Prayer Focus - Wants
Day 6
Pray for:
One thing that you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream that you want to see happen in your life
One issue in your character that you want to see changed
One regret that you want to move past
One person that you want to get to know better
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 91
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is my refuge - then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
'Because he loves me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91
It is hard to add to this. I love the promises of God. As I sit here tonight, trying to stay awake to write this, I am reminded that God will take care of me. He has taken care of me so far and I know He will not stop now. God will give us rest. He grants sleep to those He loves. We do not have to fear anything if we believe this passage. God will take care of it all. God has a plan.
God will even send His angels to protect and guard me. God will do all this because I love Him. I want to learn more and more how to love God. It is that important. I want to be with him and reap the blessings that only a relationship with Him can provide. I am grateful that I have been given that chance. I know I have to live worthy, but I think it is completely worth it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that You even pay attention to us, how much more that You bless us. You have been tremendously good and kind throughout our lives. We praise you for everything.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1.Am I dwelling in the shelter of God? What would that be like? How can I do this?
2. Do I trust God? How do I know? How can I develop a deeper trust?
3. Do I think angels are protecting me? Why or why not? What have I seen that was miraculous or out of the ordinary in my life?
4. Do I love God? How do I show it? Do I make time for Him? If God were a person, am I treating Him right? Why or why not? How can I change?
5. Do I acknowledge God? Do I stand up for God and His ways in front of people? Am I afraid to look religious in front of others? How can I be more bold?
Showing posts with label relief. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relief. Show all posts
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/24/15 (1/24/10)
Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 6
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)
One thing you want to do to help others around you - (Love your neighbor)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 84
"My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." ( vs. 2)
It is so hard to live in this world sometimes. The never ending bad news and the ever present failure that we live with. My heart often longs for something better; that perfect world with no pain or sorrow. Where there is no yelling and people do what is right because that is their hearts desire. Where people long to be kind and loving and respect others. Where I am different; better. This is not to be found on this fallen earth though; this dream is reserved for that someday place, the courts of God.
"Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You. Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength till each appears before God in Zion." (vs. 4-7)
It is possible to have some peace here, though. God has commanded us to rejoice in Him always. So in spite of all that is wrong, we can be full of joy. We can have a place here as well; a refuge. Of course, we have our relationship with God, but sometimes we need God with flesh on Him. For this, God has given us His house, His kingdom. The church is not just a beautiful building with stained glass windows. It is the living and breathing body of Christ. It is the kingdom of God on earth that will continue on up in heaven where all the saints will rejoice someday. We can praise God that we have a home in the church. It is our piece of heaven here and our family. It helps us set our hearts on this pilgrimage called life. We cannot be solo Christians. I know, I have tried many times. We all get a little crazy when we isolate ourselves. We were meant for relationships, whether we want to admit it or not. This is where we will grow and become more like Christ as we deal with fulfilling our purpose together. I want to be like the person in the psalm. I want to go from strength to strength and turn the valley of sufferings in my life and the lives of others into beautiful places for peaceful respite. I know I am not there. I have to start small, say maybe making some phone calls to others once in awhile, but I can do it. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
"Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You." (vs 10-12)
Someday we will be in paradise, whatever that is like. But for now, it is good to be a nothing and be with God. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God. It will be worth it someday. It is worth it now. We must not grow weary in doing good because we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Gal 6:7-10). "No good thing does God withhold from him whose walk is blameless." (vs. 11b) Let us walk right so we will make it there.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Better is one day with You than all the world can offer. We long for You. This old world gets us down. We can not make it on our own. We get so weary. But You are able. You do not slumber or sleep. You are in control. Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright. Help us to keep our priorities right and help us to cling to Your kingdom so that we will be strengthened for the path we must travel. We want to bring blessings to the world and let them know You. We want to turn the valleys of sorrows we encounter into valleys of joy. Make us into this type of person who can spread joy and the knowledge of You throughout the world. We long to make a difference.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I long to be with God? Why or why not? What keeps me from seeing my need for God? When do I long for Him the most? How can I increase my desire for spending time with Him?
2. Am I a part of the kingdom of God? What does that mean in my life? Do I have a church home? How can I find one? Am I tied in with those in my church home, if I have one? How can I get more involved?
3. Am I set on pilgrimage? Am I focused on my purpose as a Christian and member of the house of God or am I caught up running after what the world offers? What would those closest to me say? How can I get my self back on track if I am off? If I am set on pilgrimage, how can I help get others involved as well?
4. Am I making things better for those around me or do I cause more problems than I solve? Am I making the valleys of suffering in my life and others into valleys of joy? How can I do this? How will the world be better if I do this?
5 Am I going from strength to strength? Am I growing and getting better day by day? How can I change if I answered no to any of these questions? What areas do I need to work on? Am I finding my strength in God? Would I rather be with Him than anywhere else? Why or why not?
Day 6
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)
One thing you want to do to help others around you - (Love your neighbor)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 84
"My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." ( vs. 2)
It is so hard to live in this world sometimes. The never ending bad news and the ever present failure that we live with. My heart often longs for something better; that perfect world with no pain or sorrow. Where there is no yelling and people do what is right because that is their hearts desire. Where people long to be kind and loving and respect others. Where I am different; better. This is not to be found on this fallen earth though; this dream is reserved for that someday place, the courts of God.
"Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You. Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength till each appears before God in Zion." (vs. 4-7)
It is possible to have some peace here, though. God has commanded us to rejoice in Him always. So in spite of all that is wrong, we can be full of joy. We can have a place here as well; a refuge. Of course, we have our relationship with God, but sometimes we need God with flesh on Him. For this, God has given us His house, His kingdom. The church is not just a beautiful building with stained glass windows. It is the living and breathing body of Christ. It is the kingdom of God on earth that will continue on up in heaven where all the saints will rejoice someday. We can praise God that we have a home in the church. It is our piece of heaven here and our family. It helps us set our hearts on this pilgrimage called life. We cannot be solo Christians. I know, I have tried many times. We all get a little crazy when we isolate ourselves. We were meant for relationships, whether we want to admit it or not. This is where we will grow and become more like Christ as we deal with fulfilling our purpose together. I want to be like the person in the psalm. I want to go from strength to strength and turn the valley of sufferings in my life and the lives of others into beautiful places for peaceful respite. I know I am not there. I have to start small, say maybe making some phone calls to others once in awhile, but I can do it. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
"Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You." (vs 10-12)
Someday we will be in paradise, whatever that is like. But for now, it is good to be a nothing and be with God. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God. It will be worth it someday. It is worth it now. We must not grow weary in doing good because we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Gal 6:7-10). "No good thing does God withhold from him whose walk is blameless." (vs. 11b) Let us walk right so we will make it there.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Better is one day with You than all the world can offer. We long for You. This old world gets us down. We can not make it on our own. We get so weary. But You are able. You do not slumber or sleep. You are in control. Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright. Help us to keep our priorities right and help us to cling to Your kingdom so that we will be strengthened for the path we must travel. We want to bring blessings to the world and let them know You. We want to turn the valleys of sorrows we encounter into valleys of joy. Make us into this type of person who can spread joy and the knowledge of You throughout the world. We long to make a difference.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I long to be with God? Why or why not? What keeps me from seeing my need for God? When do I long for Him the most? How can I increase my desire for spending time with Him?
2. Am I a part of the kingdom of God? What does that mean in my life? Do I have a church home? How can I find one? Am I tied in with those in my church home, if I have one? How can I get more involved?
3. Am I set on pilgrimage? Am I focused on my purpose as a Christian and member of the house of God or am I caught up running after what the world offers? What would those closest to me say? How can I get my self back on track if I am off? If I am set on pilgrimage, how can I help get others involved as well?
4. Am I making things better for those around me or do I cause more problems than I solve? Am I making the valleys of suffering in my life and others into valleys of joy? How can I do this? How will the world be better if I do this?
5 Am I going from strength to strength? Am I growing and getting better day by day? How can I change if I answered no to any of these questions? What areas do I need to work on? Am I finding my strength in God? Would I rather be with Him than anywhere else? Why or why not?
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/22/15 (1/22/10)
Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 4
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)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 82
"How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken" ( vs. 2 - 5 )
The world that we live in is very confused. We can also be very confused. We do not really understand what truly matters anymore. Sometimes we call wrong right, and right wrong. Sometimes we are defending the wrong people and things. I don't know why we do this, but I have seen this struggle in myself. Even in my teaching, sometimes I have caught myself trying to cater to the students who cause trouble in the class instead of the ones who are trying so hard to learn. I often see myself looking at people in a worldly way, thinking about who makes a lot of money or who is more popular and successful in the world. I can be fooled by glitz and glamor. I can be envious of people that have a nice car or house and a lot of money. I can want a life of leisure instead of a life of purpose. Then I become very dissatisfied with my life and all of its blessings.
