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?

Daily Devotional - 9/23/15 (1/23/10)

Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation



Day 5
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)
One skill or topic you want to learn - (with all your mind)
One thing that you want to see improved about your health - (with all your strength)



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 83



"See how Your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against Your people; they plot against those You cherish. ...With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against You -" ( vs. 2-3, 5)


"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10 - 18)


Life is a spiritual battle. We are in a spiritual battle each and every day and our enemy is strong and pervasive.  He can pretend to be good, even an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14). He is always out prowling around, looking to get us when we are weak, (I Peter 5:8-9), and he can use even our closest loved ones to get at us and make us fall (Matt 16:23). We forget this and think that we are fighting each other. We get so angry at circumstances and people but forget who really deserves our indignation.  The real enemy is so much more dangerous.  The enemy is a spiritual force.  The scriptures seem to make it clear that there are good and evil forces.  There is a whole unseen universe out there.  In order to survive, we must remember this, and keep a correct spiritual perspective on Satan and his demons.  We also must start fighting spiritually instead of like mere mortals.  We must put on the spiritual armor of God in order to fight these battles. (Ephesians 6:10-18).

First of all, we must be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. We can't fight any battles on our own really.  We can't even guarantee that we will get up tomorrow.  Plus, our weapons are not very effective.  When we fight as men, we yell and scream.  We hit and throw things.  We say mean words.  What will any of this do in the spiritual realm.  Satan must laugh when we try to fight him this way.  This is exactly what He wants.  He wants us to turn on ourselves and devour each other. It saves him the work.  Now if we fight God's way and are strong in Him, then we are truly strong indeed.  God has the power to raise the dead, so why are we worried. We must also remember that we are strong in Christ.  He has already won the victory. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13).

We need to change our perspective and turn to God.  We need to put on the full armor of God so that we can take a stand against the Devil's schemes. Our struggle truly is not against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle. What is going on at our jobs is a spiritual battle. Our problems with our children are spiritual battles. Our marriage conflicts are spiritual battles. Our emotional lives, our ups and downs, all the things that throw us for a loop. It is all spiritual. There is an enemy amassed against us, especially if we are trying to follow God. We have an enemy. Our enemy is not one another or circumstances. It is much more sinister.

If we can remember this perspective, we will do better. We will not take things so personally. Also, it may be easier to remember to use the tools that God has given us to protect ourselves and fight back. God wants us to stand. When all the dust settles, He wants to find us still there, sword drawn. If we don't prepare, we will get knocked down and perhaps out.

Put on the full armor and get ready to fight. Then pray and get out there.



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We forget so easily that Satan is out there on the prowl. He longs to have us but You have the strength to overcome him. Help us to turn to You and resist him. He will flee. You are stronger than him and You have already won the ultimate victory. Help us to stop fighting one another and start fighting him. Help us to remember to put on the full armor You have provided for us and help us to remember to pray. Keep our perspective on the spiritual battle and let us look beyond the people and circumstances that Satan is trying to use to get us down. We know You are able.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT



1. Do I realize that I have an enemy that is out to get me?  Why or why not?  How do I see the enemy attacking me?

2.Do I see life as a spiritual battle? How can I develop the right perspective and keep it in the forefront of my mind?

3. What people and circumstances do I see Satan using to get to me? How can I fight the correct battle and stop letting him use these avenues to get to me?

4. Am I putting on the armor of God? What pieces of armor do I forget most often? Which ones am I good at putting on? How can I strengthen my battle?

5. Am I praying in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests? What do I pray about the most? What am I forgetting to bring before God? How will I remember to pray more about the spiritual battle?

Daily Devotional - 9/19/15 (11/19/09)

Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation

Day 1

Pray for:
One thing that you would like to see improved in your relationship with God



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.




Psalms 79



"O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble...How long, O Lord, will You be angry forever? How long will Your jealousy burn like fire?..Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may Your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need...Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will recount Your praise." ( vs. 1, 5, 8, & 13)


God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed and His people taken into captivity. He allowed them to get into such a difficult situation that they were in desperate need. The Israelites were in captivity many times, often for such a long period of time that the original people that had sinned were long gone. This did not stop the latter generations from still reaping the consequences. This can be troubling to think about. In the Old Testament, there are long periods of silence from God when His people wondered where He was. In our lives, at times, we can feel the same. We face various trials from without and within. There can be issues with our health, our finances, our parenting, our marriage, our job or lack there of. Internal struggles can include grief, anger, bitterness, depression, guilt, obsessions, and worry. The list goes on and on. Struggles can endure for days, months, years. And we wonder, "God where are You?  God, do You even exist at all?"

