my life is just too much for me, and I know there are so many people out there that have more difficulties than I do. But life can be overwhelming regardless. This is when it is good to remember who God is and meditate on His characteristics. God is good, always good and faithful, always faithful. He is slow to anger. He is strong. We also need to remember that He has given us a specific race to run that is already marked out for us. Everything is all in God's hands and He does know what He is doing.
God is also compassionate. He is not being mean to us when we face challenges. He is training us. I give my students a lot of work and push them because I want them to be excellent. I make them follow my directions so that they can become thorough and learn to complete projects. If I made things too easy for them, it would be as if I thought they were not intelligent enough or capable enough to do more. Difficulty is often a sign of the belief that one is able. God feels that we are able to handle whatever He has given to us. He knows exactly what we can take and He is faithful. He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear (I Corinthians 10:13). He is training and disciplining us for our eternal benefit and also for His glory here on Earth. As we grow in our faith throughout our lives and through our struggles, we are being transformed and this points others to God as well.
God will also often push us to our limits because He wants us to rely on Him. As I go about my incredibly busy schedule, sometimes I look back and wonder how I got everything I did, done that day. I know it was only because of God because it seems too much for one person to accomplish. I laugh and think that I am walking on water. I do not know how long I can keep it up but I will focus on one day at a time and on the One who is able. He will grant me strength and He will save me. Each sunrise I see as I drive to work in the morning is His sign of goodness to me that I have another day. I am so grateful to be alive.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Continue to grant us Your strength. We are nothing without You. We appreciate all the signs of goodness that You bring us. The sunrises and sunsets remind us that we have another day. The ocean and mountains loom large and unfathomable. They are solid representations of the unchanging nature of You. We get so caught up in the now and forget to see You. When we look at You, everything else seems to fall away. Thank You for believing in us and for pushing us to be our best. We want to please You. We put our days in Your hands and we wait for Your salvation.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What is my view of God? What influences how I feel about Him? Why? How can I develop a more accurate vision of who He is?
2. Do I seek God's mercy and strength or am I trying to do it all on my own? What holds me back from relying on God? Why? When do I find I can easily trust God and when do I struggle with letting go?
3. What signs of God's goodness have I received? Do I miss some of God's signs? Why? How can I change my view of life so that I see the good more than the bad?
4. How do I feel about my struggles? Do I see them as an opportunity for growth and as training or do I blame God? Why? How can I improve my perspective?
5. Do I ever feel that God is not taking care of me or does not have control over the events of my life. How will trusting that nothing is outside of God's will affect how I react to difficulties?
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/20/15 (1/20/2010)
Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 2
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 80
"Restore us, O God; make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." ( vs. 3, 7, 19 )
As the psalmist recounts the struggles of Israel in Psalm 80, the phrase above is repeated three times. The Israelites were longing to be restored to their days of glory, but there is also a message of restoration for us in these short verses. There is a deep longing within each of us for something better than what we have right now. We want to be more. No child dreams about growing up to be something mediocre. They dream of being princesses and princes, heroes and heroines. God has set these dreams of greatness (Jeremiah 29:11) as well as eternity in our hearts (Ezekiel 3:11). He has also given us a desire for beauty and innocence. I think that is why we love art and nature.
We look wistfully at our young children (when they are behaving!) and often long for those carefree days when we were young. If our children are older, we miss the days when they were innocent babies. We treasure the joy of those days in our own lives because somewhere along the line, as we grow up, we get corrupted by our sins and the sins of others. Just like Adam and Eve, we fall from grace. The longing for what we were supposed to be remains, however. We want the innocence back and the purity of heart that came with it.
Thankfully, God wants this for us as well and He has provided a way for us to receive it. There is still beauty around us. There can still be beauty within us. There is still hope just as sure as there is still a sunrise and a sunset each day. We can be restored.
The key to restoration is in the second part of the verse. We have to let God's face shine upon us. As we look at Him and keep a steady gaze at what He is like, He will lead us and transform us. He created us to have life and life to the fullest (John 10:10). We are His works of art. Let us allow Him to transform us into what we were created to be and receive all He designed for us to have. If we can keep our eyes on Him, we can, like Peter walk on water (Matt 14:22-33). He is able and He will do it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We long for the days of innocence. Restore us to that childlike spirit. Grant us the faith and purity of heart to truly believe. You are able and You are willing. We are Your works of art. Help us to believe that and allow ourselves to be transformed. Help us to catch a hold of the vision You have for our lives and keep our eyes fixed on You. We want to radiate Your glory. We want to be saved.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What were my dreams as a child? When did I let go of them? Why? Can I in anyway revive them?
2. What things (my sin and the sins of others) corrupted me and took away my innocence? Have I let go/ repented of my sins so that I can be restored? Have I forgiven those that hurt me? Can I get help to work through any issues here?
3. How can I let God's face shine upon me? Am I keeping my eyes on Him? How can I do a better job at this?
4. How is God transforming me? What can I see Him doing with my life?
5. Do I have any dreams to serve Him in any way? What can I try to do? What steps of faith can I take?
Day 2
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 80
"Restore us, O God; make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." ( vs. 3, 7, 19 )
As the psalmist recounts the struggles of Israel in Psalm 80, the phrase above is repeated three times. The Israelites were longing to be restored to their days of glory, but there is also a message of restoration for us in these short verses. There is a deep longing within each of us for something better than what we have right now. We want to be more. No child dreams about growing up to be something mediocre. They dream of being princesses and princes, heroes and heroines. God has set these dreams of greatness (Jeremiah 29:11) as well as eternity in our hearts (Ezekiel 3:11). He has also given us a desire for beauty and innocence. I think that is why we love art and nature.
We look wistfully at our young children (when they are behaving!) and often long for those carefree days when we were young. If our children are older, we miss the days when they were innocent babies. We treasure the joy of those days in our own lives because somewhere along the line, as we grow up, we get corrupted by our sins and the sins of others. Just like Adam and Eve, we fall from grace. The longing for what we were supposed to be remains, however. We want the innocence back and the purity of heart that came with it.
Thankfully, God wants this for us as well and He has provided a way for us to receive it. There is still beauty around us. There can still be beauty within us. There is still hope just as sure as there is still a sunrise and a sunset each day. We can be restored.
The key to restoration is in the second part of the verse. We have to let God's face shine upon us. As we look at Him and keep a steady gaze at what He is like, He will lead us and transform us. He created us to have life and life to the fullest (John 10:10). We are His works of art. Let us allow Him to transform us into what we were created to be and receive all He designed for us to have. If we can keep our eyes on Him, we can, like Peter walk on water (Matt 14:22-33). He is able and He will do it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We long for the days of innocence. Restore us to that childlike spirit. Grant us the faith and purity of heart to truly believe. You are able and You are willing. We are Your works of art. Help us to believe that and allow ourselves to be transformed. Help us to catch a hold of the vision You have for our lives and keep our eyes fixed on You. We want to radiate Your glory. We want to be saved.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What were my dreams as a child? When did I let go of them? Why? Can I in anyway revive them?
2. What things (my sin and the sins of others) corrupted me and took away my innocence? Have I let go/ repented of my sins so that I can be restored? Have I forgiven those that hurt me? Can I get help to work through any issues here?
3. How can I let God's face shine upon me? Am I keeping my eyes on Him? How can I do a better job at this?
4. How is God transforming me? What can I see Him doing with my life?
5. Do I have any dreams to serve Him in any way? What can I try to do? What steps of faith can I take?
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?
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Daily Devotional - 8/28/15 (10/28/09)
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 7
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
One person who you believe will never apologize for the pain they have caused you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 58
"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." ( vs. 3-5)
This is a hard teaching. Some people are evil early on. We do not understand this and we wonder why? Perhaps we will never know, but God knows; the God who looks on the hearts of all men. He knows everything about these people. He knows they are people who will not listen to anyone. He knows they are set on seeking their own will, no matter what the consequences are. He even knows they have trouble looking past today. Often these people do very well in life and they succeed in their ways. Sometimes, they do better than those of us who are striving so hard to do what's right. We struggle with this. We become angry and bitter. We desire revenge. Sometimes we even do stupid things to "pay them back". But this is not what God desires. God desires for us to let go and let Him take care of it. God does see. He does know. He says in Romans 12:17 - 21:
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Bottom line, we need to still do good, no matter what anyone else is doing. Our salvation and well being is not worth throwing away because of some evil person. We are worth so much more to God than that. He does not want for us to ruin our lives. He continually says, "I will take care of this! You do what's right!" God WILL take care of it. It may not be on our timing, but it will happen. We need to let it go and give it to God. We need to pour out our feelings and emotions to God and then wait patiently. He is the only one that can change a man's heart. All our strivings will do nothing but destroy our lives. Our bitterness and hatred does no damage to the evil person, only ourselves.