I often think it would be good if we could go back to a simpler time so that we would not have so many distractions from the pursuit of values and integrity. We would have a completely different perspective, but unfortunately, we can not go back. And, I must remind myself, there have always been problems. But, I do often think about the story of Pandora's Box. Once the box was opened, there was no going back. This is similar to our world now. Everything is out of the box and evil just seems to keep expanding. But despite all of this, we are still called to a better life. We are challenged with our thinking and taught about what is truly life.
This short psalms calls us out. It asks, "How long will we keep valuing what is wrong?" It challenges us with purpose; defend, maintain, rescue, and deliver. It calls on us to change the world; to stop being blind to the truth and to start to understand. The earth is being shaken right now by ignorance and hatred. Horrible things are being done, and evil men are being regarded as good in many parts of the world, but if we look to the scriptures, we are still commanded to focus on what is good and noble, perfect and true (Philippians 4:8).
We are still called to rejoice. Consider this:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)
We are still called to love. Consider this:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
We are called to make a difference by being different, and loving in a different way. We are called to look at people from God's perspective and have His priorities in dealing with them.
"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" (II Corinthians 5:16-17)
We tend to look at the outward appearance of others and judge them by our standards of what we like and dislike (I Samuel 16:7). We are doing wrong when we do this. I am definitely glad that God looks at my heart because I know I would never measure up outwardly; yet why do I forget that with others. Often the best people are so far removed from what we would have imagined or picked. We need to take care of everyone that we can because that is what God desires. He has called us to use whatever strength and resources we have to help. We are not to just look at people outwardly, we are to look at need. We are to help the weak and the poor. We are to protect others from evil. We are called and if we are called, we will be equipped.
Let us keep our priorities right and remember we are here to serve and not be served (Matt 20:28). There are so many people who need us. Let us place others above ourselves today and everyday. We can make a difference.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Help us to see people as You do. Help us to focus on the heart and not on the outward appearance. Help us to not be drawn to what society promotes as the "beautiful people". We are all precious to You and so we should all be precious to each other. Help us to not miss out on the joy of serving and help us to help those who need it. Show us the good works You have for us to do and grant us the strength to do them.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I view people? Why? How do I see the poor, fatherless, oppressed, weak, and needy? Do I have any stereotypes about others? Why? How can I change this?
2. Do I defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked in any way? Why? How do I feel about doing this? How can I change?
3. How do I deal with spiritually needy people? Am I willing to sacrifice my money to help them mature spiritually or would I rather just meet their physical needs? How can I start giving more to others spiritually? Is there someone I know that I can help today?
4. Do I make time for those in need? Do I defend and protect them in any way? What can I do to change? What can I do to help the poor, weak, needy, oppressed, or fatherless? What opportunities already exist? Is there something I could help begin? Is there someone I know personally that I can help?
5. Do I believe that I can make a difference in the world? Why or why not? What can I study out in the Bible that will remind me that I can? What vision or dream can I develop about impacting the world in a great way?
Day 4
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)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 82
"How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken" ( vs. 2 - 5 )
The world that we live in is very confused. We can also be very confused. We do not really understand what truly matters anymore. Sometimes we call wrong right, and right wrong. Sometimes we are defending the wrong people and things. I don't know why we do this, but I have seen this struggle in myself. Even in my teaching, sometimes I have caught myself trying to cater to the students who cause trouble in the class instead of the ones who are trying so hard to learn. I often see myself looking at people in a worldly way, thinking about who makes a lot of money or who is more popular and successful in the world. I can be fooled by glitz and glamor. I can be envious of people that have a nice car or house and a lot of money. I can want a life of leisure instead of a life of purpose. Then I become very dissatisfied with my life and all of its blessings.
I often think it would be good if we could go back to a simpler time so that we would not have so many distractions from the pursuit of values and integrity. We would have a completely different perspective, but unfortunately, we can not go back. And, I must remind myself, there have always been problems. But, I do often think about the story of Pandora's Box. Once the box was opened, there was no going back. This is similar to our world now. Everything is out of the box and evil just seems to keep expanding. But despite all of this, we are still called to a better life. We are challenged with our thinking and taught about what is truly life.
This short psalms calls us out. It asks, "How long will we keep valuing what is wrong?" It challenges us with purpose; defend, maintain, rescue, and deliver. It calls on us to change the world; to stop being blind to the truth and to start to understand. The earth is being shaken right now by ignorance and hatred. Horrible things are being done, and evil men are being regarded as good in many parts of the world, but if we look to the scriptures, we are still commanded to focus on what is good and noble, perfect and true (Philippians 4:8).
We are still called to rejoice. Consider this:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)
We are still called to love. Consider this:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
We are called to make a difference by being different, and loving in a different way. We are called to look at people from God's perspective and have His priorities in dealing with them.
"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" (II Corinthians 5:16-17)
We tend to look at the outward appearance of others and judge them by our standards of what we like and dislike (I Samuel 16:7). We are doing wrong when we do this. I am definitely glad that God looks at my heart because I know I would never measure up outwardly; yet why do I forget that with others. Often the best people are so far removed from what we would have imagined or picked. We need to take care of everyone that we can because that is what God desires. He has called us to use whatever strength and resources we have to help. We are not to just look at people outwardly, we are to look at need. We are to help the weak and the poor. We are to protect others from evil. We are called and if we are called, we will be equipped.
Let us keep our priorities right and remember we are here to serve and not be served (Matt 20:28). There are so many people who need us. Let us place others above ourselves today and everyday. We can make a difference.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Help us to see people as You do. Help us to focus on the heart and not on the outward appearance. Help us to not be drawn to what society promotes as the "beautiful people". We are all precious to You and so we should all be precious to each other. Help us to not miss out on the joy of serving and help us to help those who need it. Show us the good works You have for us to do and grant us the strength to do them.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I view people? Why? How do I see the poor, fatherless, oppressed, weak, and needy? Do I have any stereotypes about others? Why? How can I change this?
2. Do I defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked in any way? Why? How do I feel about doing this? How can I change?
3. How do I deal with spiritually needy people? Am I willing to sacrifice my money to help them mature spiritually or would I rather just meet their physical needs? How can I start giving more to others spiritually? Is there someone I know that I can help today?
4. Do I make time for those in need? Do I defend and protect them in any way? What can I do to change? What can I do to help the poor, weak, needy, oppressed, or fatherless? What opportunities already exist? Is there something I could help begin? Is there someone I know personally that I can help?
5. Do I believe that I can make a difference in the world? Why or why not? What can I study out in the Bible that will remind me that I can? What vision or dream can I develop about impacting the world in a great way?
Monday, September 14, 2015
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?
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?
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/10/15 (11/10/15)
Prayer Focus - Gratitude
Day 6
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the city that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the home that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about your family
One thing you are grateful for about your job/daily tasks
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 70
"But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, 'Let God be exalted!' Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer;." ( vs. 4-5)
There is so much to rejoice and be glad about concerning God. His salvation is awesome and comforting, but sometimes, we are still poor and needy. In spite of all the good things, we find ourselves down and struggling. Our temptation is to hide away and lick our wounds at this time, but we need to not run away from God. We need to pray to Him and run to Him. We need to beg Him to come to us quickly. He will be our help and deliverer. He is not out to kick us when we are down. That is the world and sometimes what we have also experienced in our families and growing up, but it is not what we will find with God. He is not embarrassed by our weakness. We are not less because of our lack of perfection, in contrast, this is when God can work the most. Let us throw away our pride and run for help. It is okay. It is expected.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are weak. Even in our best of times, we are still weak and small and insignificant. Help us to remember this in the good times and help us to cling to this in the bad times. Help us to remember that You are the God of miracles. You are the God that calls things that are not as though they were. You are the God that turns our weaknesses into strengths. Help us to run to You and not away from You when we are struggling. We all struggle at times. It is lonely if we do not turn to You and the comforts that You provide through Your people and Your word. You are here for us. Help us to turn to You. Come quickly to us before we fade away.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Are there times when I feel down even when things are going well? What causes this in my life?
2. When I am feeling down, do I run to God or away? How does my past experiences affect my present relationship with God in these circumstances? What verses can I meditate on to help me change my thinking?
3. What situations make me feel down and needy? What am I struggling with right now that could draw me away from God?
4. Am I dealing with my troubles in a spiritual way? Do I need to rely more on God in prayer, scripture reading, or fellowship to deal with my needs and weaknesses? What is keeping me from doing what I need to do? What will I change to get the help I need?
