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 rest in God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rest in God. Show all posts
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/30/15
Prayer Focus - Wants
Day 5
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream you have for your life
One issue in your character that you would like to see changed
One regret that you would like to move past
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 90
"Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. You turn men back to dust, saying, 'Return to dust, O sons of men.' For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning - though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.
We finish our years with a moan. The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us: establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands." ( vs. 1 - 6, 9b - 10, 12, 14, 17 )
We have come from God, and we will return to face Him. The unseen is unfathomable, but sometimes I can slightly catch an understanding. What if I had never been born, didn't exist at all. What if I had never had the chance to experience life here on earth or anywhere for that matter. That thought has always made me slightly nauseous because I love life. I am so grateful that I exist, even on the worst days.
Life is so strange. We are here, and then we are gone. Where do we go? What is important? So many unknowns. But we can know a few things. We are here now. There is something beyond us, and we will die someday. Seventy or eighty years if we have the strength. Isn't that the truth? Living can be hard. Living can be confusing. But we know, we can see, that there is something special in us that is keeping us alive and when someone dies, that spark that made them who they are is gone and now there is just an outer shell. They are no longer here.
So if we are here and then gone, and if God remains, what is really important? If I am going to fly away back to God, I had better be ready for that. We need to face this reality, that this time here is really just the pause before the real life begins. If what comes after earth lasts for eternity, time without end, then that is so much more important than what I have on my to do list today. I do need to number my days correctly. I can not believe that I am almost 50 now. It seems that I was just a child. Time has gone by so fast and it will never come back to me. Each moment is gone forever. What will I make of my remaining days? Realistically, my life is already half over, unless I can somehow manage to stay alive until I am 100. I must remember this and focus. I no longer have time to waste, if I ever did.
I want to be satisfied by God and God alone. I want to awake and be content with His love. I want to really live while I have the chance and no longer be afraid. Fear is so binding; so limiting. Only God can do this. It is not within me. I turn to God and pray that His favor will rest upon me. I pray that His favor will rest upon you. I want to make a difference in this world, that it mattered that I was here and that I left things better than I found them. Yes Lord, establish the work of our hands and help us to walk with You and no longer be afraid.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are here. We know that this is not all there is. The unknown is frightening, but You say that perfect love drives out fear. Your love is perfect. Please drive out our fear. Help us to see life as You see it and to have the proper priorities. Help us to truly live. The time is short. We want to make it count.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I ever think about how short life is? Do I think about eternity? Why or why not? How can thinking about these concepts help me?
2. Do I think about what I would like to accomplish with my life? Are my goals in line with God's? How do I know?
3. Does my relationship with God motivate me? Am I in love with God? Does His love satisfy me or am I looking for something else to make me happy?
4. Am I joyful? Why or why not? How could I cultivate more joy? How could changing my priorities affect my joy level?
5. Do I feel like God's favor is on me? Why or why not? What work do I see God blessing in my life? Is it different from what I would like to see God blessing? Is what I consider my work the same as what God would consider my work? Why do I think this?
Day 5
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream you have for your life
One issue in your character that you would like to see changed
One regret that you would like to move past
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 90
"Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. You turn men back to dust, saying, 'Return to dust, O sons of men.' For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning - though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.
We finish our years with a moan. The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us: establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands." ( vs. 1 - 6, 9b - 10, 12, 14, 17 )
We have come from God, and we will return to face Him. The unseen is unfathomable, but sometimes I can slightly catch an understanding. What if I had never been born, didn't exist at all. What if I had never had the chance to experience life here on earth or anywhere for that matter. That thought has always made me slightly nauseous because I love life. I am so grateful that I exist, even on the worst days.
Life is so strange. We are here, and then we are gone. Where do we go? What is important? So many unknowns. But we can know a few things. We are here now. There is something beyond us, and we will die someday. Seventy or eighty years if we have the strength. Isn't that the truth? Living can be hard. Living can be confusing. But we know, we can see, that there is something special in us that is keeping us alive and when someone dies, that spark that made them who they are is gone and now there is just an outer shell. They are no longer here.