Why is this? Why does God allow this? What can we learn from these times? There are many lessons in this, but they often run contrary to our modern culture.  This sometimes makes it hard for us to understand. We are people of sight. We are people of immediate gratification. We are people that deny there are consequences to our actions. Remember the slogan, "If it feels good, do it?" But reality doesn't base itself on our culture. There really are eternal truths that we will need to internalize if we are ever going to walk successfully through this life. The following are a few of them.

First, we need to learn that there are consequences to every action. We don't want to believe this. We are so used to being rescued.  I know I was.  When I was growing up, I was rescued many times in big and small ways by my parents. Although I know it was done in love, I think I might have been better off I had faced some consequences for my actions in my youth. As a result of how I was raised, I had to learn the hard way that no one comes to rescue you anymore when you are an adult. If you don't pay your bills, bad things happen, such as the lights get shut off.  If you overspend, you have to pay it off. Also, there are laws that have to be obeyed and there are deadlines that can not be denied. We can't always talk our way out of something. How many of us were shocked when we began to realize this? Often, we are still fighting this same issue.  We argue the consequences of our actions with a policeman that stopped us even though we know we were speeding. We bail our children out when they procrastinate or get in trouble. We blame others for our problems rather than face what we really deserve. Thankfully, God is not like this. He sees the big picture. He knows the ultimate consequences of life and He is not afraid to let us face what we deserve to face or need to face. He is the ultimate loving parent who is willing to let us go through the hard lessons so that in the end we might live.

Secondly, we need to learn that sin has far reaching consequences, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us as well. Many times the Bible talks about the sins of the fathers (Ezekiel 18). We are not held responsible in the sense that we will die spiritually for what someone else does, such as our parents, but their sins will still impact us. Children and spouses' of alcoholics know the truth in this. Sin leaves scars that are often difficult to heal. Even sins we might consider less dramatic such as impatience and selfishness damage others. When we say careless and mean things in our anger, those around us will have to deal with the depth of that wound. Even if they forgive us, the words have gone out and can never be taken back. We often hear the echoes of cruel things that were said to us years later, try as we might to forget. The Bible states that we will be called to account for every careless word we speak (Matt 12:36-37). This verse is sobering to me as I know I have said many careless things in my life. It reminds me that we have to take our lives seriously because we do impact others for eternity, whether we want to or not.

Finally, the last lesson I will mention here is that God is still there in the silence; working away at the plan He has for our lives. In the silence of the Old Testament, God was working out His plan of salvation for not only Israel but for the whole world. We do not know why it took so long but it was worth the wait. The behind the scenes work of the universe is a bit beyond us, but it is good enough for me to know that someone who is able is back there working it out. As a child, most of us did not have to worry about the bills or the more complicated issues about what had to be done to provide for us. We trusted our parents and lived life. Think about all that went on to get us to adulthood. Even if our childhoods were not that good, there was work done on our behalf by many people. We will never know the full extent, but as we become parents, we get a glimpse of what it takes to raise a child and hopefully we have more mercy on our parents for all of their failings. It is so hard and although we try our best, we fail so often. But God is the perfect parent and we can rest easy knowing that He is working to take care of what needs to be done to get us to our final destination. We need to be like that weaned child resting with its mother, confident in the safety she provides (Psalms 131). God is there. God does exist. He has a plan.  The trials will eventually pass.  All hard times do eventually come to an end, and that in itself is good.

 

"My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore."  (Psalm 131)

Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,


It is so hard to be like the weaned child. We have so many fears and it is so hard for us to just rest in You. Yet, You are majestic and able. Forgive us for insulting Your power and goodness. We, as sinful humans, know how to give good gifts to our children. You are so much more. Thank You for thinking in the long term and for not always giving us what we want. Thank You for letting us go through the hard times so that we might in the end make it to be with You in eternity. Help us to keep our eyes on the eternal and in the times of silence know that You are there. Just as the sun shines behind the clouds though we see it not, You shine throughout the universe. We praise Your name.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1. Do I feel like God is moving and present in my life or do I feel like He is silent and absent?  Why?  When have I felt these two different ways?  How do I deal with the times in my life when I feel that God is being silent?  What can I do to get through these difficult times?

2. Am I willing to face the consequences of my actions? Am I helping my children to face the consequences of their actions? How can I teach them this concept? Do I blame others for anything in my life?  In what areas do I see this?  How can I stop blaming others for my problems and start dealing more with my actions?

3. Am I dealing with any scars from the sins of those around me? How can I work on being healed?

4. Am I creating any scars? Are my sins affecting my children, spouse, significant other, roommate, etc.?  How?  What do I need to change and how can I?