5. Am I rejoicing? What do I have to rejoice about? How can I keep a positive focus?
Day 6
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the city that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the home that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about your family
One thing you are grateful for about your job/daily tasks
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 70
"But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, 'Let God be exalted!' Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer;." ( vs. 4-5)
There is so much to rejoice and be glad about concerning God. His salvation is awesome and comforting, but sometimes, we are still poor and needy. In spite of all the good things, we find ourselves down and struggling. Our temptation is to hide away and lick our wounds at this time, but we need to not run away from God. We need to pray to Him and run to Him. We need to beg Him to come to us quickly. He will be our help and deliverer. He is not out to kick us when we are down. That is the world and sometimes what we have also experienced in our families and growing up, but it is not what we will find with God. He is not embarrassed by our weakness. We are not less because of our lack of perfection, in contrast, this is when God can work the most. Let us throw away our pride and run for help. It is okay. It is expected.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are weak. Even in our best of times, we are still weak and small and insignificant. Help us to remember this in the good times and help us to cling to this in the bad times. Help us to remember that You are the God of miracles. You are the God that calls things that are not as though they were. You are the God that turns our weaknesses into strengths. Help us to run to You and not away from You when we are struggling. We all struggle at times. It is lonely if we do not turn to You and the comforts that You provide through Your people and Your word. You are here for us. Help us to turn to You. Come quickly to us before we fade away.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Are there times when I feel down even when things are going well? What causes this in my life?
2. When I am feeling down, do I run to God or away? How does my past experiences affect my present relationship with God in these circumstances? What verses can I meditate on to help me change my thinking?
3. What situations make me feel down and needy? What am I struggling with right now that could draw me away from God?
4. Am I dealing with my troubles in a spiritual way? Do I need to rely more on God in prayer, scripture reading, or fellowship to deal with my needs and weaknesses? What is keeping me from doing what I need to do? What will I change to get the help I need?
5. Am I rejoicing? What do I have to rejoice about? How can I keep a positive focus?
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/3/15 (11/3/09)
Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 6
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to
One person that you have read about that is still alive
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 63
"O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is not water.
I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You.
On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me." ( vs. 1 - 6 )
I have seen the power of God. I have seen Him change me. I have seen Him change others. I have also seen great victories. I know I would be nothing without Him and that He is all that I have that is good. I don't know how I knew this at 17 but I did. I had been wandering and I was thirsty and weary. I had great achievements - valedictorian, athlete, popular. I had been able to travel to Europe and Japan, among other places. Basically, I had done everything that I wanted had wanted to. I had accomplished all my goals up to that point, and yet I was dying. I was so empty. Life was meaningless to me. I went from one party to the next trying to fill the ache inside; using and being used. I made an ultimatum with God. Show me this is real! And He did. When I finally saw the Bible being lived out, then I knew. I had to respond. I clung to God because I knew that He was my only hope for a better life and that if I walked away from Him, I would be walking away from the best thing that I ever would have. I was right. I have had many wonderful things in my life and even now, life is good; but I still have never found anything like God.
I must always remember this. God's love is better than life. Life is a struggle, God's love is not. I will be satisfied. I will choose to be satisfied. Day in and day out. It is a choice and I will make it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We will be satisfied. We will turn our eyes to You and our hearts to remembering. We have beheld Your power and Your glory. We will remember. Help us when we are faltering and forgetting. Help us when we wander. We choose today to be satisfied. Your love is better than anything that we have. All our blessings have come from You. You are the great Giver. You are the perfect Father and Husband. We run to You and hide in the shelter of Your wings. Help us. We are damaged people longing to be healed. Help us to learn to sing again and to be mentally, emotionally, physically, and most important of all, spiritually healed so that we might be able to serve You. We desire to worship You completely and acceptably. We come before You in humble adoration. Please accept us today and always.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How am I feeling about life? Do I feel weary, thirsty, and parched or do I feel refreshed and rejuvenated? How is my relationship with God?
2. How has God's power been expressed in my life? Do I recognize God's glory? Am I praising Him daily?
3. Do I truly believe that God's love is better than life? How do I know this? How do I show it?
4. Am I satisfied with God alone? What tends to get me feeling dissatisfied? How can I stop allowing these things to distract me from God?
5. Am I clinging to God? Am I letting God heal me? What do I need to be healed from? How can running to the shelter of God's wings heal me?
Day 6
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to
One person that you have read about that is still alive
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 63
"O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is not water.
I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You.
On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. Because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me." ( vs. 1 - 6 )
I have seen the power of God. I have seen Him change me. I have seen Him change others. I have also seen great victories. I know I would be nothing without Him and that He is all that I have that is good. I don't know how I knew this at 17 but I did. I had been wandering and I was thirsty and weary. I had great achievements - valedictorian, athlete, popular. I had been able to travel to Europe and Japan, among other places. Basically, I had done everything that I wanted had wanted to. I had accomplished all my goals up to that point, and yet I was dying. I was so empty. Life was meaningless to me. I went from one party to the next trying to fill the ache inside; using and being used. I made an ultimatum with God. Show me this is real! And He did. When I finally saw the Bible being lived out, then I knew. I had to respond. I clung to God because I knew that He was my only hope for a better life and that if I walked away from Him, I would be walking away from the best thing that I ever would have. I was right. I have had many wonderful things in my life and even now, life is good; but I still have never found anything like God.
I must always remember this. God's love is better than life. Life is a struggle, God's love is not. I will be satisfied. I will choose to be satisfied. Day in and day out. It is a choice and I will make it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We will be satisfied. We will turn our eyes to You and our hearts to remembering. We have beheld Your power and Your glory. We will remember. Help us when we are faltering and forgetting. Help us when we wander. We choose today to be satisfied. Your love is better than anything that we have. All our blessings have come from You. You are the great Giver. You are the perfect Father and Husband. We run to You and hide in the shelter of Your wings. Help us. We are damaged people longing to be healed. Help us to learn to sing again and to be mentally, emotionally, physically, and most important of all, spiritually healed so that we might be able to serve You. We desire to worship You completely and acceptably. We come before You in humble adoration. Please accept us today and always.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How am I feeling about life? Do I feel weary, thirsty, and parched or do I feel refreshed and rejuvenated? How is my relationship with God?
2. How has God's power been expressed in my life? Do I recognize God's glory? Am I praising Him daily?
3. Do I truly believe that God's love is better than life? How do I know this? How do I show it?
4. Am I satisfied with God alone? What tends to get me feeling dissatisfied? How can I stop allowing these things to distract me from God?
5. Am I clinging to God? Am I letting God heal me? What do I need to be healed from? How can running to the shelter of God's wings heal me?
Friday, August 21, 2015
Daily Devotional for 8/21/15 (10/21/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
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 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." (vs. 1)
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
"Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 6 - 7)
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10 - 12)
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (vs. 16 - 17)
In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; Build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You; (vs. 18 -19a)
True religion is something totally different than what most of us think. Often we think of going to church and a bunch of dos and don'ts. Definitely there are things that should and shouldn't be done but it all seems to boil down to love. What is the greatest commandment? Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39). This is what Jesus said summed it all up - Love.
God is love. Do we remember this?
I think we forget. We think - God is a taskmaster. God is far away. God does not care. God is not fair. God is mean. God hates. God just wants me to obey. But is this really true? Does God want our sacrifices? Will our hard work save us? Can we ever be good enough?
The answer to all these types of questions are no. No, no, no. God is love. God wants truth. God wants integrity. God wants us to come back and say, "Thank You. Do not cast me away from You." God wants us broken and contrite. Ready to be something different. Ready to turn away from all the secrets within us. Bottom line, God wants us to be with Him and He knows what that will take.
I think when we look deep into ourselves, we know this as well. There is an aching part in us that just wants to be known, loved, and changed. I think we long for transformation. We long to be clean - to be free from what ever it is that is binding us and keeping us from life.
But even though we know this, there is a barrier to us reaching the healing we seek. I believe this barrier is sin. Sometimes we think we are so clever. We do things we know are wrong and think it will never be found out. We think no one can really see what is going on within us. Well, that is not really true is it? God sees everything. God already knows, and sooner or later everyone else usually finds out too.
When I was a child, I used to think it would be a great parenting tool to have cameras in every room so that a parent could see what was going on at all times. Now of course, that is possible now but it wasn't back in the 70's. I was grateful back then that nothing like that existed because I did a lot of things in secret that I didn't what anyone seeing. It was quite a revelation to me when I finally realized that God saw everything and that He had seen every single thing I had ever done in secret. I was quite ashamed and embarrassed.
So in order to be transformed and healed, and since all the things we have done have been seen anyway, we need to deal with them. We need to seek repentance. We have to get these secrets out into the open and get help. We need to stop doing wrong and start doing right. That is what I had to do.
I had to come to grips with the fact that God wanted me. He wants us, all of us, and He wants us to be true believers. He wants our hearts, not just our outward acquiescence. But I didn't know how to get from where I was to where I needed to be? This is where Psalm 51 is essential. It is the cry for forgiveness and restoration that we all need to cry.