So if we are here and then gone, and if God remains, what is really important? If I am going to fly away back to God, I had better be ready for that. We need to face this reality, that this time here is really just the pause before the real life begins. If what comes after earth lasts for eternity, time without end, then that is so much more important than what I have on my to do list today. I do need to number my days correctly. I can not believe that I am almost 50 now. It seems that I was just a child. Time has gone by so fast and it will never come back to me. Each moment is gone forever. What will I make of my remaining days? Realistically, my life is already half over, unless I can somehow manage to stay alive until I am 100. I must remember this and focus. I no longer have time to waste, if I ever did.
I want to be satisfied by God and God alone. I want to awake and be content with His love. I want to really live while I have the chance and no longer be afraid. Fear is so binding; so limiting. Only God can do this. It is not within me. I turn to God and pray that His favor will rest upon me. I pray that His favor will rest upon you. I want to make a difference in this world, that it mattered that I was here and that I left things better than I found them. Yes Lord, establish the work of our hands and help us to walk with You and no longer be afraid.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are here. We know that this is not all there is. The unknown is frightening, but You say that perfect love drives out fear. Your love is perfect. Please drive out our fear. Help us to see life as You see it and to have the proper priorities. Help us to truly live. The time is short. We want to make it count.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I ever think about how short life is? Do I think about eternity? Why or why not? How can thinking about these concepts help me?
2. Do I think about what I would like to accomplish with my life? Are my goals in line with God's? How do I know?
3. Does my relationship with God motivate me? Am I in love with God? Does His love satisfy me or am I looking for something else to make me happy?
4. Am I joyful? Why or why not? How could I cultivate more joy? How could changing my priorities affect my joy level?
5. Do I feel like God's favor is on me? Why or why not? What work do I see God blessing in my life? Is it different from what I would like to see God blessing? Is what I consider my work the same as what God would consider my work? Why do I think this?
Friday, September 18, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/18/15 (11/18/09)
Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle
One thing that is needed in your life
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual life
physical life
emotional life
mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 78
"The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan." ( vs. 9-12)
"They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the desert? When He struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can He also give us food? Can He supply meat for His people?' when the Lord heard them, He was very angry; His fire broke out against Jacob, and His wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance." (vs. 18-22)
"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant. Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." (vs. 32-39)
There are many ways to displease God and this psalm uses the stories of the Israelites to remind us of what to avoid. The first thing to avoid is turning back on the day of battle. We are equipped for whatever we have to face because we have God with us. God has appointed a path for us, a race to run. He does not give us more than we can handle. We must go up to battle when it is time.
Next we must remember God's covenant and keep His laws. We have to obey if we want things to go well for us. The third pitfall to avoid is ingratitude. We have to remember the miracles and wonders God has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The fourth way to displease God is to put Him willfully to the test. He does not need to prove anything to us. He has already proved enough. We just need to start believing and living out His word. Then we will see the victories in Christ. Next we need to not speak against God. We do not need to doubt Him or be dissatisfied with what He provides. We can be so spoiled sometimes. We have our minds set on one thing and when God provides for us in a different way, we say, "Yeah, but what about this?" We can be displeased in the midst of plenty. This is just not right.