5. Am I trying to control everything in my life? Am I filled with worry about all of the issues I face? Am I like the weaned child or like an unhappy child? How can I change? What will I do today to start trusting God more?

Daily Devotional - 9/17/15 (11/17/09)

Prayer Focus - Needs


Day 6
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle


Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual lives
physical lives
emotional lives
mental lives



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




Psalms 77



"I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted." ( vs. 1-2 )


"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds. You are the God who performs miracles; You display Your power among the peoples." (vs. 11-12, 14)


"You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron." (vs. 20)



The keys to spiritual success are to cry out to God unceasingly, remember His incredible power and the ways He has rescued us in the past, remember He works miracles, and follow the people He has put in our lives to guide us spiritually. If we obey God and His directions, He will be able to bless us. I am convinced that to the degree that I obey His word, I will be blessed. The more I obey, the more I open the door for Him to be able and willing to bless me. I do not reward my children when they are disobeying me and having bad attitudes. Neither does God. I wait until they are doing well with what is required of them and walking in communion with me. Is God not like this? Why do we expect good from Him when we are unwilling to give Him what He requires and expects from us. He has laid down precepts that He expects to be fully obeyed (Psalms 119:4). This applies to my marriage, my parenting, my everyday life, my eating habits, and all the rest of my life. There is so much in the Bible for us to learn. Let us go after it as a loving child would go after pleasing their parents. It is worth it.




Prayer for the Day




Dear Lord,


You are the God of miracles. Help us to remember that. Help us to obey more and more each day. We know and believe that You exist and that You reward those who earnestly seek You. We are seeking You. Help us to find You and grant us the strength to obey, now and forever


In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. Do I cry out to God unceasingly? Am I determined in prayer or do I pray when it is convenient?

2. How can I improve my prayer life? How can I be more consistent?

3. What miracles have I seen in my life? Do I meditate on God's power and miracles? Or do I focus more on my wants and needs? How can I change my perspective?

4. Who has God placed in my life to guide me right now? Am I following their guidance? Why or why not? Am I following anyone right now in any area of my life? Do I believe mentoring in any form is useful? Why or why not? Is my view in line with God's?

5. Am I obeying God's precepts? Which areas in my life are the most difficult for me to obey in? Why? Which are the easiest? Why? How can I become more obedient in my weak areas?

Daily Devotional - 9/14/15 (11/14/15)

Prayer Focus - Needs

Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region



Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual lives
physical lives
emotional lives
mental lives



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




Psalms 74



"We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be." ( vs. 9)


"But You, O God, are my king from of old; You bring salvation upon the earth." (vs. 12)




How do we respond when everything seems to be going wrong and there is no end in sight? This is the true test of our spirituality. It is easy to praise God when things are going well or when we are at the end of some long ordeal, but what about in the middle of it? How many of us have quit something because it seemed too difficult? We will never know how close we were to victory. God was not allowed the chance to finish His work in this area because we gave up. Quitting is a dangerous matter because once we quit one thing, the next time it is so much easier to quit again. Soon we are experts at quitting and we have lost the self-discipline to complete anything. It takes effort to become skilled at something or to endure a difficult time but in the end we always look back with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Our character has grown. We must stop quitting and start finishing!

In our spiritual life, it is just as important to stop being a quitter. We must begin finishing what we start. We need to set goals for ourselves and then see them through. This will develop our maturity and our ability to see a very difficult time through. Someday we may really need the ability to keep going when everything in our being says, "Stop, I can't handle it!" We can handle it - with God. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). We can with God, if He remains the Lord of our lives. Let us make and keep Him as King, no matter what comes and goes in our life. Then we will see the salvation of God now and in the life to come.





Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


You are our King from of old. You bring us salvation. We know that hard times may come for us and we pray to be strong during them. Help us not to become quitters. Help us to finish what we start and see things through to the end. We know that in this way, we will become stronger and ready for whatever may come in the future. Help us to always cling to You and Your promises no matter how dark the road may seem. We know and believe that it is worth it and in the end we will be the victors if we remain with You.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. Am I going through a difficult time right now? If so, how am I dealing with it? If not, the last time I went through a difficult time how did I deal with it?

2. Would I classify myself as more of a quitter or a finisher? What have I quit on lately? Why? What am I doing now that I am tempted to quit? When can I go back and finish some of the things that I have quit on?

3. What can I do to start working on to become more of a finisher?  How can I learn to have more perseverance?  Can I set some goals and finish them?  Should I learn a new skill or pick up an old one that I have put aside?

4. Am I making God the King and Lord of my life daily? How am I doing this? How can I improve?

5. How do I see God's salvation at work in my life? How have I seen it in the past? How do I hope to see it in the future?