When I was finally trying to get my life right with God, I had a mentor who was working with me in my life. He knew just about everything about me and he gave me a key assignment. He challenged me to memorize this Psalm and repeat it as often as I could. He felt that when I could truly pray this Psalm from my heart, then I would probably be ready to become a Christian.
I would finally be ready to become a Christian, because I would finally be ready to deal with the sin in my life. My heart would be ready to change because it would have released the things that were at that time controlling it. Sin hardens us. Sin hardens and breaks us. This world is broken. I was broken. Sin breaks our communion with God, others, and even ourselves. It cuts us off from our heart and it sears our consciences. It destroys whatever good is in us and it destroys the good in this world. We can not be close to God and be in sin as well. It is impossible.
I was so hard at this point in my life from all the sin I had indulged in that I needed a transformation. I needed a new heart, and new spirit. I needed to come to God on His terms, not mine.
I took my friend's challenge and eventually I had a breakthrough. God did have mercy on me. He did restore to me the joy of my salvation and renew a steadfast spirit within me. God was faithful and created a pure heart within me. I had not been pure in a long time but now I was and I could be completely different. Instead of being religious, I could be righteous - right with God. I could have integrity. I could have truth. I could walk without fear of what I was hiding.
God was and is faithful. Thirty some years later, I am still walking this walk and striving to keep this prayer and all of God's word in my heart so that I will not sin against Him.
I praise God that He did restore and in His timing, He did make me prosper. He has given me so much and I would never have known all the good He had in store if I had not been willing to get on my knees and pray.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Have mercy on us we pray. Forgive us our sins. Cleanse us. Only You can do this. We thank You for forgiving us. We thank You for Your mercy and grace. We thank you for even caring at all. We know that we are completely unworthy. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What do I think God really wants from me? Why? Do I have a correct perspective of God? Why or why not? How can I get a more accurate view?
2. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness? Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? How do I know? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. What does repentance mean to me? What do I do when I have done something wrong? How do I deal with it? Is this the best thing to do or could I do something differently?
5. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
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 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." (vs. 1)
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
"Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 6 - 7)
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10 - 12)
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (vs. 16 - 17)
In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; Build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You; (vs. 18 -19a)
True religion is something totally different than what most of us think. Often we think of going to church and a bunch of dos and don'ts. Definitely there are things that should and shouldn't be done but it all seems to boil down to love. What is the greatest commandment? Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39). This is what Jesus said summed it all up - Love.
God is love. Do we remember this?
I think we forget. We think - God is a taskmaster. God is far away. God does not care. God is not fair. God is mean. God hates. God just wants me to obey. But is this really true? Does God want our sacrifices? Will our hard work save us? Can we ever be good enough?
The answer to all these types of questions are no. No, no, no. God is love. God wants truth. God wants integrity. God wants us to come back and say, "Thank You. Do not cast me away from You." God wants us broken and contrite. Ready to be something different. Ready to turn away from all the secrets within us. Bottom line, God wants us to be with Him and He knows what that will take.
I think when we look deep into ourselves, we know this as well. There is an aching part in us that just wants to be known, loved, and changed. I think we long for transformation. We long to be clean - to be free from what ever it is that is binding us and keeping us from life.
But even though we know this, there is a barrier to us reaching the healing we seek. I believe this barrier is sin. Sometimes we think we are so clever. We do things we know are wrong and think it will never be found out. We think no one can really see what is going on within us. Well, that is not really true is it? God sees everything. God already knows, and sooner or later everyone else usually finds out too.
When I was a child, I used to think it would be a great parenting tool to have cameras in every room so that a parent could see what was going on at all times. Now of course, that is possible now but it wasn't back in the 70's. I was grateful back then that nothing like that existed because I did a lot of things in secret that I didn't what anyone seeing. It was quite a revelation to me when I finally realized that God saw everything and that He had seen every single thing I had ever done in secret. I was quite ashamed and embarrassed.
So in order to be transformed and healed, and since all the things we have done have been seen anyway, we need to deal with them. We need to seek repentance. We have to get these secrets out into the open and get help. We need to stop doing wrong and start doing right. That is what I had to do.
I had to come to grips with the fact that God wanted me. He wants us, all of us, and He wants us to be true believers. He wants our hearts, not just our outward acquiescence. But I didn't know how to get from where I was to where I needed to be? This is where Psalm 51 is essential. It is the cry for forgiveness and restoration that we all need to cry.
When I was finally trying to get my life right with God, I had a mentor who was working with me in my life. He knew just about everything about me and he gave me a key assignment. He challenged me to memorize this Psalm and repeat it as often as I could. He felt that when I could truly pray this Psalm from my heart, then I would probably be ready to become a Christian.
I would finally be ready to become a Christian, because I would finally be ready to deal with the sin in my life. My heart would be ready to change because it would have released the things that were at that time controlling it. Sin hardens us. Sin hardens and breaks us. This world is broken. I was broken. Sin breaks our communion with God, others, and even ourselves. It cuts us off from our heart and it sears our consciences. It destroys whatever good is in us and it destroys the good in this world. We can not be close to God and be in sin as well. It is impossible.
I was so hard at this point in my life from all the sin I had indulged in that I needed a transformation. I needed a new heart, and new spirit. I needed to come to God on His terms, not mine.
I took my friend's challenge and eventually I had a breakthrough. God did have mercy on me. He did restore to me the joy of my salvation and renew a steadfast spirit within me. God was faithful and created a pure heart within me. I had not been pure in a long time but now I was and I could be completely different. Instead of being religious, I could be righteous - right with God. I could have integrity. I could have truth. I could walk without fear of what I was hiding.
God was and is faithful. Thirty some years later, I am still walking this walk and striving to keep this prayer and all of God's word in my heart so that I will not sin against Him.
I praise God that He did restore and in His timing, He did make me prosper. He has given me so much and I would never have known all the good He had in store if I had not been willing to get on my knees and pray.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Have mercy on us we pray. Forgive us our sins. Cleanse us. Only You can do this. We thank You for forgiving us. We thank You for Your mercy and grace. We thank you for even caring at all. We know that we are completely unworthy. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What do I think God really wants from me? Why? Do I have a correct perspective of God? Why or why not? How can I get a more accurate view?
2. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness? Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? How do I know? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. What does repentance mean to me? What do I do when I have done something wrong? How do I deal with it? Is this the best thing to do or could I do something differently?
5. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/16/10 (10/16/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vs. 1-2)
Tomorrow I am going to a reunion in San Diego. As I was preparing to go, I became very sad and frustrated. I was afraid to go. Afraid to face my out of shape body and my inability to play a sport I once loved and still do. Afraid of what I have cut myself off from. Afraid of bad memories and feelings of failure that I left when I left that city. I haven't been back in many years. I haven't had any desire to return except perhaps to play waterpolo. That I have missed and longed for. That is why I am returning. But I know that my body will betray me. My life is so different now. But God is still my refuge. Even in these vague murmurings and sadness. I am still going. I am going to face my fears and my sadness. God is my help and this is my time to deal with my six years in San Diego. I cannot cut out so many years anymore. I must begin to synthesize my life and accept all of it.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 7)
And God will be with me. He is my fortress as I deal with my soul. He is the healer of wounds we cannot see. No one else knows the aches in our hearts as He does and no one can be a fortress for us. No one else can save us from ourselves.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (vs. 10)
I will be still and know that God is God. I will go to the bluffs and the ocean and all the old places and I will feel once again all the pain and I will let it go. I will let God be God and I will be still. I will listen to what those years have brought me to now. I had to go through the fires. I had to experience it. I would not go back or take it over and yet I would not wish it on anyone else either. But I will be still tomorrow, all day, and I will listen. I will laugh and do my best and reconnect and be someone that I was not in a place that I once was. God will be exalted, somehow, because God is always exalted whether we do the exalting or not. Hopefully, I will join in with the earth and exalt as well. It will be okay. I will be okay and when I return home, I will be better than I was. I will be more complete.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacobs is our fortress." (vs. 11)
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You know the sadness and the wounds of our hearts. It is so easy to put band aids on gaping holes and move on but You know and You arrange for us to meet the healing forces or face the pain again so that there may be closure. As we face our fears, help us to remember that You are our refuge and strength and that You are our ever present fortress. Help us to stop running from our painful pasts. Help us to embrace them and learn what You would have us learn.
We respect those that are able to face great tragedies and turn them into triumphs. Most of our pains are of the lesser type but in our souls they are festering and they are keeping us from fully living. Help us to come to grips with all our experiences, good and bad, and help us to use them to glorify you by strengthening others. You have great plans for us. You allow us to suffer so that in the end You may be lifted up through us and used, just as Jesus suffered and was used to save all those who would come to Him. We are grateful for all of our experience and we are grateful for Your saving grace. We will be still and know that You are God. Help us to do this. Help us to quiet our souls and hear Your voice. Help us to know now and always, that You are God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I running from any past memories or experiences? Why am I doing this?