This takes us to another layer of trust. We need to trust that God will win in the end. We need to trust that God will purge out the evil and then the righteous will find relief. It is not up to us to do the purging. We are to stay righteous and to love our enemies. We are to leave justice and revenge up to God, who is sinless. He will do it in the most effective way possible and we, we will be rewarded for walking the high road; for not seeking revenge, for loving our enemy and overcoming evil with good. So let us remember the final promise of this psalm:
"The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, ...Then men will say, 'Surely the righteous are still rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.' " ( vs. 10a, 11)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We pray that we are never like the wicked men. Keep our hearts in tune to Your word and receptive to the help and assistance of others. Help us to always be willing to learn and grow. Help us to train our children so that they will not grow up into wicked men and women. It is a serious responsibility that You have given us and we pray for Your strength, wisdom, and guidance. We are waiting on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about this idea that some people are wicked early on? How have I seen this in my life or in the lives of those around me?
2. Is it difficult for me to accept the idea of God's judgment? Why or why not? How can I develop a greater understanding and appreciation for this aspect of God's character?
3. How do I feel when I see injustice? How do I feel when I see justice done? Why? What do I do about unjust situations? Is there a better way for me to deal with what I see around me?
4. Do I seek revenge? Why? How do I see myself being vengeful? What should I do instead? How can I get help with this?
5. How do I treat my enemies? Am I overcoming evil with good or am I acting evil as well? How can I do this? Are there any situations that I am in right now that I am not handling correctly? How can I change?
Day 7
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
One person who you believe will never apologize for the pain they have caused you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 58
"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." ( vs. 3-5)
This is a hard teaching. Some people are evil early on. We do not understand this and we wonder why? Perhaps we will never know, but God knows; the God who looks on the hearts of all men. He knows everything about these people. He knows they are people who will not listen to anyone. He knows they are set on seeking their own will, no matter what the consequences are. He even knows they have trouble looking past today. Often these people do very well in life and they succeed in their ways. Sometimes, they do better than those of us who are striving so hard to do what's right. We struggle with this. We become angry and bitter. We desire revenge. Sometimes we even do stupid things to "pay them back". But this is not what God desires. God desires for us to let go and let Him take care of it. God does see. He does know. He says in Romans 12:17 - 21:
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Bottom line, we need to still do good, no matter what anyone else is doing. Our salvation and well being is not worth throwing away because of some evil person. We are worth so much more to God than that. He does not want for us to ruin our lives. He continually says, "I will take care of this! You do what's right!" God WILL take care of it. It may not be on our timing, but it will happen. We need to let it go and give it to God. We need to pour out our feelings and emotions to God and then wait patiently. He is the only one that can change a man's heart. All our strivings will do nothing but destroy our lives. Our bitterness and hatred does no damage to the evil person, only ourselves.
This takes us to another layer of trust. We need to trust that God will win in the end. We need to trust that God will purge out the evil and then the righteous will find relief. It is not up to us to do the purging. We are to stay righteous and to love our enemies. We are to leave justice and revenge up to God, who is sinless. He will do it in the most effective way possible and we, we will be rewarded for walking the high road; for not seeking revenge, for loving our enemy and overcoming evil with good. So let us remember the final promise of this psalm:
"The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, ...Then men will say, 'Surely the righteous are still rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.' " ( vs. 10a, 11)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We pray that we are never like the wicked men. Keep our hearts in tune to Your word and receptive to the help and assistance of others. Help us to always be willing to learn and grow. Help us to train our children so that they will not grow up into wicked men and women. It is a serious responsibility that You have given us and we pray for Your strength, wisdom, and guidance. We are waiting on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I feel about this idea that some people are wicked early on? How have I seen this in my life or in the lives of those around me?
2. Is it difficult for me to accept the idea of God's judgment? Why or why not? How can I develop a greater understanding and appreciation for this aspect of God's character?
3. How do I feel when I see injustice? How do I feel when I see justice done? Why? What do I do about unjust situations? Is there a better way for me to deal with what I see around me?
4. Do I seek revenge? Why? How do I see myself being vengeful? What should I do instead? How can I get help with this?
5. How do I treat my enemies? Am I overcoming evil with good or am I acting evil as well? How can I do this? Are there any situations that I am in right now that I am not handling correctly? How can I change?
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?
Monday, September 20, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/18/10 (10/18/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 4
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 48
"Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love. Like Your name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness." (vs. 9 - 10)
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end." (vs. 14)
God will never stop being our God. He will guide us till the end if we let Him. His love for us is unfailing and as high as the heavens are above the earth. His love never fails. Everything else will. I have experienced that. At the waterpolo reunion I went to last week end, the memories of failing to win the National Championship in my senior year of college haunted me. After playing my freshman year, I took two years off. My team won the championship one of the years I did not play and then won once again the year after I graduated. The elusive victory that was so important to me never came. I failed. I had a chance to win the game for us, as did many other of my teammates. All we had to do was tie the game and we would have been the champions but we could not do it. I missed a shot that I had taken many other times over the years, my easiest shot and I barred the ball.
I again asked myself the question I had asked off and on for the past twenty years - Why? Why couldn't I have made it? It haunts me still, if I let it, although everyone else seems to have moved on. It was a lifetime ago, but for me, if I allow myself to think about it, it seems like yesterday. I wanted to be the best. For once in my sporting life, I wanted to be a winner. I was always the next best, always on the losing teams. Always -almost, but not quite. I wanted to win this last time, this last chance for me. I was sure it was going to happen this time. So when the game was over, it was devastating to know that that victory would never come for me. It was over. My waterpolo career was over. Waterpolo had failed me. I had failed me.
As I walked around the campus of my Alma mater, the questions came back up for me - Why? I had prayed. I had always tried to put God first, even in my waterpolo. I had not missed church for a game. I did not party. I tried to be a good example. So why had God not answered my prayers that day when He knew how important it was for me. This thought of having missed the mark and having failed echoed in mind, but it echoed over more than just my waterpolo career. It seemed to loom large over my entire college experience. Mediocre grades, mediocre relationships, always on the outside looking in at what others were experiencing. Always - almost victorious, almost good friends, almost happy. Almost.
I missed out on so much being so "almost". I felt like such a failure most of the time I was there in college. So much sadness. I had done so well in high school and yet I had struggled so much in college just to make it. So I asked myself - Why?
As I walked through the Eucalyptus forests on campus, a thought came to me. Maybe it was because God wanted me to realize that I was a winner already. I was a Christian and I had a relationship with Him. I was willing to forgo the immediate gratification that the world offered for something that would be longer lasting. I was willing to walk a different path and I was willing to do the hard work of dealing with my character and striving to become like Christ. That is true victory, anyway, not a fleeting athletic victory that is remembered only by a handful of individuals and posted in old scrapbooks.
I had won the victory in Christ; an eternal victory, and I have still won that victory. God had not failed me at all. He was guiding me to a greater victory. The peace that I feel now with my life and the blessings I have in my husband and children were bought with the hard work that I began in college. I have won the victory, the one that really matters, because Christ has won the victory, and that should be enough.
Here are additional verses to consider on the victory we have already won if we are right with God and Christ:
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58)
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all." (1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35 &37-39)
“This is the love for God: to obey His commands. And His commandments are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" ( 1John 5:3-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank You for the victories You give. They are eternal victories and far outweigh anything we can win here on earth. Temporal victories can be so fulfilling and we enjoy Your blessing but often even better comes for us when You say no to something we desire. Help us to not be like spoiled children who sulk and pout over not receiving something we have asked for. You are looking at these moments of our lives from the perspective of eternity and we cannot even fathom the riches and depth of Your wisdom and knowledge. We are grateful that You give us each new day and we are grateful for what our momentary troubles are gaining us. Help us to be obedient and joyful despite failures because they are really not failures in the long run. Keep our perspectives right and help us to let go of any past regrets. We cannot go back and take anything over so let us truly forgive and forget. Let us live today and each day from now on like there is no other for us and then we will find we can look back with a happy heart. We are grateful for Your directive to forget the past and strain toward what is ahead. Grant us obedience in this so that we may truly live.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God be my guide? How can I do that?
2. Do I have any past regrets or failures that are haunting me? Have I ever talked to anyone about them? How can I let them go?