Daily Devotional - 9/6/15 (11/6/09)

Prayer Focus - Gratitude

Day 2
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in



Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life



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


Psalms 66


"Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For You, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance." ( vs. 8-12 )


We are reminded here that sometimes God allows us to go through hard times in order to train and refine us. He lets testing go on to see what is in our hearts because that is what is most important.  The heart is the wellspring of life and often it is not as pure as it should be.  We desire to do good, but evil seems to be right with us.  Testing is like the furnace that purifies metal.  All the impurities are burned off.  Sometimes our testing is very intense as well and we can question God.  This testing does not mean that God is upset with us, however, or that He is being mean to us. He loves us so much, as evidenced by the cross of Christ.  He wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth but He also knows what it is going to take to get us to heaven.

I think about all the sports I have played and this concept makes sense to me.  I went through so much to excel.  I put up with early morning workouts, "twice a days",  and "hell weeks".  I put up with persecution during the times I played on boys teams, often to the point of wanting to give up.  But I loved the sport and so I kept going.  I am glad I persevered because I became a better person, and a better player.  The same was true with school and all the time I put into getting good grades and finishing college.  It was difficult and I was tempted to quit, but once you start quitting, it becomes easier and easier and soon finishing anything seems like an impossibility.

Our society does understand commitment and enduring hardships in athletics, and maybe in a career, but in life, it seems odd to us.  We have moved so far from this concept of enduring hardship that anytime something is hard or hurts, we think it must be bad or wrong.  Also, many of the problems we see arising in our society stem from this lack of the ability to endure. We don't want to have to struggle for anything. Instant gratification is king. For example, no one wants to wait until they have the money in order to spend it. I know that was me until I racked up a credit card debt that was insurmountable. No one wants to wait to get married in order to be involved physically. Very few people want to put in long hours of study and practice on order to learn a subject, skill, or trade.  We would rather watch someone succeed, then get out there and do it ourselves.

But God wants to change us from the inside out. He doesn't want us to be spectators, He wants us to be participants in life.  He knows that nothing good comes without sacrifice and struggle. He allows this to happen in our lives because He wants us in heaven. If we can start living with eternity in our minds, we will be able to view our troubles in a different way.  They will become light and momentary. Our entire lives here on earth will become only a dot on the timeline of eternity.  None of this will matter so much anymore. The only thing that will matter then is being right with God and we will endure whatever comes to ensure that. 

God knows, and He will not leave us hanging.  He will bring us out to a place of abundance someday.  The trials do not last forever.  The times of rejoicing come.  It is like the beauty after the rainstorms, or the rainbows that come when the sun shines through.   When that happens, if we have persevered, we will be ready for it.



Scriptures for thought:


II Corinthians 4: 16 - 18

"Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."


Hebrews 12: 7 - 13

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.  For what son is not disciplined by his father?  If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.  Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.  How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!  Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness.  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 
 
     Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  'Make level paths for your feet', so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."


Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

We will shout for joy today because we are alive. We will praise Your name because You are powerful. We will be grateful for all of the challenges and trials that come along because we know that they are refining us and making us into the men and women that will make a difference in the world. We praise You for not letting us go our own ways. We praise You for all of Your guidance and all the second chances that You have given us. We will not cherish sin in our hearts. You are good.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT




1. Do I praise God even in the difficult times? Why or why not?  How can I praise Him more?

2. What is going well in my life? What am I being tested in?  How do I feel about persevering through difficult times?

3. What specific difficulties am I facing right now?  What prisons am I in? What burdens are on my back? Who is riding over my head? How am I dealing with all of these things?

4. Has God brought me out to my place of abundance yet? What is this like for me?  What can I imagine it will be like?

5. Am I cherishing any sin in my heart and therefore hindering God's ability to do work?  How can I deal with these things?

Daily Devotional - 9/2/15 (11/2/09)

Prayer Focus - Strangers


Day 5
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to


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 62



"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." ( vs. 1-2 )

I am so tired tonight.  Going back to work from the summer break is hard as it brings long days and short nights.  Hours in the car fighting traffic and endless commitments.  I can hardly think, but I keep going.  What is important gets done and we keep moving on.  My time with God is my only time to myself, but most importantly, it is my lifeline. If I did not have God, I would surely be lost.  First of all, I would not have my family, my husband, or my beautiful children.  I would not be a teacher, and probably, I would not be alive.  I have found rest despite being exhausted.  I have a stronghold.  I have something beyond this life.  I always thought that if all we had to live for was the 9 to 5 and the grow old, get a job, raise a family, then die type of life than it was all so hopeless.  I am so glad that God showed me something different.