2. How can I face these experiences and work through them so that I can have closure and move on in my life? What help is available for me?
3. What am I afraid of? Am I giving these things over to God in prayer? Am I remembering God in these moments of fear?
4. Am I still before God? How can I be still before God?
5. What does it mean to me to know that God is God? How can I practically do this more and more in my life?
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vs. 1-2)
Tomorrow I am going to a reunion in San Diego. As I was preparing to go, I became very sad and frustrated. I was afraid to go. Afraid to face my out of shape body and my inability to play a sport I once loved and still do. Afraid of what I have cut myself off from. Afraid of bad memories and feelings of failure that I left when I left that city. I haven't been back in many years. I haven't had any desire to return except perhaps to play waterpolo. That I have missed and longed for. That is why I am returning. But I know that my body will betray me. My life is so different now. But God is still my refuge. Even in these vague murmurings and sadness. I am still going. I am going to face my fears and my sadness. God is my help and this is my time to deal with my six years in San Diego. I cannot cut out so many years anymore. I must begin to synthesize my life and accept all of it.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 7)
And God will be with me. He is my fortress as I deal with my soul. He is the healer of wounds we cannot see. No one else knows the aches in our hearts as He does and no one can be a fortress for us. No one else can save us from ourselves.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (vs. 10)
I will be still and know that God is God. I will go to the bluffs and the ocean and all the old places and I will feel once again all the pain and I will let it go. I will let God be God and I will be still. I will listen to what those years have brought me to now. I had to go through the fires. I had to experience it. I would not go back or take it over and yet I would not wish it on anyone else either. But I will be still tomorrow, all day, and I will listen. I will laugh and do my best and reconnect and be someone that I was not in a place that I once was. God will be exalted, somehow, because God is always exalted whether we do the exalting or not. Hopefully, I will join in with the earth and exalt as well. It will be okay. I will be okay and when I return home, I will be better than I was. I will be more complete.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacobs is our fortress." (vs. 11)
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You know the sadness and the wounds of our hearts. It is so easy to put band aids on gaping holes and move on but You know and You arrange for us to meet the healing forces or face the pain again so that there may be closure. As we face our fears, help us to remember that You are our refuge and strength and that You are our ever present fortress. Help us to stop running from our painful pasts. Help us to embrace them and learn what You would have us learn.
We respect those that are able to face great tragedies and turn them into triumphs. Most of our pains are of the lesser type but in our souls they are festering and they are keeping us from fully living. Help us to come to grips with all our experiences, good and bad, and help us to use them to glorify you by strengthening others. You have great plans for us. You allow us to suffer so that in the end You may be lifted up through us and used, just as Jesus suffered and was used to save all those who would come to Him. We are grateful for all of our experience and we are grateful for Your saving grace. We will be still and know that You are God. Help us to do this. Help us to quiet our souls and hear Your voice. Help us to know now and always, that You are God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I running from any past memories or experiences? Why am I doing this?
2. How can I face these experiences and work through them so that I can have closure and move on in my life? What help is available for me?
3. What am I afraid of? Am I giving these things over to God in prayer? Am I remembering God in these moments of fear?
4. Am I still before God? How can I be still before God?
5. What does it mean to me to know that God is God? How can I practically do this more and more in my life?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/27/10 (9/27/09)
Prayer Focus - 7's
Pray for:
Seven things you are grateful for
Seven people who need your prayers
Seven places you care about
Seven characteristics that you want to grow in
Seven characteristics/ habits that you want to get rid of
Dear Lord - Thank You for always speaking to me. Help me to hear You today and as always, grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 27
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (vs. 14)
I am waiting. I am trying to be strong. I am trying to take heart. I feel so on edge. My emotions raw. It is so hard to wait in patience. When I think of all that I have to do, it is overwhelming. I lose any calm I have mustered. I cannot think of tomorrow. I must just live. One step ahead; one step. I am waiting and walking. I am not thinking about tomorrow. It will think about itself. I will write my writing. I will lie down to sleep and I will wake again. I will get in my car and drive to work. I will work. I will deal with 200+ children and drive home to deal with three more and a sick husband and a messy house. I am not thinking, although I am. I will just wait. I will be strong. I will take heart.
I will wait for each moment to come and I will deal with it. I fail when I think ahead. I failed today as I thought about tomorrow. I became irritable and disheartened. "I cannot do this," I thought and of course I cannot, but God can. All I have to do is wait and in the meantime do what has to be done as God would have me. I must be strong. My children depend on that. I am demonstrating Jesus to them. If I am not strong, what will they think? I must be strong. My husband depends on that. If I fall apart, what hope does he have?
And I am taking heart because I have the promises in this psalm. God will not forsake me. Even if my parents could, He would not. And I have tomorrow with all the newness it holds. I have a fresh start. I have 200+ eager faces with lives of promise that I have been blessed to contribute to. I have a way to make money to pay my bills. I have good health insurance. Amen to that. I have beautiful children waiting to be taught about God; waiting to see His truths lived out in my life. I have a husband who is recovering quickly and who has determination to fight for his life. I have forgiveness for the failures of today. It is all a matter of my perspective. I am taking heart.
"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." (vs. 13)
I will see God's goodness. I will see it here. In the meantime, I have work to do. I will do it. I will go and walk and take one moment at a time and I will wait on the Lord.
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (vs. 14)
Verses of Encouragement from Psalm 27:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?" (vs. 1)
"Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident." (vs. 3)
"For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." (vs. 5)
"Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me." (vs. 10)
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (vs. 14)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that You are strong when we are not. We feel as if an army is against us sometimes and yet even then we do not need to be afraid. It is so difficult to live by faith in this world. Help us to keep our eyes on the unseen. We know and rely on You. We are waiting on You and living today for You. Grant us renewed strength each morning. You are good.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I waiting for God or am I trying to take things into my own hands? How do I know? How can I do a better job of waiting?
2. In what ways do I need to be strong right now? Who is depending on me? If I am not strong, how will it affect them?
3. How can I look at the difficulties in my life in a positive way? How does my perspective on life affect my feelings and my actions during the day?
4. Am I letting fear and worry keep me from doing the work and the activities I know I should be doing? How can I be more consistent in my follow through and obedience?
5. Have people in my life forsaken me or let me down? How has this affected me and how does it affect my relationship with God? Do I feel that God has ever forsaken or let me down? Why? Did He really or could there be another explanation for what happened?
Pray for:
Seven things you are grateful for
Seven people who need your prayers
Seven places you care about
Seven characteristics that you want to grow in
Seven characteristics/ habits that you want to get rid of
Dear Lord - Thank You for always speaking to me. Help me to hear You today and as always, grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 27
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (vs. 14)
I am waiting. I am trying to be strong. I am trying to take heart. I feel so on edge. My emotions raw. It is so hard to wait in patience. When I think of all that I have to do, it is overwhelming. I lose any calm I have mustered. I cannot think of tomorrow. I must just live. One step ahead; one step. I am waiting and walking. I am not thinking about tomorrow. It will think about itself. I will write my writing. I will lie down to sleep and I will wake again. I will get in my car and drive to work. I will work. I will deal with 200+ children and drive home to deal with three more and a sick husband and a messy house. I am not thinking, although I am. I will just wait. I will be strong. I will take heart.
I will wait for each moment to come and I will deal with it. I fail when I think ahead. I failed today as I thought about tomorrow. I became irritable and disheartened. "I cannot do this," I thought and of course I cannot, but God can. All I have to do is wait and in the meantime do what has to be done as God would have me. I must be strong. My children depend on that. I am demonstrating Jesus to them. If I am not strong, what will they think? I must be strong. My husband depends on that. If I fall apart, what hope does he have?
And I am taking heart because I have the promises in this psalm. God will not forsake me. Even if my parents could, He would not. And I have tomorrow with all the newness it holds. I have a fresh start. I have 200+ eager faces with lives of promise that I have been blessed to contribute to. I have a way to make money to pay my bills. I have good health insurance. Amen to that. I have beautiful children waiting to be taught about God; waiting to see His truths lived out in my life. I have a husband who is recovering quickly and who has determination to fight for his life. I have forgiveness for the failures of today. It is all a matter of my perspective. I am taking heart.
"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." (vs. 13)
I will see God's goodness. I will see it here. In the meantime, I have work to do. I will do it. I will go and walk and take one moment at a time and I will wait on the Lord.