3. How do I feel when God says no or wait to me regarding something that I am praying about? Do I lose faith? Do I pout or sulk?
4. Do I have God's perspective about who is a winner? Do I consider myself a winner because I have a relationship with God or am I looking at more worldly achievements for my feelings of success?
5. Do I feel that my work for the Lord is worthwhile or am I tempted to feel discouraged when results are not readily evident? How can I keep the proper perspective on eternity?
Day 4
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 48
"Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love. Like Your name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness." (vs. 9 - 10)
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end." (vs. 14)
God will never stop being our God. He will guide us till the end if we let Him. His love for us is unfailing and as high as the heavens are above the earth. His love never fails. Everything else will. I have experienced that. At the waterpolo reunion I went to last week end, the memories of failing to win the National Championship in my senior year of college haunted me. After playing my freshman year, I took two years off. My team won the championship one of the years I did not play and then won once again the year after I graduated. The elusive victory that was so important to me never came. I failed. I had a chance to win the game for us, as did many other of my teammates. All we had to do was tie the game and we would have been the champions but we could not do it. I missed a shot that I had taken many other times over the years, my easiest shot and I barred the ball.
I again asked myself the question I had asked off and on for the past twenty years - Why? Why couldn't I have made it? It haunts me still, if I let it, although everyone else seems to have moved on. It was a lifetime ago, but for me, if I allow myself to think about it, it seems like yesterday. I wanted to be the best. For once in my sporting life, I wanted to be a winner. I was always the next best, always on the losing teams. Always -almost, but not quite. I wanted to win this last time, this last chance for me. I was sure it was going to happen this time. So when the game was over, it was devastating to know that that victory would never come for me. It was over. My waterpolo career was over. Waterpolo had failed me. I had failed me.
As I walked around the campus of my Alma mater, the questions came back up for me - Why? I had prayed. I had always tried to put God first, even in my waterpolo. I had not missed church for a game. I did not party. I tried to be a good example. So why had God not answered my prayers that day when He knew how important it was for me. This thought of having missed the mark and having failed echoed in mind, but it echoed over more than just my waterpolo career. It seemed to loom large over my entire college experience. Mediocre grades, mediocre relationships, always on the outside looking in at what others were experiencing. Always - almost victorious, almost good friends, almost happy. Almost.
I missed out on so much being so "almost". I felt like such a failure most of the time I was there in college. So much sadness. I had done so well in high school and yet I had struggled so much in college just to make it. So I asked myself - Why?
As I walked through the Eucalyptus forests on campus, a thought came to me. Maybe it was because God wanted me to realize that I was a winner already. I was a Christian and I had a relationship with Him. I was willing to forgo the immediate gratification that the world offered for something that would be longer lasting. I was willing to walk a different path and I was willing to do the hard work of dealing with my character and striving to become like Christ. That is true victory, anyway, not a fleeting athletic victory that is remembered only by a handful of individuals and posted in old scrapbooks.
I had won the victory in Christ; an eternal victory, and I have still won that victory. God had not failed me at all. He was guiding me to a greater victory. The peace that I feel now with my life and the blessings I have in my husband and children were bought with the hard work that I began in college. I have won the victory, the one that really matters, because Christ has won the victory, and that should be enough.
Here are additional verses to consider on the victory we have already won if we are right with God and Christ:
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58)
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all." (1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35 &37-39)
“This is the love for God: to obey His commands. And His commandments are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" ( 1John 5:3-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank You for the victories You give. They are eternal victories and far outweigh anything we can win here on earth. Temporal victories can be so fulfilling and we enjoy Your blessing but often even better comes for us when You say no to something we desire. Help us to not be like spoiled children who sulk and pout over not receiving something we have asked for. You are looking at these moments of our lives from the perspective of eternity and we cannot even fathom the riches and depth of Your wisdom and knowledge. We are grateful that You give us each new day and we are grateful for what our momentary troubles are gaining us. Help us to be obedient and joyful despite failures because they are really not failures in the long run. Keep our perspectives right and help us to let go of any past regrets. We cannot go back and take anything over so let us truly forgive and forget. Let us live today and each day from now on like there is no other for us and then we will find we can look back with a happy heart. We are grateful for Your directive to forget the past and strain toward what is ahead. Grant us obedience in this so that we may truly live.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God be my guide? How can I do that?
2. Do I have any past regrets or failures that are haunting me? Have I ever talked to anyone about them? How can I let them go?
3. How do I feel when God says no or wait to me regarding something that I am praying about? Do I lose faith? Do I pout or sulk?
4. Do I have God's perspective about who is a winner? Do I consider myself a winner because I have a relationship with God or am I looking at more worldly achievements for my feelings of success?
5. Do I feel that my work for the Lord is worthwhile or am I tempted to feel discouraged when results are not readily evident? How can I keep the proper perspective on eternity?
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/17/10 (10/17/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 3
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 47
"He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved." (vs. 4)
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. " (vs. 7-9)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. He has my inheritance chosen for me if I will embrace it. When life seems difficult, I need to remember this and remember that He does not give us more than we can handle. Every difficult situation has a silver lining somewhere, if only we look long enough and wait long enough. I am reminded of Hebrews 12: 1-3.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
The witnesses we are surrounded by are all the great men and women of faith mentioned in the chapter before, Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter which talks of men's weaknesses becoming their strengths. They are looking down and cheering us on, as is Jesus, who ran this race first for us to show us how to do it. Because of this, we have to throw off all the things that trip us up and entangle us. For me it is frustration over a never ending "to do list". It is frustration at myself for not being a good enough mother. It is not accomplishing enough, not being enough, not controlling my anger or frustration. It is depression. It is so many things, but I need to just let them go. I am not a very good runner, so when I run, I can't think about much of anything except putting one foot in front of the other. I can't talk with anyone or think about anything. I can't even get distracted by the scenery. I just have to run. In a way, this is a good analogy for me to remember. In my spiritual life, I just need to run and concentrate on one spiritual foot after another. I must narrow my focus down and get rid of all these distractions just like I have to do when I am physically running. Then I will be able to run with perseverance this race marked out for me.
The other thought I always have about these verses is that my race is marked out for me. I don't have to trail blaze. I just have to follow the course. God does have a good inheritance for me and a race that is my own for me to run. I need to stop looking at the race others are running and wanting theirs. I must learn to be satisfied with the one I was given. It is just right for me even if it may be difficult. Then finally, I have to focus on joy. I have to think of the joy that will come from me being faithful. I have to visualize the success that might be mine someday. I have no guarantees, but I can dream of those I love becoming disciples. I can dream about really transforming my community, and even the world. I can dream about a life of impact, and I can let that inspire me on a day to day basis. Without dreams, we all die inside. God has dreams for me and I need to praise Him for it. When I praise, I am happy. When I focus on joy, I am happy. It is no good for me to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any of my problems. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. God has everything in His hands, even the kings, so what am I worried about? He is able to handle my race for me. He is able to handle everything.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Today as we go about our business and travel to and fro on this earth, remind us of Your sovereignty. Help us to see the sunrise and remember Your glory. Help us to see the birds flying in the air and look at the mountains so majestic and remember that the mountains are small in comparison to the rest of the earth and they are minuscule in comparison to the whole universe. Help us to remember that despite this smallness of the large mountains, not one little bird that flies over them falls to the ground without You knowing. How amazing is that. We are so grateful that You pay attention to us at all.
I praise You for Your victories and I praise You for taking hold of us and giving us life. Thank You for the purpose that You have given us and thank You for walking with us all of the way. We glorify You this day and everyday You give us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it? How will this help me when I am dealing with my life and its difficulties?
2. Am I known for my positive and joyful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and joyful?
3. What I need to throw off? What hinders me and what entangles me? Why? Who can I get to help me deal with these things?
4. Am I satisfied with the race set out for me and the inheritance God has chosen for me? Why or why not? What can I do to cultivate a better attitude about my life?
5. What can I visualize as happening in the future due to my continued faithfulness? How can this help me not to grow weary? What can I do to help me focus on these goals and dreams on a day to day basis?