"My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." ( vs. 7-8 )

Besides rest, my honor comes from God as well.  If I had been left to myself, I wouldn't have had any honor.  I was not a very nice person before I became a Christian.  I used people and all I cared about was myself and my desires.  I was full of anger and rage and had a seared conscience.  I was so hardened by sin, that my spiritual transformation took a long time.  I did not change overnight when I decided to follow God.  Yes, I had grace, but the real work was just beginning.  The consequences of only 17 years of godless living have now taken thirty plus years to overcome.  It is hard for me to imagine, but I have been trying to do this since 1983; all of my adult life has been dedicated to becoming closer and closer to God.  It has taken all that time to develop, through God, whatever honor I have now.  What a thought!  My integrity has come through walking through the furnaces and learning the hard way what it means to serve Him

One thing I am especially grateful for is that during all of this time, I have always had God to run to and to hide in.  When the going got rough, as it often did, I poured out my heart to Him and then just slept an empty sleep, letting His spirit burn off the dross of my soul.  In the morning when I would awake, I would be a little bit better; a little closer to the woman of integrity that I longed to be.  The sun always seemed to shine brighter on those days and everything was a bit clearer.  It was as if I could see God shining through.

"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving. Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done." (vs. 11-12 )


Finally, I will remember that God is strong. That fact is a given which I need to always remember. He is not like me. He is more than capable. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). God is huge and powerful. God is able!  I will also remember that God is loving. He loves me. He loves You. All of what He does day to day in maintaining and running the universe is in an effort to try and bring people back to Him. That is His ultimate goal and desire. He desires that all men are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Tim 2:3-4). Let us be faithful.  It is worth it.  I know.  God will reward us if we are faithful. He will reward us for what we have done! Let us do something worthy of being rewarded today!




Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We are coming to You. Our souls find rest in You alone. Thank You for providing us with the refuge that we so long for. We are lonely, weary travelers here. We are so different that sometimes it is tiresome. But You know. You are strong and You are loving. You will be here for us and provide for us. You are our fortress and refuge. We will trust in You. We will pour out our hearts to You. We will commit with our hearts and souls to serving You. We know You will reward us.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT




1. Am I finding rest in God alone? What other things do I try to find rest in? How can I turn more to God for the rest and refreshing that I need?

2. Am I easily shaken? What does my stability say about my relationship with God? How can I become more stable?

3. Which of the names of God mentioned here do I most identify with? What does it mean to me to know that God has these qualities? How can this help me to trust in Him at all times?

4. Am I remembering that God is strong and loving? Which of these is harder for me to remember? Why?

5.  Am I living as if I believed He was going to reward me according to what I have done? What would I change if I truly believed He was going to do this?

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?

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?

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?

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?

Daily Devotional - 9/5/10 (10/5/09)

Prayer Focus - Leaders (any type - World, State, Local, Church, Business, Work)



Day 5

Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
One leader from another country
One local leader
One political leader


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



Dear Lord - Help me to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 35



"Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me...Say to my soul, I am your salvation." (vs. 1 & 3b)


Sometimes someone we love can act like an enemy in our lives. It may be a spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, or a co-worker. It can be anyone close to us really. This is a painful situation when it arises, but God knows what we are going through and why. Although it is difficult, we need to view the relationship from a distance and see that this is really a spiritual battle between good and evil. In many ways, it is not really about us, especially if we have done nothing to provoke the antagonism. We always need to search our hearts and make sure there is nothing we can change, but in the end we need to realize "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12)." Since the battle is a spiritual one, we need to pray for God to contend with them and fight against the sinfulness in their lives. It is not up to us to fight them personally.


We definitely need to turn to God and cling to Him in these situations. We can feel like we are at the end of our rope and don't know how much more we can take. Only God can provide the comfort we truly need in this situation. He can speak to our souls when they are down and devastated and say what truly will heal and comfort them. God can make our souls know that He is our salvation. No one else is. God can and will save us when the time is right, and in the meantime, we are to remember that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us....And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:18 & 28)"


God can put a bubble around our hearts so that the attacks and anger of the person we are dealing with will just bounce right off of us and we will be able to say, "I am sorry that you feel this way. I am sorry that you are angry with me." God can help us to not retaliate. We are called to rise above as evidenced by the following scriptures.



I Peter 3: 9-17 (9, 14-15a, highlights printed below)
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing...But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.... It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."


Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”


Proverbs 24: 17-18
"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him."


Matt 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."


This seems like too much of a challenge at times, but God rescues us. Our enemies may be too strong for us emotionally. They may beat us down and oppress us. They may rob us of our joy at times, but God will rescue us in due time. God knows. God knows when we are being repaid evil for good. He knows when our souls are left forlorn by various relational conflicts. God will take care of it. Our responsibility is to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, no matter what happens (Phil 1:27a). We still need to love and pray and fast for our enemies. We need to be like God and rise above. Despite their actions, we need to be loving and full of empathy and compassion. We need to love our enemies, regardless.