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (vs. 14)
Verses of Encouragement from Psalm 27:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?" (vs. 1)
"Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident." (vs. 3)
"For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." (vs. 5)
"Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me." (vs. 10)
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (vs. 14)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that You are strong when we are not. We feel as if an army is against us sometimes and yet even then we do not need to be afraid. It is so difficult to live by faith in this world. Help us to keep our eyes on the unseen. We know and rely on You. We are waiting on You and living today for You. Grant us renewed strength each morning. You are good.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I waiting for God or am I trying to take things into my own hands? How do I know? How can I do a better job of waiting?
2. In what ways do I need to be strong right now? Who is depending on me? If I am not strong, how will it affect them?
3. How can I look at the difficulties in my life in a positive way? How does my perspective on life affect my feelings and my actions during the day?
4. Am I letting fear and worry keep me from doing the work and the activities I know I should be doing? How can I be more consistent in my follow through and obedience?
5. Have people in my life forsaken me or let me down? How has this affected me and how does it affect my relationship with God? Do I feel that God has ever forsaken or let me down? Why? Did He really or could there be another explanation for what happened?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/20/10 (9/20/09)
Focus Letter - T
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 20
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." (vs. 7)
Even the most distrusting of us trust in something. It is really the defining element of our lives - what we trust in. For some it is career. We sink our souls and hopes in a job. It is who we are. It gives us authority. For some it is a spouse. We pour all of our love and devotion into that other person and expect them to bring us happiness and security. For some it is money. They rely on their cash to buy them happiness and friends. For some it is their physical health and strength. They work out, eat right, and focus on their appearance in the search for eternal youth. For others it is pleasure. That continual high of excitement and fun. They search for the next good time to keep them going. There is something for everyone whether we are consciously aware of it or not. Unfortunately all of these things will fail us at some time or another. They may succeed in bringing us what we seek for awhile but in the end they all fail.
There is only one who never fails and that is God. If we trust in the Lord our God we will rise up and stand firm. God will save us in the end.
And why do we trust? We were created to trust. We need to trust because if we are honest with ourselves, there are holes within us; gaps and spaces that need filling. Emptiness exists and the desire for security that resides in our souls eludes us. We know that we can do nothing to ensure we wake up tomorrow (Luke 12: 13-21). We know that time and chance happen to all of us (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12). We know that whether rich or poor, wise or foolish, all alike die (Psalms 49). We know about uncertainty but we do not like to dwell on it. We find what works for us or at least what we think works and we cling onto it. We create our version of the world and how it works. We find our truth. The problem with that is, however, truth is not relative. There is absolute truth. As surely as the sun is still shining on a cloudy day, truth is still shining whether we believe it or not.
And so we trust in something because we need to. That is why there has always been false gods throughout the ages and though we do not have images we bow down to today, we bow down regardless. We need a God, a Lord, and a Saviour. Psalms 20 states why. We need answers and protection (vs. 1). We need help and support (vs. 2). We need to be remembered and accepted (vs. 3). We need to have our desires filled and our plans validated (vs. 4). We need to celebrate victory and have a cause to live for (vs. 5). Finally, we need to have our prayers and requests heard (vs. 5). These are inborn desires and needs that we search to have filled. God put those desires there and He knows best how to fulfill them.
If we trust in Him, we will see them fulfilled and then we can know as the psalmist knew that the Lord does save His people and He does answer from Heaven. He will answer when we call.
Verses for reference:
"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect You. May He send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests." (vs. 1-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that we can trust in You. We have trusted in so many things over the course of our life and they have not fulfilled us completely. Only You can do that. We are grateful for all the blessings that come with a relationship with You. You will answer us when we call.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What am I trusting in? How do I know? Is it fulfilling me?
2. Of all the needs mentioned in Psalms 20, which is my greatest right now? How can I turn to God to fulfill this need?
3. What concrete steps can I take to trust God more? Who can I ask help or advice from about this?
4. How can I celebrate the victories God has brought into my life? Why is this important?
5. Do I believe in absolute truth? Why or why not? Where do I find my truth? Do I believe the Bible is truth? Why or why not?
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for that begin with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 20
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." (vs. 7)
Even the most distrusting of us trust in something. It is really the defining element of our lives - what we trust in. For some it is career. We sink our souls and hopes in a job. It is who we are. It gives us authority. For some it is a spouse. We pour all of our love and devotion into that other person and expect them to bring us happiness and security. For some it is money. They rely on their cash to buy them happiness and friends. For some it is their physical health and strength. They work out, eat right, and focus on their appearance in the search for eternal youth. For others it is pleasure. That continual high of excitement and fun. They search for the next good time to keep them going. There is something for everyone whether we are consciously aware of it or not. Unfortunately all of these things will fail us at some time or another. They may succeed in bringing us what we seek for awhile but in the end they all fail.
There is only one who never fails and that is God. If we trust in the Lord our God we will rise up and stand firm. God will save us in the end.
And why do we trust? We were created to trust. We need to trust because if we are honest with ourselves, there are holes within us; gaps and spaces that need filling. Emptiness exists and the desire for security that resides in our souls eludes us. We know that we can do nothing to ensure we wake up tomorrow (Luke 12: 13-21). We know that time and chance happen to all of us (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12). We know that whether rich or poor, wise or foolish, all alike die (Psalms 49). We know about uncertainty but we do not like to dwell on it. We find what works for us or at least what we think works and we cling onto it. We create our version of the world and how it works. We find our truth. The problem with that is, however, truth is not relative. There is absolute truth. As surely as the sun is still shining on a cloudy day, truth is still shining whether we believe it or not.
And so we trust in something because we need to. That is why there has always been false gods throughout the ages and though we do not have images we bow down to today, we bow down regardless. We need a God, a Lord, and a Saviour. Psalms 20 states why. We need answers and protection (vs. 1). We need help and support (vs. 2). We need to be remembered and accepted (vs. 3). We need to have our desires filled and our plans validated (vs. 4). We need to celebrate victory and have a cause to live for (vs. 5). Finally, we need to have our prayers and requests heard (vs. 5). These are inborn desires and needs that we search to have filled. God put those desires there and He knows best how to fulfill them.
If we trust in Him, we will see them fulfilled and then we can know as the psalmist knew that the Lord does save His people and He does answer from Heaven. He will answer when we call.
Verses for reference:
"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect You. May He send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests." (vs. 1-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful that we can trust in You. We have trusted in so many things over the course of our life and they have not fulfilled us completely. Only You can do that. We are grateful for all the blessings that come with a relationship with You. You will answer us when we call.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What am I trusting in? How do I know? Is it fulfilling me?
2. Of all the needs mentioned in Psalms 20, which is my greatest right now? How can I turn to God to fulfill this need?
3. What concrete steps can I take to trust God more? Who can I ask help or advice from about this?
4. How can I celebrate the victories God has brought into my life? Why is this important?
5. Do I believe in absolute truth? Why or why not? Where do I find my truth? Do I believe the Bible is truth? Why or why not?
Monday, August 16, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/13/10 (9/13/09)
Focus Letter - M
Pray for:
Five things that you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Help me to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 13
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" (vs. 1)
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13
"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." (vs. 5)
How long are we willing to do battle with ourselves and our sins/character flaws? A day, a week, a month, a season? How about a year? How about ten years? That seems like a long time. I know because I went through it.
After I became a Christian in 1983, an issue came up in my life that was deeply embedded in who I was. It was contrary to the Word of God, however, and so I took up the fight against it. I prayed. I fasted. I confessed. I did everything I knew of to deal with it and yet it still was a daily struggle for me. I would have good and bad days but the problem remained. I even saw a psychologist for help. All the things I did helped to some degree but the sin remained with me.
I felt like the psalmist. I cried out, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? (vs. 1)" I did feel forgotten in many ways because I was trying. I was doing everything right. But this was something more than not swearing or not getting drunk. The obvious sins are often the easiest to overcome. Many things I had struggled with for years changed overnight the day I became a Christian. Deeper heart issues arose, however. And so it is for all of us. We are not changed overnight. We are changed continually. We are slowly sculpted into something beautiful that will not be finished until the day we stand before God.
I struggled and struggled but in the end I trusted in God and did the best I could that day. That was all I could do and I kept on going. I did not know when my struggle would end or if perhaps it would not and I would deal with this particular issue til the day I died. Eventually it did not matter anymore. I decided that no matter what, I would not give up. In becoming a Christian, I had found the best thing in my life, even if it was not easy. At 17, I knew that if I walked away from God, I would be walking away from the best thing I ever had and my only hope of change.
I felt like Peter when he declared to Jesus, "Lord, to whom shall we go?Where else could we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68). " I truly believed and still to this day believe there is no where else for me to go. Jesus still has the words of life. And amazingly enough, ten years later, I awoke one day to find my struggle was gone; never to return. As I look back over the ten years, now that I am on the other side of it, it didn't seem that long of a time. The relief was so tremendous that to this day it gives me chills just thinking about it. I was finally free. I am finally free. Finally.