Day 3
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 47
"He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved." (vs. 4)
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. " (vs. 7-9)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. He has my inheritance chosen for me if I will embrace it. When life seems difficult, I need to remember this and remember that He does not give us more than we can handle. Every difficult situation has a silver lining somewhere, if only we look long enough and wait long enough. I am reminded of Hebrews 12: 1-3.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
The witnesses we are surrounded by are all the great men and women of faith mentioned in the chapter before, Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter which talks of men's weaknesses becoming their strengths. They are looking down and cheering us on, as is Jesus, who ran this race first for us to show us how to do it. Because of this, we have to throw off all the things that trip us up and entangle us. For me it is frustration over a never ending "to do list". It is frustration at myself for not being a good enough mother. It is not accomplishing enough, not being enough, not controlling my anger or frustration. It is depression. It is so many things, but I need to just let them go. I am not a very good runner, so when I run, I can't think about much of anything except putting one foot in front of the other. I can't talk with anyone or think about anything. I can't even get distracted by the scenery. I just have to run. In a way, this is a good analogy for me to remember. In my spiritual life, I just need to run and concentrate on one spiritual foot after another. I must narrow my focus down and get rid of all these distractions just like I have to do when I am physically running. Then I will be able to run with perseverance this race marked out for me.
The other thought I always have about these verses is that my race is marked out for me. I don't have to trail blaze. I just have to follow the course. God does have a good inheritance for me and a race that is my own for me to run. I need to stop looking at the race others are running and wanting theirs. I must learn to be satisfied with the one I was given. It is just right for me even if it may be difficult. Then finally, I have to focus on joy. I have to think of the joy that will come from me being faithful. I have to visualize the success that might be mine someday. I have no guarantees, but I can dream of those I love becoming disciples. I can dream about really transforming my community, and even the world. I can dream about a life of impact, and I can let that inspire me on a day to day basis. Without dreams, we all die inside. God has dreams for me and I need to praise Him for it. When I praise, I am happy. When I focus on joy, I am happy. It is no good for me to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any of my problems. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. God has everything in His hands, even the kings, so what am I worried about? He is able to handle my race for me. He is able to handle everything.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Today as we go about our business and travel to and fro on this earth, remind us of Your sovereignty. Help us to see the sunrise and remember Your glory. Help us to see the birds flying in the air and look at the mountains so majestic and remember that the mountains are small in comparison to the rest of the earth and they are minuscule in comparison to the whole universe. Help us to remember that despite this smallness of the large mountains, not one little bird that flies over them falls to the ground without You knowing. How amazing is that. We are so grateful that You pay attention to us at all.
I praise You for Your victories and I praise You for taking hold of us and giving us life. Thank You for the purpose that You have given us and thank You for walking with us all of the way. We glorify You this day and everyday You give us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it? How will this help me when I am dealing with my life and its difficulties?
2. Am I known for my positive and joyful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and joyful?
3. What I need to throw off? What hinders me and what entangles me? Why? Who can I get to help me deal with these things?
4. Am I satisfied with the race set out for me and the inheritance God has chosen for me? Why or why not? What can I do to cultivate a better attitude about my life?
5. What can I visualize as happening in the future due to my continued faithfulness? How can this help me not to grow weary? What can I do to help me focus on these goals and dreams on a day to day basis?
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/16/10 (10/16/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vs. 1-2)
Tomorrow I am going to a reunion in San Diego. As I was preparing to go, I became very sad and frustrated. I was afraid to go. Afraid to face my out of shape body and my inability to play a sport I once loved and still do. Afraid of what I have cut myself off from. Afraid of bad memories and feelings of failure that I left when I left that city. I haven't been back in many years. I haven't had any desire to return except perhaps to play waterpolo. That I have missed and longed for. That is why I am returning. But I know that my body will betray me. My life is so different now. But God is still my refuge. Even in these vague murmurings and sadness. I am still going. I am going to face my fears and my sadness. God is my help and this is my time to deal with my six years in San Diego. I cannot cut out so many years anymore. I must begin to synthesize my life and accept all of it.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 7)
And God will be with me. He is my fortress as I deal with my soul. He is the healer of wounds we cannot see. No one else knows the aches in our hearts as He does and no one can be a fortress for us. No one else can save us from ourselves.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (vs. 10)
I will be still and know that God is God. I will go to the bluffs and the ocean and all the old places and I will feel once again all the pain and I will let it go. I will let God be God and I will be still. I will listen to what those years have brought me to now. I had to go through the fires. I had to experience it. I would not go back or take it over and yet I would not wish it on anyone else either. But I will be still tomorrow, all day, and I will listen. I will laugh and do my best and reconnect and be someone that I was not in a place that I once was. God will be exalted, somehow, because God is always exalted whether we do the exalting or not. Hopefully, I will join in with the earth and exalt as well. It will be okay. I will be okay and when I return home, I will be better than I was. I will be more complete.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacobs is our fortress." (vs. 11)
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You know the sadness and the wounds of our hearts. It is so easy to put band aids on gaping holes and move on but You know and You arrange for us to meet the healing forces or face the pain again so that there may be closure. As we face our fears, help us to remember that You are our refuge and strength and that You are our ever present fortress. Help us to stop running from our painful pasts. Help us to embrace them and learn what You would have us learn.
We respect those that are able to face great tragedies and turn them into triumphs. Most of our pains are of the lesser type but in our souls they are festering and they are keeping us from fully living. Help us to come to grips with all our experiences, good and bad, and help us to use them to glorify you by strengthening others. You have great plans for us. You allow us to suffer so that in the end You may be lifted up through us and used, just as Jesus suffered and was used to save all those who would come to Him. We are grateful for all of our experience and we are grateful for Your saving grace. We will be still and know that You are God. Help us to do this. Help us to quiet our souls and hear Your voice. Help us to know now and always, that You are God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I running from any past memories or experiences? Why am I doing this?
2. How can I face these experiences and work through them so that I can have closure and move on in my life? What help is available for me?
3. What am I afraid of? Am I giving these things over to God in prayer? Am I remembering God in these moments of fear?
4. Am I still before God? How can I be still before God?
5. What does it mean to me to know that God is God? How can I practically do this more and more in my life?
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vs. 1-2)
Tomorrow I am going to a reunion in San Diego. As I was preparing to go, I became very sad and frustrated. I was afraid to go. Afraid to face my out of shape body and my inability to play a sport I once loved and still do. Afraid of what I have cut myself off from. Afraid of bad memories and feelings of failure that I left when I left that city. I haven't been back in many years. I haven't had any desire to return except perhaps to play waterpolo. That I have missed and longed for. That is why I am returning. But I know that my body will betray me. My life is so different now. But God is still my refuge. Even in these vague murmurings and sadness. I am still going. I am going to face my fears and my sadness. God is my help and this is my time to deal with my six years in San Diego. I cannot cut out so many years anymore. I must begin to synthesize my life and accept all of it.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 7)
And God will be with me. He is my fortress as I deal with my soul. He is the healer of wounds we cannot see. No one else knows the aches in our hearts as He does and no one can be a fortress for us. No one else can save us from ourselves.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (vs. 10)
I will be still and know that God is God. I will go to the bluffs and the ocean and all the old places and I will feel once again all the pain and I will let it go. I will let God be God and I will be still. I will listen to what those years have brought me to now. I had to go through the fires. I had to experience it. I would not go back or take it over and yet I would not wish it on anyone else either. But I will be still tomorrow, all day, and I will listen. I will laugh and do my best and reconnect and be someone that I was not in a place that I once was. God will be exalted, somehow, because God is always exalted whether we do the exalting or not. Hopefully, I will join in with the earth and exalt as well. It will be okay. I will be okay and when I return home, I will be better than I was. I will be more complete.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacobs is our fortress." (vs. 11)
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You know the sadness and the wounds of our hearts. It is so easy to put band aids on gaping holes and move on but You know and You arrange for us to meet the healing forces or face the pain again so that there may be closure. As we face our fears, help us to remember that You are our refuge and strength and that You are our ever present fortress. Help us to stop running from our painful pasts. Help us to embrace them and learn what You would have us learn.
We respect those that are able to face great tragedies and turn them into triumphs. Most of our pains are of the lesser type but in our souls they are festering and they are keeping us from fully living. Help us to come to grips with all our experiences, good and bad, and help us to use them to glorify you by strengthening others. You have great plans for us. You allow us to suffer so that in the end You may be lifted up through us and used, just as Jesus suffered and was used to save all those who would come to Him. We are grateful for all of our experience and we are grateful for Your saving grace. We will be still and know that You are God. Help us to do this. Help us to quiet our souls and hear Your voice. Help us to know now and always, that You are God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I running from any past memories or experiences? Why am I doing this?
2. How can I face these experiences and work through them so that I can have closure and move on in my life? What help is available for me?