Prayer for the Day


Dear Father,

You have seen our struggles. Do not be far from us, so that we can do right in the midst of our relational struggles. We will rejoice in You always. We will say to our souls, "The Lord is my salvation." We will not look for salvation from those around us because they will fail us, but You will never. Help us to be gentle as we remember that You are near. Forgive us Lord where we need to be forgiven. Strengthen us where we need to be strengthen. Vindicate us, Lord, where we need to be vindicated. We know You delight in our well being. Today we will speak of You because You are awesome, no matter what. You are in control of all that is going on in our lives and You know. Help us to keep doing right and keep rejoicing in You. You will take care of the rest.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. Is there any relationship in my life right now that is difficult? Am I dealing with it in a righteous manner?  What do I need to do to keep the proper perspective?  Do I have any support to help me get through these difficulties?

2. How do I treat those who do not like me? Am I loving my enemies?  How can I change and do better with this?

3. How can I overcome evil with good? What situations in my life might be categorized as evil? What is my attitude like towards them? What are my actions in dealing with them?

4. Is there a past relationship that I have not dealt with? How can I resolve this so that my heart is right before God?

5. How do I presently deal with conflicts with others?  What can I do when I am in the midst of a conflict so that I can do what is right?  How can I remember God in these situations?

Daily Devotional - 8/30/10 (9/30/09)

Prayer Focus - 10's



Pray for:
Ten things you are grateful for
Ten people you are thinking about
Ten places that are important to you
Ten characteristics to grow in
Ten characteristics/habits to work on


Dear Lord - Help me to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.




Psalms 30



"Sing to the Lord, you saints of His; praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." (vs. 4-5)


" You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever." (vs. 11-12)


The Lord is the perfect Father. He disciplines and trains us so that we may become excellent, like refined gold. I know it is important to train my children. I know it is important to train my students. Sometimes, however, I am not willing to be trained myself. In my head, I know that I need to receive instruction in areas I am weak in, be it at a job or in some life area, and yet I falter. I do not like correction naturally, but I know that in all the areas that I have done well in, I have had a coach. Why do we become so unteachable as we get older? Is it our pride; our confidence in our ability to manage our lives? Sometimes it takes losing everything to show us that we have not yet arrived; that we still need to humble ourselves before the Lord and learn. Then, sometimes, even when I acknowledge my need for training, in day to day living I fail to seek it out or respond to it. Consistency is so hard to come by. I am so glad that God does not give up on training us when we are difficult. He is truly the perfect Father.


I am reminded of Hebrews 12:5-11.

"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son.' Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined ( and everyone undergoes discipline ), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."


I can't say this any better. Whatever I go through, it is for my training. I want to share in God's holiness so I am glad for it in the long run. Although our children fight our discipline, deep down I believe they are grateful. I know that I experienced the opposite growing up and it profoundly affected me. I was rarely disciplined by my parents and it bothered me. I remember being angry in one situation when I deserved to be disciplined and wasn't. I thought, "Why don't they care about me enough to tell me that I am doing something wrong?" I knew in my heart I had done wrong and I wanted the correction and the love and healing that I thought it would bring to me. I needed their direction and so often it didn't come. This left me feeling all alone in the world and bitter. I felt that I had to do everything by myself and for myself.


Why my parents were so lenient with me is hard to say, but I do know that it has helped me to understand and appreciate the reasoning behind God's discipline.  I understand better why He lets me go through hard times in order to help me and strengthen my character. I am God's child. He is telling me that He loves me by not letting everything come easy. I love the story that many I am sure have heard about a man watching a butterfly come out of its cocoon. It goes something like the following. A man saw a butterfly struggling to come out of its cocoon. He felt sorry for the butterfly and so helped it by cutting the cocoon open. The butterfly came out but his wings never fully expanded and the butterfly was unable to fly. The man was confused as to what had happened. Later he learned that the struggle of emerging from the cocoon enables the butterfly's wings to be strengthen as they need to be for flight. In helping the butterfly and making things easier, he had in essence crippled it.


We are those caterpillars that need the struggle we go through in order to emerge from our cocoons a beautiful butterfly. If God did not allow us our struggles and did not discipline us, we would be spiritual and emotional cripples. We would never fly as God intended. I am so grateful God does not give up on us or make things too easy. I will exalt God because of this. I will also exalt God because He doesn't let our struggle go on forever either. In the morning, rejoicing comes. Our wailing and sadness becomes dancing and joy. His discipline and His anger is short lived, but His favor is forever! Amen.



Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,

We praise You that You care enough to discipline us and we are grateful also that there is an end to the struggle as well.  There truly is a time for everything.  Help us to accept Your training and discipline and so be strengthened by it.  Help us to not rebel against it as a child might.  We long to fly.  Grant us the wings we need.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT



1. How do I feel about discipline? Am I coachable? Why or why not?  How can I become more teachable?

2. Am I being trained in any area right now? What am I learning and who is teaching me? How do I feel about this training?
3. What struggles am I going through presently, and how am I handling them? Am I looking for the easy way out or am I looking for God's way to deal with them?  What struggles have I had in the past?  How have they helped me?  Do I have anything to rejoice about now from them?

4. Am I being trained spiritually in any way? Is anyone coaching me spiritually? Who could I get to mentor me in this area?

5.  What type of disciplinarians were my parents?  How has this affected the way I teach/train others such as my children?  How has this affected the way I respond to teaching/training? 

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?

Daily Devotional - 8/10/10 (9/10/09)

Focus Letter - J



Pray for:
Five things I am grateful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first and last name begin with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter


Dear Lord - Open my ears. I know You are always speaking to me but often I do not hear. I want to hear. Grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 10


"Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?  Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?  In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises...In his pride the wicked does not seek Him (God); In all his thoughts there is no room for God...  He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to hide the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.  His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength.  He says to himself, 'God has forgotten; He covers His face and never sees.' ...But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand.  The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless...You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." (vs. 1, 2, 4, 9-11, 14, 17-18)

God sees trouble and grief. I am not alone. I will just commit myself to God. He will take care of me and be my defender. He is Lord.

God is not far off although sometimes it seems He is. Abusers and bullies surround us and I believe that there is a part in all of us that can be this way as well. The innocent and weak are taken advantage of. They are abused. It is a dog eat dog world. There are the abusers and the abused and if we do not respond to God properly, we will become one or the other.

Why do people abuse? They do it because they can. They think they will not be found out. They have forgotten God. In all of their thinking, their consuming thoughts of themselves and their desires, there is no room for God. (vs. 4 & 11)

And why does God allow such bad things to happen? Why does He not stop it? It is difficult to understand but what we live through and survive makes us stronger. We can comfort others with the comfort we have received. If we can forgive and deal properly with something, we can survive, and even flourish. Eventually, we will even be able to help others with those same issues. (II Cor 1: 3 - 7)

But bullies and those they bully are not that different. They are both weak. A bully does what he or she does due to a weakness in their character. They are not satisfied to live. A deep seated insecurity drives them to tear down others. There is no room for everyone to succeed in their world. They are weak. And the ones who are bullied are weak as well. For whatever reason, they have not developed the inner strength to set boundaries or to stand up for themselves.

There is a third type of person, however. There is the strong person. Few of these people exist naturally. Most of us are weak in and of ourselves. We fluctuate between the two ends of the spectrum - bullying and being bullied, sometimes doing both within the same day. The good news is that we do not have to stay this way. We can become strong. This is what God wants and what we need so that we are not caught in the schemes of the wicked. God does not want us to be bullied and He definitely does not want us to be a bully.

Many of us have experience with codependency which is a bully partnering with a weak person who enables the bullying to continue. Of course it is more complicated than this, but if we can become strong in Christ, we will be able to set boundaries. The victim commits himself to God (vs. 14). God sees and will take it into hand. The evil person is eventually found out, if not here on Earth, then at the least on the judgement day which will be worse.

How do we become strong? We put on the full armor of God so that we can finally stand in the day of evil. We need to do this daily and we also need to work out the issues in the meantime (Eph 6:10 -18). God does hear the desires of the afflicted. He knows if we are being abused. He knows those secret thoughts, hopes, and dreams that we dare not mention. He knows the tears we have cried in secret. He knows the times we have hidden in our rooms hoping to be left alone. He was there. He is here now. He encourages us and listens to our cries. He defends us in the end so that as the Psalmist writes, "man who is of the earth may terrify no more."


Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

We see pain and sorrow daily.  We see our friends pass away, often tragically.  We see and experience bullying.  Life does not always make sense and yet, we know that You are near.  You see our grief and our sadness.  We are not alone.  Help us to become truly strong.  Help all that we experience to not be wasted but to be used for Your glory someday.  Keep a bitter root from growing up in our hearts from the things we do not understand.  We do not want to be weak any longer.  We praise You.  We praise You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT

1. In what ways do I relate to the psalmist when he says. "Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?"  What makes me feel like God is not watching over me?

2.  Do I tend to be more of a bully or a victim?  Why?  How does this show my weakness?  What do I need to do to become truly strong?