It was all worth it. All the years of struggle, all the tears. I have no regrets. And now, "I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me." (vs. 6) God is always good. Always.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful for the power You give to our lives. We are grateful for the transformations that You grant. We believe in Your ability and desire to remake us into what we were created to be. We fall so short but we have great dreams. Forgive us and help us to get back up and fight on. We remember our past victories and we look forward to what is in store for our lives. Help us to walk the path You have planned for us and to keep our eyes focused on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to start fighting to overcome?
2. Have you given up working on something because it seemed impossible to change?
3. What can you do today to get back in the fight?
4. What verses can motivate you when you are feeling weak?
5. What things have I overcome already? How do the victories make me feel?
Pray for:
Five things that you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Help me to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 13
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" (vs. 1)
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13
"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." (vs. 5)
How long are we willing to do battle with ourselves and our sins/character flaws? A day, a week, a month, a season? How about a year? How about ten years? That seems like a long time. I know because I went through it.
After I became a Christian in 1983, an issue came up in my life that was deeply embedded in who I was. It was contrary to the Word of God, however, and so I took up the fight against it. I prayed. I fasted. I confessed. I did everything I knew of to deal with it and yet it still was a daily struggle for me. I would have good and bad days but the problem remained. I even saw a psychologist for help. All the things I did helped to some degree but the sin remained with me.
I felt like the psalmist. I cried out, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? (vs. 1)" I did feel forgotten in many ways because I was trying. I was doing everything right. But this was something more than not swearing or not getting drunk. The obvious sins are often the easiest to overcome. Many things I had struggled with for years changed overnight the day I became a Christian. Deeper heart issues arose, however. And so it is for all of us. We are not changed overnight. We are changed continually. We are slowly sculpted into something beautiful that will not be finished until the day we stand before God.
I struggled and struggled but in the end I trusted in God and did the best I could that day. That was all I could do and I kept on going. I did not know when my struggle would end or if perhaps it would not and I would deal with this particular issue til the day I died. Eventually it did not matter anymore. I decided that no matter what, I would not give up. In becoming a Christian, I had found the best thing in my life, even if it was not easy. At 17, I knew that if I walked away from God, I would be walking away from the best thing I ever had and my only hope of change.
I felt like Peter when he declared to Jesus, "Lord, to whom shall we go?Where else could we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68). " I truly believed and still to this day believe there is no where else for me to go. Jesus still has the words of life. And amazingly enough, ten years later, I awoke one day to find my struggle was gone; never to return. As I look back over the ten years, now that I am on the other side of it, it didn't seem that long of a time. The relief was so tremendous that to this day it gives me chills just thinking about it. I was finally free. I am finally free. Finally.
It was all worth it. All the years of struggle, all the tears. I have no regrets. And now, "I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me." (vs. 6) God is always good. Always.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are grateful for the power You give to our lives. We are grateful for the transformations that You grant. We believe in Your ability and desire to remake us into what we were created to be. We fall so short but we have great dreams. Forgive us and help us to get back up and fight on. We remember our past victories and we look forward to what is in store for our lives. Help us to walk the path You have planned for us and to keep our eyes focused on You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to start fighting to overcome?
2. Have you given up working on something because it seemed impossible to change?
3. What can you do today to get back in the fight?
4. What verses can motivate you when you are feeling weak?
5. What things have I overcome already? How do the victories make me feel?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/4/10 (9/4/10)
The scripture reference for the story of the angel being delayed in coming that I mentioned yesterday is in Daniel 10:1 - 11:1, see especially verses 10 - 14. This is a very interesting story about the spiritual world and the spiritual warfare that goes on unbeknownst to us.
Daily Focus Letter - D
Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A country, city, or place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that you would like to see your household grow in beginning with the focus letter
Dear Lord - help me to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 4
"Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer." (vs. 1)
It is okay to ask for relief from our distress. We don't have to just gut it out all the time. There definitely are times of battle or times of suffering that we will have to endure but then God provides times of refreshing. Even Jesus thought His disciples should go off for some time of relief when they returned from their missionary journey.
What we need to ask ourselves is am I really doing the work of the Lord or standing firm in some struggle so that a time of relief is merited. If so, great, but I know I have many times just fallen into relief mode and often struggles and problems came about because I was in relief mode and then I asked for more relief. I was just being spiritually lazy. What I really needed in order to start feeling better was to start doing something!
As for suffering, it is okay to ask for relief but then we need to be ready for God to say no, or not yet. The best example of this is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked, and asked some more, but in the end, thankfully, He said, "not my will, but Yours be done"(Luke 22:39-46). Paul asked for the thorn to be removed from him but God said no, that His power was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Paul finally surrendered it and was able to say he "delighted" in his weakness and other struggles which were quite astounding (see 2 Cor 12:7-10 & 6:3-10).
The bottom line is that we are set apart by God, for His purposes. We aren't here for ourselves and our hopes and dreams. There is the wonderful verse in Psalms 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart," but often we forget the first part - delighting ourselves in God - and focus primarily on God giving us the desires of our heart. We need to think more about how we can delight in God and less about our desires and dreams. When we do this, the two will start falling into place.
"Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him." (vs. 3)
Secondly, we need to think about whether or not we are allowing ourselves to be set apart. Perhaps we are blending right into the world and everyone around us. What do our activities show, how about the TV shows we watch, and the movies we go to. What about the books we read and the places we hang out? I know when I first became I a Christian I was very sensitive towards what I was watching, wearing, and reading but then I got rather casual about it and even used the rationalization that I have to know what the world is into. After having children, I think I became more sensitive to these issues again because I started looking at the world from their eyes. When your child starts being able to read and starts asking what that vulgar saying on that person's t-shirt means, it begins to hit home. Or when you have to change the TV channel when they walk into the room, it makes you think.
"In your anger, do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." (vs. 4)
Sometimes the way the world is, and the baseness of our culture as it strays away from Godly principles gets me upset. Then I tend to feel guilty because when I was growing up, I was taught to not get angry. We were not even allowed to fight in my house. So, while I understand the reasoning behind the rule, (it is exhausting to have duelling siblings), being told to not fight or to not get angry did not stop the very human emotion of anger, nor should it have really. What it did produce was a lot of built up resentment and the victim mentality in me so that I was not able to be angry in appropriate situations or even say "no" when I needed to. This led to me allowing others to abuse me and also to me placing myself in bad situations.
Verse 4 of this psalm was a revelation to me because it says "in your anger, do not sin." It is just accepted that we will get angry. It is okay. Jesus got angry. He even acted on it, but He did not sin (Matt 21:12 -13). I can get angry, I just need to channel it right. I cannot have a temper tantrum, which I want to do. That would be sin. I cannot throw things, which I have to admit I have done. That would be sin. I cannot swear at someone and tell them off. That would be sin. I cannot reject the world in the sense of looking down on it and feeling that I am above it. Or I cannot look down on those of my friends that are involved with things I know are wrong. I can be upset, even angry, but then I must respond in love and concern. They are the ones that will ultimately suffer. I need to be concerned about their spiritual welfare, and as one who has been there myself, try to help them and reach out in love. How they respond is up to them but my love can not stop. In my anger, I cannot sin
Self evaluation is so important to handling our anger correctly. As it says in verse 4, at night I need to go over my day and search my heart. I need to be silent and let God speak to me about where I have been and what I have done. Then, I need to deal with whatever I find. We cannot let the sun go down on our anger, as this will give the Devil a foothold in our lives (Eph 4:26-27). When we get angry (whether or not it is justified), and then don't deal with it, we let bitterness grow and develop in our hearts. This can eventually lead us away from God. We are to make sure that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Heb 12:15). Unresolved anger is the start of this bitterness.
In all this, sometimes, it seems like life is just too much. Too many problems, too many personal issues to deal with, too many world problems. I remember a point in time in my husband's battle with cancer, right after we found out that the cancer had spread, that I saw something negative about the state of the world on TV and just started weeping. My husband couldn't understand why this little short TV segment could set me off. I just kept telling him, "I can't take anymore bad news." Everything was building up and I was asking just like the psalmist - "Who can show us any good?" (vs 6). I just couldn't see any good. After I finished my cry, I turned back to God. I had to look up because there was nowhere else to go. In all that I have gone through in the last 25 years of trying to truly follow God, this is where I have always ended up. Yes, there are many things around me but God. That's it "Yes, But God."
I have always loved the last verses of the psalm (vs 7 & 8) because of this. They state..
"Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
I have to stop looking around at the world and my circumstances as overwhelming as they may seem and look up at God, at the light coming from Him. I have to remember that I am supposed to focus on God, rejoice in God, know that in the world there will be troubles, but God has overcome the world. The world - the grain and new wine which can be enjoyable - will never fill me up. Even if everything is going great in my life, even then, I still won't be filled with as much as I can be with God.