3. What am I afraid of? Am I giving these things over to God in prayer? Am I remembering God in these moments of fear?
4. Am I still before God? How can I be still before God?
5. What does it mean to me to know that God is God? How can I practically do this more and more in my life?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/14/10 (10/14/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
If anything is to be accomplished in life, it will be through God. God sustains and grants the victories. I will not win the land, God will. I will not be successful with my life. It is too much for me. It really is, but God is here. He is pushing back my enemies. He is taking care of my children. He is getting me through my days. It is all too much for me and on some days I can not even think straight. I just keep going and somehow, everything keeps getting done. I will boast in God and I will go to sleep now because I am very, very tired.
Good night.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary sometimes and exhausted. Life can be so overwhelming and yet You are always there. You are waiting for us. Help us not to miss You in our frustration and sorrow. Help us not to miss You in our often frantic endeavours. Help us to slow down and recline at Your feet, to know that You are truly God and You are all we need. Remind us that the world will keep turning without us and that our jobs will go on. Help us to do our best, but help us to remember that there is more out there than what we see. We are so small and our worries so insignificant. You can solve them all. You are still in control, no matter how out of control we feel. The battle is Yours, let us give it to You. Grant us the rest we need tonight for we know that You grant sleep to those You love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. What are the battles I am fighting right now? Am I winning or losing?
2. Am I fighting them by myself or am I giving them over to God? How do I know?
3. Am I keeping my perspective right? Am I focused on knowing God first and foremost?
4. Am I seeking first the Kingdom of God (church) and His righteousness (my relationship with Him) and letting God take care of the rest? How do I know? If not, what am I seeking first in my life?
5. How can I seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness? What does that mean to me, and what would this look like in my life?
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
If anything is to be accomplished in life, it will be through God. God sustains and grants the victories. I will not win the land, God will. I will not be successful with my life. It is too much for me. It really is, but God is here. He is pushing back my enemies. He is taking care of my children. He is getting me through my days. It is all too much for me and on some days I can not even think straight. I just keep going and somehow, everything keeps getting done. I will boast in God and I will go to sleep now because I am very, very tired.
Good night.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary sometimes and exhausted. Life can be so overwhelming and yet You are always there. You are waiting for us. Help us not to miss You in our frustration and sorrow. Help us not to miss You in our often frantic endeavours. Help us to slow down and recline at Your feet, to know that You are truly God and You are all we need. Remind us that the world will keep turning without us and that our jobs will go on. Help us to do our best, but help us to remember that there is more out there than what we see. We are so small and our worries so insignificant. You can solve them all. You are still in control, no matter how out of control we feel. The battle is Yours, let us give it to You. Grant us the rest we need tonight for we know that You grant sleep to those You love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. What are the battles I am fighting right now? Am I winning or losing?
2. Am I fighting them by myself or am I giving them over to God? How do I know?
3. Am I keeping my perspective right? Am I focused on knowing God first and foremost?
4. Am I seeking first the Kingdom of God (church) and His righteousness (my relationship with Him) and letting God take care of the rest? How do I know? If not, what am I seeking first in my life?
5. How can I seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness? What does that mean to me, and what would this look like in my life?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/10/10 (10/10/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 3
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
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 40
"I waited patiently for the Lord: He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." (vs 1-5)
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. One online dictionary defines blessed as enjoying the bliss of heaven. I like that definition. If I can hang onto my trust in God and I do not give in to worry or running after other gods such as money or security, then I can enjoy the bliss of heaven down here. I can go about happy in the midst of chaos and trouble because I can see it as all in God's hands and all in His plans. I have started to try and look at life this way. Although I am far from perfecting my focus, it is getting better. Today, for example, whenever something unexpected or unfortunate happened, I asked God what I needed to see in this. I tried to see the bigger picture so that I could understand where God was going with everything that was happening in my life. It has been good for me to focus this way and it has been good for me to remember that God does have plans for me. In fact, God has so many plans for me and for each one of us that we wouldn't be able to even recount them. How amazing is that! Plus, He makes these plans for us because He loves us, not because He is trying to control us! He dreams of giving us the best life and the best eternity. Surely we can trust Him.
Yet, day to day life can hinder us in trusting Him. It is not as easy as it seems it should be. We can get to the point where we feel we are in a slimy pit and need rescuing as the psalmist states. My life schedule can make me feel that way. When I am working, I am going nonstop from 4 AM to 11 PM. It is exhausting to even think of all that I have to do and I can easily get overwhelmed. I have to keep my focus and keep telling myself that I am waiting patiently for God. I am putting one foot in front of the other. I am walking and waiting. When I do this, good things happen, when I don't disaster. For example, yesterday, I worked hard trying to take care of all my business so that I could get to the computer and write this devotional. I began to struggle with feeling overwhelmed at about 9:00 pm as I tried to get my children to bed. I knew that my night of cleaning, straightening, and other tasks was just beginning. When I began to think about everything else on my to do list, I began to get frustrated and upset. I began to sink like Peter did when he was walking on the water and stopped looking to Jesus ( Matt 14: 22-33 ). I had to stop and remind myself that I had I accomplished quite a bit during the day, however, and that had only happened because I had not worried about what else I needed to get done. I just kept going. I was finally able to sit down at the computer at 11:22 pm but I was so tired I couldn't even finish writing. I had to give up and go to bed.
I was sad about this at first but I had to remind myself that I will not be able to do everything that needs being done. And besides, it might not even be God's will for me at this time. With my schedule, it is impossible for me to do everything. At times I feel like sitting down and crying - but God knows what I need to get done. He has a plan for me and He has always had my back so to speak when I can't finish something up. He has heard my cry and He will hear my cry. He helps me to able to keep myself under control when I turn to Him and He helps me to not give in to my growing frustration. He lifts me out of what feels like an endless pit of work on a daily basis and puts me in a safe place. With His help, last night, I was able to get my children to bed. With His help, I was able to get Joelle's asthma under control. With His help, I got most of my housework done. With His help, I worked a bit on this writing, and then finally, with His help, I was able to accept that I needed to go to bed and let go of what "I" felt needed to be done. God does grant sleep to those He loves! (Psalm 127:1-2).
Tomorrow will start another overwhelming day, but God will be there as well. He will continue to place my feet on solid rock so that I may stand. He will keep me walking on water if I keep focused on Him. I can not look to the future or it will overwhelm me. I can only look to now and live it to the full as God intended. He is able and He will help me. I love the quote used in Messies Anonymous, a site I have found very beneficial in my fight against my messie nature. It states, "Never underestimate the inevitability of gradualness." I can do gradualness. I can do one step at a time. And God is there. He gives us a new song, a song of praise. I do have a new song and I will keep singing.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We have made it through another day. We cry out to You as we are waiting and struggling. It often feels like we are slip sliding away. But we are not. Keep our focus on You and keep us climbing up the hill, one step at a time. Help us to keep our eyes on You so that we can get out of the boat and walk on water. You told Peter to come. You did not think he was foolish to ask to walk on water. You just said come. We desire to walk on water. We need help keeping our eyes on You and not on the waves and the water. Keep us in your care and Help us to see that You are in control. Bless us as we put our trust in You. We want to experience the bliss of heaven down here. We need this to stay refreshed. We are grateful for all of the plans You have for us and we pray to walk in them. Be pleased to save us Lord because we need saving. We are poor and needy, and You are our help and deliverer. We wait in eager expectation. We wait patiently. Most of all, we just wait.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I waiting patiently for God? How do I know?
2. Am I trusting in God? How do I know? What fruit is this producing?
3. How can I keep my focus on God when there are storms raging around me?
4. What is my new song? Am I singing it? Am I really living and thinking differently than I used to? How do I see this?
5. Am I following God's plans for me or my own? Do I have any ideas what some of God's plans for my life might be? How could I find out?
Day 3
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
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 40
"I waited patiently for the Lord: He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." (vs 1-5)
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. One online dictionary defines blessed as enjoying the bliss of heaven. I like that definition. If I can hang onto my trust in God and I do not give in to worry or running after other gods such as money or security, then I can enjoy the bliss of heaven down here. I can go about happy in the midst of chaos and trouble because I can see it as all in God's hands and all in His plans. I have started to try and look at life this way. Although I am far from perfecting my focus, it is getting better. Today, for example, whenever something unexpected or unfortunate happened, I asked God what I needed to see in this. I tried to see the bigger picture so that I could understand where God was going with everything that was happening in my life. It has been good for me to focus this way and it has been good for me to remember that God does have plans for me. In fact, God has so many plans for me and for each one of us that we wouldn't be able to even recount them. How amazing is that! Plus, He makes these plans for us because He loves us, not because He is trying to control us! He dreams of giving us the best life and the best eternity. Surely we can trust Him.