3.  What have I survived through?  How did I overcome or how am I overcoming?  How will I be able to help others with this experience in the future?

4.  Am I putting on the full armor of God? How can I do this?  What parts of the armor are most important for me right now?  Why? (Ephesians 6: 10-18) 

5.  How can the knowledge of God seeing my pain help me to overcome and make it through any difficult times I am facing?  How can I remember this on a daily basis?

Daily Devotional - 8/5/10 ( 9/5/09)

Focus Letter - E


Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic beginning with the focus letter that you would like to see you and your family grow in


Dear Lord, open my ears to Your voice and grant me the strength to obey


Psalm 5


"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." (vs. 3)

In the morning God should hear our voice. In the morning, we should come with our requests. It is so important to pray and meet with God in the morning. I must pray for my needs. I must make this a priority. God is waiting to meet me. Where am I? Am I still in bed when the Creator of the Universe waits? If He was my boss, would I be there and be on time? Probably. Would I blow him off and sleep in? Probably not.

I need God. I need this time to get ready for the day. He has never failed to provide me with the time and the energy for the day when I have made the time to be with Him for awhile. Even if I have gotten up very early and am really tired, I have still been able to accomplish what I need to and do well if I have set my heart on Him, even for a few moments.

Then, after I have gotten up and made my requests, had my prayers, listened to God's voice, I am not supposed to just forget what I prayed for. I am to wait in expectation! I am to be confident I will receive an answer. I need to be looking for it in everything I do and everything that happens that day.

Have you ever waited for an important letter to come, or maybe a check? Every day you check the mailbox eagerly, running out as soon as the mail truck comes by. I imagine I should be like this with God; excited, and waiting eagerly for the answer to come, focused on how He will provide. It will add a sense of mystery and fun to our days, looking for that answer, that message from God. Where will it be? How will it look? I hope I don't miss it.

"You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;with You the wicked cannot dwell...But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple."
(vs. 4 & 7)

Next, I need to focus on how God feels about evil and sin. He hates it. He hates arrogance. He hates wrongdoing. He hates lies. This is frightening because I know I do a lot of things wrong. I see these things in myself so very often. How can I stand before God when I fail so frequently? By myself, I cannot, but because of God's great mercy, I can. I can even come into His house and worship. His grace and mercy makes me feel so grateful. It allows me to have the reverence towards Him that I need because I know that I do not deserve to be close to Him, not now or in the past. I have never been good enough, nor will I ever be. It is a lost cause, but how amazing it is, I am not a lost cause.

"But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.  For surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield." (vs. 11-12)

I can even be glad in spite of my sin and myself. I am not supposed to go around moping and feeling sorry for myself. I am to be rejoicing. I can sing for joy because I have taken refuge in God and in His merciful forgiveness. I have taken refuge in Him for protection from my enemies both external and internal. I can now let go of the past and strain on toward my goal of knowing Him. I am free to do right and to be righteous.

When we are dwelling on our sins and faults it is very hard to do right or be righteous. I know the hardest times for me to do right, especially as a wife and mother, are when I allow myself to worry (which is sin) or to be down and depressed (which is also sin). So instead of moping, I need to run to God, accept His forgiveness, love Him for His grace, worship Him for His mercy, and dwell in His house. When I do this, then His favor will surround me like a shield, and then He will bless me. His protection will be spread over me and I will be able to rejoice even more in what a great God we serve!


Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

We praise You for listening to us.  Help us to come to You each morning and remember our need for You daily.  Help us to wait in expectation.  You are good, always good, and we long to be close to You.  You do not delight in evil so help us Lord to live correctly before You.  Help us to turn away from worry and self pity.  We have You and that is all we need.  Help us to take refuge in You.  We praise You for Your grace and mercy.  Truly, You are good.

In Jesus Name,
Amen


QFT

1. Am I coming before the Lord each morning?  If not, what is getting in the way of this time?  How can I devote some time to God each morning, or increase the time/quality I am spending?

2.  Do I wait in expectation for the Lord?  Do I forget what I have asked God for?  Am I persistent in prayer?  Why or why not?  What answers to prayers have I received?

3.   What is my attitude towards sin?  Do I have the same hatred of it as God does? Are there some sins I tolerate in my life? Why? 

4.  How do I view God?  Do I focus on only one of His characteristics or do I strive to understand Him in all of His complexity?   Do I have reverence towards God or am I too casual with Him? How can I have a more appropriate attitude towards Him?

5.  Do I rejoice in all that I do have?  Am I grateful?  How can I improve my attitude in general towards God and life?  Do I feel blessed?  Why or why not?  How can I focus more on my blessings.