So in the end, I can lie down and sleep in peace. In the midst of everything the Lord is making me dwell in safety. Everything is going to be alright.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We live in a troublesome world. Often there does not seem to be any good, but You are here and You are good. You have asked us to dwell on the positive, the honorable, the lovely. Help us to fix our eyes on those things and to keep our eyes focused on Your face. Only then will we be able to live our lives properly. Help us to live truly set apart lives. Help us to remember You. You fill us with what is greater than the world has to offer but we are so easily deceived. We do not want to be deceived any longer. Help us to seek the truth. Help us to seek You so that we may truly have peace.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I in distress right now? What is causing this if I am? Am I asking God for relief and help in this time?
2. Am I in the spiritual battle and am I doing the work of the Lord or am I being spiritually lazy? Are any of the problems/issues I am facing in my life right now due to my spiritual inactivity or weakness? If so, what can I do to get back to where I need to be or to grow?
3. Am I being set apart? Is there any difference in my life/activities as a Christian or am I just like those around me who do not claim to know God? Is there anything that I am doing right now that makes me feel guilty or that I think deep down is not the best for me spiritually? What can I do differently starting today?
4. How do I feel about anger? How do I deal with my anger? Do I have healthy boundaries? Can I say no to people or situations that aren't best for me spiritually or do I get sucked into them time and time again? Am I bitter? How can I get help with this? Do I have strong spiritual friends who can help me?
5. Do I have peace in my life? Am I sleeping well? What am I trying to use to bring me peace and joy? Do I believe that my spiritual life could make a difference in this? Am I focusing on God or circumstances? What can I do to start moving closer to God and the peace that He offers?
(If you know of someone that might want to also follow this blog that is not on Facebook, the website is http://www.lillianjacobs.blogspot.com/)
Daily Focus Letter - D
Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A country, city, or place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that you would like to see your household grow in beginning with the focus letter
Dear Lord - help me to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 4
"Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer." (vs. 1)
It is okay to ask for relief from our distress. We don't have to just gut it out all the time. There definitely are times of battle or times of suffering that we will have to endure but then God provides times of refreshing. Even Jesus thought His disciples should go off for some time of relief when they returned from their missionary journey.
What we need to ask ourselves is am I really doing the work of the Lord or standing firm in some struggle so that a time of relief is merited. If so, great, but I know I have many times just fallen into relief mode and often struggles and problems came about because I was in relief mode and then I asked for more relief. I was just being spiritually lazy. What I really needed in order to start feeling better was to start doing something!
As for suffering, it is okay to ask for relief but then we need to be ready for God to say no, or not yet. The best example of this is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked, and asked some more, but in the end, thankfully, He said, "not my will, but Yours be done"(Luke 22:39-46). Paul asked for the thorn to be removed from him but God said no, that His power was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Paul finally surrendered it and was able to say he "delighted" in his weakness and other struggles which were quite astounding (see 2 Cor 12:7-10 & 6:3-10).
The bottom line is that we are set apart by God, for His purposes. We aren't here for ourselves and our hopes and dreams. There is the wonderful verse in Psalms 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart," but often we forget the first part - delighting ourselves in God - and focus primarily on God giving us the desires of our heart. We need to think more about how we can delight in God and less about our desires and dreams. When we do this, the two will start falling into place.
"Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him." (vs. 3)
Secondly, we need to think about whether or not we are allowing ourselves to be set apart. Perhaps we are blending right into the world and everyone around us. What do our activities show, how about the TV shows we watch, and the movies we go to. What about the books we read and the places we hang out? I know when I first became I a Christian I was very sensitive towards what I was watching, wearing, and reading but then I got rather casual about it and even used the rationalization that I have to know what the world is into. After having children, I think I became more sensitive to these issues again because I started looking at the world from their eyes. When your child starts being able to read and starts asking what that vulgar saying on that person's t-shirt means, it begins to hit home. Or when you have to change the TV channel when they walk into the room, it makes you think.
"In your anger, do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." (vs. 4)
Sometimes the way the world is, and the baseness of our culture as it strays away from Godly principles gets me upset. Then I tend to feel guilty because when I was growing up, I was taught to not get angry. We were not even allowed to fight in my house. So, while I understand the reasoning behind the rule, (it is exhausting to have duelling siblings), being told to not fight or to not get angry did not stop the very human emotion of anger, nor should it have really. What it did produce was a lot of built up resentment and the victim mentality in me so that I was not able to be angry in appropriate situations or even say "no" when I needed to. This led to me allowing others to abuse me and also to me placing myself in bad situations.
Verse 4 of this psalm was a revelation to me because it says "in your anger, do not sin." It is just accepted that we will get angry. It is okay. Jesus got angry. He even acted on it, but He did not sin (Matt 21:12 -13). I can get angry, I just need to channel it right. I cannot have a temper tantrum, which I want to do. That would be sin. I cannot throw things, which I have to admit I have done. That would be sin. I cannot swear at someone and tell them off. That would be sin. I cannot reject the world in the sense of looking down on it and feeling that I am above it. Or I cannot look down on those of my friends that are involved with things I know are wrong. I can be upset, even angry, but then I must respond in love and concern. They are the ones that will ultimately suffer. I need to be concerned about their spiritual welfare, and as one who has been there myself, try to help them and reach out in love. How they respond is up to them but my love can not stop. In my anger, I cannot sin
Self evaluation is so important to handling our anger correctly. As it says in verse 4, at night I need to go over my day and search my heart. I need to be silent and let God speak to me about where I have been and what I have done. Then, I need to deal with whatever I find. We cannot let the sun go down on our anger, as this will give the Devil a foothold in our lives (Eph 4:26-27). When we get angry (whether or not it is justified), and then don't deal with it, we let bitterness grow and develop in our hearts. This can eventually lead us away from God. We are to make sure that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Heb 12:15). Unresolved anger is the start of this bitterness.
In all this, sometimes, it seems like life is just too much. Too many problems, too many personal issues to deal with, too many world problems. I remember a point in time in my husband's battle with cancer, right after we found out that the cancer had spread, that I saw something negative about the state of the world on TV and just started weeping. My husband couldn't understand why this little short TV segment could set me off. I just kept telling him, "I can't take anymore bad news." Everything was building up and I was asking just like the psalmist - "Who can show us any good?" (vs 6). I just couldn't see any good. After I finished my cry, I turned back to God. I had to look up because there was nowhere else to go. In all that I have gone through in the last 25 years of trying to truly follow God, this is where I have always ended up. Yes, there are many things around me but God. That's it "Yes, But God."
I have always loved the last verses of the psalm (vs 7 & 8) because of this. They state..
"Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
I have to stop looking around at the world and my circumstances as overwhelming as they may seem and look up at God, at the light coming from Him. I have to remember that I am supposed to focus on God, rejoice in God, know that in the world there will be troubles, but God has overcome the world. The world - the grain and new wine which can be enjoyable - will never fill me up. Even if everything is going great in my life, even then, I still won't be filled with as much as I can be with God.
So in the end, I can lie down and sleep in peace. In the midst of everything the Lord is making me dwell in safety. Everything is going to be alright.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We live in a troublesome world. Often there does not seem to be any good, but You are here and You are good. You have asked us to dwell on the positive, the honorable, the lovely. Help us to fix our eyes on those things and to keep our eyes focused on Your face. Only then will we be able to live our lives properly. Help us to live truly set apart lives. Help us to remember You. You fill us with what is greater than the world has to offer but we are so easily deceived. We do not want to be deceived any longer. Help us to seek the truth. Help us to seek You so that we may truly have peace.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I in distress right now? What is causing this if I am? Am I asking God for relief and help in this time?
2. Am I in the spiritual battle and am I doing the work of the Lord or am I being spiritually lazy? Are any of the problems/issues I am facing in my life right now due to my spiritual inactivity or weakness? If so, what can I do to get back to where I need to be or to grow?
3. Am I being set apart? Is there any difference in my life/activities as a Christian or am I just like those around me who do not claim to know God? Is there anything that I am doing right now that makes me feel guilty or that I think deep down is not the best for me spiritually? What can I do differently starting today?
4. How do I feel about anger? How do I deal with my anger? Do I have healthy boundaries? Can I say no to people or situations that aren't best for me spiritually or do I get sucked into them time and time again? Am I bitter? How can I get help with this? Do I have strong spiritual friends who can help me?
5. Do I have peace in my life? Am I sleeping well? What am I trying to use to bring me peace and joy? Do I believe that my spiritual life could make a difference in this? Am I focusing on God or circumstances? What can I do to start moving closer to God and the peace that He offers?
(If you know of someone that might want to also follow this blog that is not on Facebook, the website is http://www.lillianjacobs.blogspot.com/)
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