Yet, day to day life can hinder us in trusting Him. It is not as easy as it seems it should be. We can get to the point where we feel we are in a slimy pit and need rescuing as the psalmist states. My life schedule can make me feel that way. When I am working, I am going nonstop from 4 AM to 11 PM. It is exhausting to even think of all that I have to do and I can easily get overwhelmed. I have to keep my focus and keep telling myself that I am waiting patiently for God. I am putting one foot in front of the other. I am walking and waiting. When I do this, good things happen, when I don't disaster. For example, yesterday, I worked hard trying to take care of all my business so that I could get to the computer and write this devotional. I began to struggle with feeling overwhelmed at about 9:00 pm as I tried to get my children to bed. I knew that my night of cleaning, straightening, and other tasks was just beginning. When I began to think about everything else on my to do list, I began to get frustrated and upset. I began to sink like Peter did when he was walking on the water and stopped looking to Jesus ( Matt 14: 22-33 ). I had to stop and remind myself that I had I accomplished quite a bit during the day, however, and that had only happened because I had not worried about what else I needed to get done. I just kept going. I was finally able to sit down at the computer at 11:22 pm but I was so tired I couldn't even finish writing. I had to give up and go to bed.
I was sad about this at first but I had to remind myself that I will not be able to do everything that needs being done. And besides, it might not even be God's will for me at this time. With my schedule, it is impossible for me to do everything. At times I feel like sitting down and crying - but God knows what I need to get done. He has a plan for me and He has always had my back so to speak when I can't finish something up. He has heard my cry and He will hear my cry. He helps me to able to keep myself under control when I turn to Him and He helps me to not give in to my growing frustration. He lifts me out of what feels like an endless pit of work on a daily basis and puts me in a safe place. With His help, last night, I was able to get my children to bed. With His help, I was able to get Joelle's asthma under control. With His help, I got most of my housework done. With His help, I worked a bit on this writing, and then finally, with His help, I was able to accept that I needed to go to bed and let go of what "I" felt needed to be done. God does grant sleep to those He loves! (Psalm 127:1-2).
Tomorrow will start another overwhelming day, but God will be there as well. He will continue to place my feet on solid rock so that I may stand. He will keep me walking on water if I keep focused on Him. I can not look to the future or it will overwhelm me. I can only look to now and live it to the full as God intended. He is able and He will help me. I love the quote used in Messies Anonymous, a site I have found very beneficial in my fight against my messie nature. It states, "Never underestimate the inevitability of gradualness." I can do gradualness. I can do one step at a time. And God is there. He gives us a new song, a song of praise. I do have a new song and I will keep singing.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We have made it through another day. We cry out to You as we are waiting and struggling. It often feels like we are slip sliding away. But we are not. Keep our focus on You and keep us climbing up the hill, one step at a time. Help us to keep our eyes on You so that we can get out of the boat and walk on water. You told Peter to come. You did not think he was foolish to ask to walk on water. You just said come. We desire to walk on water. We need help keeping our eyes on You and not on the waves and the water. Keep us in your care and Help us to see that You are in control. Bless us as we put our trust in You. We want to experience the bliss of heaven down here. We need this to stay refreshed. We are grateful for all of the plans You have for us and we pray to walk in them. Be pleased to save us Lord because we need saving. We are poor and needy, and You are our help and deliverer. We wait in eager expectation. We wait patiently. Most of all, we just wait.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I waiting patiently for God? How do I know?
2. Am I trusting in God? How do I know? What fruit is this producing?
3. How can I keep my focus on God when there are storms raging around me?
4. What is my new song? Am I singing it? Am I really living and thinking differently than I used to? How do I see this?
5. Am I following God's plans for me or my own? Do I have any ideas what some of God's plans for my life might be? How could I find out?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/7/10 (10/7/09)
Prayer Focus - Leaders (any type - World, State, Local, Church, Business, Work)
Day 7
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
One leader from another country
One local leader
One political leader
One leader you disagree with
One leader you interact with on a daily basis
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 37
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away." (vs. 1-2)
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain form anger and turn from wrath; do not fret- it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land." (vs. 7-9)
It is okay to not worry. In fact, it is more than okay, it is what is expected of us. This seems so counter intuitive. I almost feel guilty if I am not worrying. "Perhaps I am not being responsible if I give up my worry," I think. There is so much that can go wrong in the world. There is so much that can go wrong in my life, in my children's lives. It is overwhelming to think about every danger and yet I often try to. Thankfully, I do not have to. I can give this up and I must remind myself that I need to do this on a daily basis.
This is not just a suggestion either. This is a command. In several places, I am told - Do not worry. It is very clear. I have been commanded to not worry about anything. Not about my life, what I will eat or drink. Not about my body, what I will wear (Matt 6:25-34). Not about evil men. Not even when they are carrying out their wicked schemes (vs 2). Not even then. I am commanded - Do not worry! The evil men will get what's coming to them. It will happen someday. What about the large global and political issues? What about the global economy or the H1N1 virus? Is God bigger than this new flu? Is God bigger than depression? Bigger than world crises? Yes. He is bigger that even these things. What about evil conspiracies and the evil plots of diabolical men. Even then, I am not to fear or worry. I am to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. I am to refrain from anger and turn from wrath. I am to not fret - it leads only to evil. Worrying will not add an hour to my life, rather it will dissipate the energy I have left that could be used to fight. Worry is a large consuming force of Satan's and it has far reaching consequences. I must start viewing it as God does, as a direct affront to Him. It is not a little sin. It is enormous.
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (vs. 3-4)
But it is not enough to just stop worrying. I am to start doing something as well. I am to let go of worry and to grab a hold of doing good. I am supposed to start being proactive, not just sit around worrying. I am to start trusting in God, that He will take care of everything and that He knows the ins and outs of my life. I need to remember that not even a sparrow falls to the earth without Him knowing (Matt 10:28-31). Surely He knows my life and times. Surely, He knows my fears. With my youngest daughter's asthma and various other health issues, such as severe food allergies, I have had to come to trust God over and over again. Even as I write this, she is sick again and I am tempted to worry about the flu and all of the warnings of it striking hardest those with underlying health issues. I have had to come to grips with the fact that a day may come when God may want her back with Him. I have spent many nights in the emergency room with her already in her short five years. I am continually reminded that it is not up to me, and now I deal with my husband as well.
I cannot focus on these things or I will be crippled. There was a time when much less would send me off to bed to sleep til the storm had past. Those days are over. God has used life to mature me and He is continually perfecting the process. I have learned that I need to just focus on doing good. If I sit and worry, I waste the time I do have with those I love. I cannot be godly while in the midst of a worry induced panic. So I need to focus on doing good. I need to dwell in the land. I need to live; to be here in the moment, to be with my children and laugh and play. This is so hard for me. I am so used to worrying. It is almost a comfort to me, like a drink to an alcoholic. If I have my worry, I think I will be okay, but I will not be.
I am to live and enjoy safe pasture. I am to have life, and life to the fullest. That is why Jesus came (John 10:10). Then when I die, my existence will be even better. This is so hard for me to fathom. The afterlife is so unknown. I hope and pray to have the child-like faith of my Joelle, (my youngest), who tells me that she cannot wait to go to heaven so that she will not have asthma anymore and will be able to eat nuts and not react. She talks with such longing for the day she will be there and have her perfect body. She shares this with her little friends at school and she laughs and plays in the meantime. She is not afraid. She is not worried. She is good at living and good at trusting. I love that about her and strive to imitate it. Finally, I am to delight myself in the Lord. I am to get to the point where it truly is all about God and I can let go of the rest. Then and only then can He give me the desires of my heart because then and only then will I use His gifts correctly and my desires will also be what are pleasing to Him.
In the end, if we hope in the Lord, we will inherit the land (vs. 9). The Lord laughs at the wicked for He knows their day is coming (vs. 13). Better the little that the righteous have than evil with money. It is better to be righteous than rich (vs. 16). The power of the wicked will be broken (vs. 17). It may not seem like it now. Evil does seem to rule this old world, but if so, it is only temporary. God wins out in the end and that is what I need to cling on to. In times of disaster, I will not wither or fade (vs. 19). Even in famine, I will be supported and my children protected (vs. 19). For if the Lord delights in me, He will help me and make my ways firm.
I will wait for the Lord and keep His way. There is a future for the man of peace.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord Father,
We want You to delight in us. It is often difficult to know if anyone has ever truly delighted in us, but we would really like that. We want to be special to someone. Father, we know that the righteous are never forsaken. Help us to turn from evil and do good. We know that You will not forsake Your faithful ones. If we hide the law of God is in our hearts, we will not slip. If we are righteous, the Lord will not let us remain under the power of the wicked or be condemned. We are so grateful for You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I a worrier? How is this not trusting God? What specific things do I worry about the most? How can I surrender them to God?
2. Am I an angry person? If so, what is the anger about? How can I let this negative emotion go?
3. Am I living life to the fullest and being "in the moment" or am I hiding behind worry? What promises of God can help me to stop worrying?
4. How can I do good and be proactive with my life. What have I been avoiding because of worry or fear? What can I start doing?
5. Which promises in this psalm encourage me the most? Why? Which are the hardest for me to understand and grasp at a heart level? Why?
Day 7
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
One leader from another country
One local leader
One political leader
One leader you disagree with
One leader you interact with on a daily basis
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 37
"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away." (vs. 1-2)
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain form anger and turn from wrath; do not fret- it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land." (vs. 7-9)
It is okay to not worry. In fact, it is more than okay, it is what is expected of us. This seems so counter intuitive. I almost feel guilty if I am not worrying. "Perhaps I am not being responsible if I give up my worry," I think. There is so much that can go wrong in the world. There is so much that can go wrong in my life, in my children's lives. It is overwhelming to think about every danger and yet I often try to. Thankfully, I do not have to. I can give this up and I must remind myself that I need to do this on a daily basis.
This is not just a suggestion either. This is a command. In several places, I am told - Do not worry. It is very clear. I have been commanded to not worry about anything. Not about my life, what I will eat or drink. Not about my body, what I will wear (Matt 6:25-34). Not about evil men. Not even when they are carrying out their wicked schemes (vs 2). Not even then. I am commanded - Do not worry! The evil men will get what's coming to them. It will happen someday. What about the large global and political issues? What about the global economy or the H1N1 virus? Is God bigger than this new flu? Is God bigger than depression? Bigger than world crises? Yes. He is bigger that even these things. What about evil conspiracies and the evil plots of diabolical men. Even then, I am not to fear or worry. I am to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. I am to refrain from anger and turn from wrath. I am to not fret - it leads only to evil. Worrying will not add an hour to my life, rather it will dissipate the energy I have left that could be used to fight. Worry is a large consuming force of Satan's and it has far reaching consequences. I must start viewing it as God does, as a direct affront to Him. It is not a little sin. It is enormous.
"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (vs. 3-4)
But it is not enough to just stop worrying. I am to start doing something as well. I am to let go of worry and to grab a hold of doing good. I am supposed to start being proactive, not just sit around worrying. I am to start trusting in God, that He will take care of everything and that He knows the ins and outs of my life. I need to remember that not even a sparrow falls to the earth without Him knowing (Matt 10:28-31). Surely He knows my life and times. Surely, He knows my fears. With my youngest daughter's asthma and various other health issues, such as severe food allergies, I have had to come to trust God over and over again. Even as I write this, she is sick again and I am tempted to worry about the flu and all of the warnings of it striking hardest those with underlying health issues. I have had to come to grips with the fact that a day may come when God may want her back with Him. I have spent many nights in the emergency room with her already in her short five years. I am continually reminded that it is not up to me, and now I deal with my husband as well.
I cannot focus on these things or I will be crippled. There was a time when much less would send me off to bed to sleep til the storm had past. Those days are over. God has used life to mature me and He is continually perfecting the process. I have learned that I need to just focus on doing good. If I sit and worry, I waste the time I do have with those I love. I cannot be godly while in the midst of a worry induced panic. So I need to focus on doing good. I need to dwell in the land. I need to live; to be here in the moment, to be with my children and laugh and play. This is so hard for me. I am so used to worrying. It is almost a comfort to me, like a drink to an alcoholic. If I have my worry, I think I will be okay, but I will not be.
I am to live and enjoy safe pasture. I am to have life, and life to the fullest. That is why Jesus came (John 10:10). Then when I die, my existence will be even better. This is so hard for me to fathom. The afterlife is so unknown. I hope and pray to have the child-like faith of my Joelle, (my youngest), who tells me that she cannot wait to go to heaven so that she will not have asthma anymore and will be able to eat nuts and not react. She talks with such longing for the day she will be there and have her perfect body. She shares this with her little friends at school and she laughs and plays in the meantime. She is not afraid. She is not worried. She is good at living and good at trusting. I love that about her and strive to imitate it. Finally, I am to delight myself in the Lord. I am to get to the point where it truly is all about God and I can let go of the rest. Then and only then can He give me the desires of my heart because then and only then will I use His gifts correctly and my desires will also be what are pleasing to Him.
In the end, if we hope in the Lord, we will inherit the land (vs. 9). The Lord laughs at the wicked for He knows their day is coming (vs. 13). Better the little that the righteous have than evil with money. It is better to be righteous than rich (vs. 16). The power of the wicked will be broken (vs. 17). It may not seem like it now. Evil does seem to rule this old world, but if so, it is only temporary. God wins out in the end and that is what I need to cling on to. In times of disaster, I will not wither or fade (vs. 19). Even in famine, I will be supported and my children protected (vs. 19). For if the Lord delights in me, He will help me and make my ways firm.
I will wait for the Lord and keep His way. There is a future for the man of peace.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord Father,
We want You to delight in us. It is often difficult to know if anyone has ever truly delighted in us, but we would really like that. We want to be special to someone. Father, we know that the righteous are never forsaken. Help us to turn from evil and do good. We know that You will not forsake Your faithful ones. If we hide the law of God is in our hearts, we will not slip. If we are righteous, the Lord will not let us remain under the power of the wicked or be condemned. We are so grateful for You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I a worrier? How is this not trusting God? What specific things do I worry about the most? How can I surrender them to God?
2. Am I an angry person? If so, what is the anger about? How can I let this negative emotion go?
3. Am I living life to the fullest and being "in the moment" or am I hiding behind worry? What promises of God can help me to stop worrying?
4. How can I do good and be proactive with my life. What have I been avoiding because of worry or fear? What can I start doing?
5. Which promises in this psalm encourage me the most? Why? Which are the hardest for me to understand and grasp at a heart level? Why?
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?
Monday, August 16, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/13/10 (9/13/09)
Focus Letter - M
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 that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Help me to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 13
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" (vs. 1)
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13
"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." (vs. 5)
How long are we willing to do battle with ourselves and our sins/character flaws? A day, a week, a month, a season? How about a year? How about ten years? That seems like a long time. I know because I went through it.
After I became a Christian in 1983, an issue came up in my life that was deeply embedded in who I was. It was contrary to the Word of God, however, and so I took up the fight against it. I prayed. I fasted. I confessed. I did everything I knew of to deal with it and yet it still was a daily struggle for me. I would have good and bad days but the problem remained. I even saw a psychologist for help. All the things I did helped to some degree but the sin remained with me.
I felt like the psalmist. I cried out, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? (vs. 1)" I did feel forgotten in many ways because I was trying. I was doing everything right. But this was something more than not swearing or not getting drunk. The obvious sins are often the easiest to overcome. Many things I had struggled with for years changed overnight the day I became a Christian. Deeper heart issues arose, however. And so it is for all of us. We are not changed overnight. We are changed continually. We are slowly sculpted into something beautiful that will not be finished until the day we stand before God.
I struggled and struggled but in the end I trusted in God and did the best I could that day. That was all I could do and I kept on going. I did not know when my struggle would end or if perhaps it would not and I would deal with this particular issue til the day I died. Eventually it did not matter anymore. I decided that no matter what, I would not give up. In becoming a Christian, I had found the best thing in my life, even if it was not easy. At 17, I knew that if I walked away from God, I would be walking away from the best thing I ever had and my only hope of change.
I felt like Peter when he declared to Jesus, "Lord, to whom shall we go?Where else could we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68). " I truly believed and still to this day believe there is no where else for me to go. Jesus still has the words of life. And amazingly enough, ten years later, I awoke one day to find my struggle was gone; never to return. As I look back over the ten years, now that I am on the other side of it, it didn't seem that long of a time. The relief was so tremendous that to this day it gives me chills just thinking about it. I was finally free. I am finally free. Finally.
It was all worth it. All the years of struggle, all the tears. I have no regrets. And now, "I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me." (vs. 6) God is always good. Always.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful for the power You give to our lives. We are grateful for the transformations that You grant. We believe in Your ability and desire to remake us into what we were created to be. We fall so short but we have great dreams. Forgive us and help us to get back up and fight on. We remember our past victories and we look forward to what is in store for our lives. Help us to walk the path You have planned for us and to keep our eyes focused on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to start fighting to overcome?
2. Have you given up working on something because it seemed impossible to change?
3. What can you do today to get back in the fight?
4. What verses can motivate you when you are feeling weak?
5. What things have I overcome already? How do the victories make me feel?
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 that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Help me to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 13
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" (vs. 1)
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13
"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." (vs. 5)
How long are we willing to do battle with ourselves and our sins/character flaws? A day, a week, a month, a season? How about a year? How about ten years? That seems like a long time. I know because I went through it.
After I became a Christian in 1983, an issue came up in my life that was deeply embedded in who I was. It was contrary to the Word of God, however, and so I took up the fight against it. I prayed. I fasted. I confessed. I did everything I knew of to deal with it and yet it still was a daily struggle for me. I would have good and bad days but the problem remained. I even saw a psychologist for help. All the things I did helped to some degree but the sin remained with me.
I felt like the psalmist. I cried out, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? (vs. 1)" I did feel forgotten in many ways because I was trying. I was doing everything right. But this was something more than not swearing or not getting drunk. The obvious sins are often the easiest to overcome. Many things I had struggled with for years changed overnight the day I became a Christian. Deeper heart issues arose, however. And so it is for all of us. We are not changed overnight. We are changed continually. We are slowly sculpted into something beautiful that will not be finished until the day we stand before God.
I struggled and struggled but in the end I trusted in God and did the best I could that day. That was all I could do and I kept on going. I did not know when my struggle would end or if perhaps it would not and I would deal with this particular issue til the day I died. Eventually it did not matter anymore. I decided that no matter what, I would not give up. In becoming a Christian, I had found the best thing in my life, even if it was not easy. At 17, I knew that if I walked away from God, I would be walking away from the best thing I ever had and my only hope of change.
I felt like Peter when he declared to Jesus, "Lord, to whom shall we go?Where else could we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68). " I truly believed and still to this day believe there is no where else for me to go. Jesus still has the words of life. And amazingly enough, ten years later, I awoke one day to find my struggle was gone; never to return. As I look back over the ten years, now that I am on the other side of it, it didn't seem that long of a time. The relief was so tremendous that to this day it gives me chills just thinking about it. I was finally free. I am finally free. Finally.
It was all worth it. All the years of struggle, all the tears. I have no regrets. And now, "I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me." (vs. 6) God is always good. Always.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful for the power You give to our lives. We are grateful for the transformations that You grant. We believe in Your ability and desire to remake us into what we were created to be. We fall so short but we have great dreams. Forgive us and help us to get back up and fight on. We remember our past victories and we look forward to what is in store for our lives. Help us to walk the path You have planned for us and to keep our eyes focused on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to start fighting to overcome?
2. Have you given up working on something because it seemed impossible to change?
3. What can you do today to get back in the fight?
4. What verses can motivate you when you are feeling weak?
5. What things have I overcome already? How do the victories make me feel?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Daily Devotional - 1/21
Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 81
"Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!... He says, " I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you,.." ( vs. 1, 6 & 7a)
Sing for joy. Be happy and excited about God and His strength. No matter what is going on in our lives, we are to rejoice in the Lord. Circumstances will always let us down but God will not. We can always rejoice in Him for He removes our burdens. He frees up our hands from the slave labor of the world. He gives us a new perspective. He rescues us from all that would harm us including ourselves. God answers. God is worthy of our praise, always.
"Hear, O my people, and I will warn you - if you would but listen to me, O Israel! You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." (vs. 8-10)
Beyond rejoicing, we must listen and obey. There should be nothing that rivals God in our lives and in our hearts; nothing should get in the way to our obedience and worship. Work, schedules, exhaustion, ourselves - these things are not worth serving. Life will go on without us, but will we go on without God? Don't bow down to them. Remember it is God that has brought us here to this point in our lives and will continue to take care of us if we let Him. He brought us up out of our Egypts; our captivity. He is wanting to fill us up. We need to open wide our mouths. Give God the opportunity to work. There is no limit to God and how He works.
"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices." (vs. 11-12)
The problem though, is that we struggle to listen. We forget God is speaking to us all the time and the world is so noisy that it is hard to hear His voice unless we are focusing intently on it. We need to make a concerted effort to hear and when we ask for something, we need to pay attention for the answer. I think we are often like children who ask questions of their parents and then get so sidetracked that they never hear the answers. We need to be still and listen and we will hear God. Then we need to obey. We have to submit our will to His because He does know best. If we ignore what He is saying, eventually He will let us go our own way. Then we will wander like the Israelites in the desert.
Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 81
"Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!... He says, " I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you,.." ( vs. 1, 6 & 7a)
Sing for joy. Be happy and excited about God and His strength. No matter what is going on in our lives, we are to rejoice in the Lord. Circumstances will always let us down but God will not. We can always rejoice in Him for He removes our burdens. He frees up our hands from the slave labor of the world. He gives us a new perspective. He rescues us from all that would harm us including ourselves. God answers. God is worthy of our praise, always.
"Hear, O my people, and I will warn you - if you would but listen to me, O Israel! You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." (vs. 8-10)
Beyond rejoicing, we must listen and obey. There should be nothing that rivals God in our lives and in our hearts; nothing should get in the way to our obedience and worship. Work, schedules, exhaustion, ourselves - these things are not worth serving. Life will go on without us, but will we go on without God? Don't bow down to them. Remember it is God that has brought us here to this point in our lives and will continue to take care of us if we let Him. He brought us up out of our Egypts; our captivity. He is wanting to fill us up. We need to open wide our mouths. Give God the opportunity to work. There is no limit to God and how He works.
"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices." (vs. 11-12)
The problem though, is that we struggle to listen. We forget God is speaking to us all the time and the world is so noisy that it is hard to hear His voice unless we are focusing intently on it. We need to make a concerted effort to hear and when we ask for something, we need to pay attention for the answer. I think we are often like children who ask questions of their parents and then get so sidetracked that they never hear the answers. We need to be still and listen and we will hear God. Then we need to obey. We have to submit our will to His because He does know best. If we ignore what He is saying, eventually He will let us go our own way. Then we will wander like the Israelites in the desert.
"If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before Him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." (vs. 13-16)
He will allow us to go but I think it breaks His heart, just as it would break our hearts to have our own children walk away from us. His love for us is so clear here as He speaks of how quickly He would subdue our enemies if we took His messages to heart. He is speaking to us relentlessly and waiting to bless us and take care of us. If we listened and obeyed, God could and would turn anything around in our lives - illness, debt, clutter, lack of organization, ineffectiveness, bad schedules, bad parenting, bad marriages. God could transform any of these things in a minute. God is waiting. It's up to us now.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We long to be filled by You. Help us to rid ourselves of the idols in our lives and the things that we strive after instead of you. Help us to be still and hear Your voice. Help us to be still and know that you are God and we are not. Life will go on without us. We are not indispensable. Our relationship with You is all that really matter and You will take care of the rest. We want to obey. We want to rejoice. Help us. We are opening wide our mouths. We are waiting on You. We will let You lead us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I praising God and focusing on all He has done for me? What did He set me free from? What was I in slave labor to and what burdens has He lifted from me?
2. Do I have idols in my life? What do I devote most of my time to? Is it worth it? How can I change my priorities to make sure God is in first place?
3. Am I listening to God's voice? What distracts me from hearing Him? Am I allowing myself quiet time in which I can meditate on His word? How can I incorporate more time for reflection into my life?
4. Am I obeying the voice of God in my life? Am I allowing Him to subdue my enemies? What enemies do I have that need subduing? Am I remembering God's love for me in all of this?
Dear Lord,
We long to be filled by You. Help us to rid ourselves of the idols in our lives and the things that we strive after instead of you. Help us to be still and hear Your voice. Help us to be still and know that you are God and we are not. Life will go on without us. We are not indispensable. Our relationship with You is all that really matter and You will take care of the rest. We want to obey. We want to rejoice. Help us. We are opening wide our mouths. We are waiting on You. We will let You lead us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I praising God and focusing on all He has done for me? What did He set me free from? What was I in slave labor to and what burdens has He lifted from me?
2. Do I have idols in my life? What do I devote most of my time to? Is it worth it? How can I change my priorities to make sure God is in first place?
3. Am I listening to God's voice? What distracts me from hearing Him? Am I allowing myself quiet time in which I can meditate on His word? How can I incorporate more time for reflection into my life?
4. Am I obeying the voice of God in my life? Am I allowing Him to subdue my enemies? What enemies do I have that need subduing? Am I remembering God's love for me in all of this?
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