We can anger God. Sometimes we think that no matter what, God just keeps on forgiving and doesn't really care what happens in our lives, good or bad. As long as most of the time we are decent people, (by our standards of course), then we will be okay with God as well. This is just not true. God went to so much trouble and pain to save us that it does matter to Him. He is invested in us and what we do. Each time we sin, it is a reminder to Him of what Jesus had to go through. We need to realize this and realize that the Israelites wandered in the desert because of all of these previously mentioned sins. They did not get to go to the promised land because they did not go up to take what God had promised. They doubted God. They doubted that He could get them into the promised land and, therefore, they received what they believed. Let us believe in God and trust in His deliverance. Let us enter into His rest. Let us strive to avoid these problems that brought the Israelites down. We can be faithful. We can make it, with God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
The Israelites were Your promised people and You went to so much trouble to get them out of Egypt. You worked so many miracles in their lives and yet they still doubted and turned back on the day of battle. It is so important that we don't do this. We have to strive to believe and have faith. We want to enter into Your eternal rest. You have provided. Help us to live in such a way as to embrace Your will and covenants. You are great. We are grateful to be with You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I turn back on the day of battle? Am I being a soldier of Christ? What battles am I being called to fight? What is my reaction? How can I be a better warrior?
2. What has God done for me in my life? Do I recognize His blessings and His leading? What is the race God has marked out for me like? Am I satisfied with it? Why or why not?
3. Am I putting God to the test? Do I demand God prove Himself to me? In what areas am I tempted to do this?
4. What is my speech like towards God? Do I utter more praise or doubting? How can I focus more on praise and less on doubt?
5. Am I loyal to God? How do I show my loyalty? In what ways have I been unfaithful? How can I change this?
Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle
One thing that is needed in your life
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual life
physical life
emotional life
mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 78
"The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan." ( vs. 9-12)
"They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the desert? When He struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can He also give us food? Can He supply meat for His people?' when the Lord heard them, He was very angry; His fire broke out against Jacob, and His wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance." (vs. 18-22)
"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant. Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." (vs. 32-39)
There are many ways to displease God and this psalm uses the stories of the Israelites to remind us of what to avoid. The first thing to avoid is turning back on the day of battle. We are equipped for whatever we have to face because we have God with us. God has appointed a path for us, a race to run. He does not give us more than we can handle. We must go up to battle when it is time.
Next we must remember God's covenant and keep His laws. We have to obey if we want things to go well for us. The third pitfall to avoid is ingratitude. We have to remember the miracles and wonders God has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The fourth way to displease God is to put Him willfully to the test. He does not need to prove anything to us. He has already proved enough. We just need to start believing and living out His word. Then we will see the victories in Christ. Next we need to not speak against God. We do not need to doubt Him or be dissatisfied with what He provides. We can be so spoiled sometimes. We have our minds set on one thing and when God provides for us in a different way, we say, "Yeah, but what about this?" We can be displeased in the midst of plenty. This is just not right.
We can anger God. Sometimes we think that no matter what, God just keeps on forgiving and doesn't really care what happens in our lives, good or bad. As long as most of the time we are decent people, (by our standards of course), then we will be okay with God as well. This is just not true. God went to so much trouble and pain to save us that it does matter to Him. He is invested in us and what we do. Each time we sin, it is a reminder to Him of what Jesus had to go through. We need to realize this and realize that the Israelites wandered in the desert because of all of these previously mentioned sins. They did not get to go to the promised land because they did not go up to take what God had promised. They doubted God. They doubted that He could get them into the promised land and, therefore, they received what they believed. Let us believe in God and trust in His deliverance. Let us enter into His rest. Let us strive to avoid these problems that brought the Israelites down. We can be faithful. We can make it, with God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
The Israelites were Your promised people and You went to so much trouble to get them out of Egypt. You worked so many miracles in their lives and yet they still doubted and turned back on the day of battle. It is so important that we don't do this. We have to strive to believe and have faith. We want to enter into Your eternal rest. You have provided. Help us to live in such a way as to embrace Your will and covenants. You are great. We are grateful to be with You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I turn back on the day of battle? Am I being a soldier of Christ? What battles am I being called to fight? What is my reaction? How can I be a better warrior?
2. What has God done for me in my life? Do I recognize His blessings and His leading? What is the race God has marked out for me like? Am I satisfied with it? Why or why not?
3. Am I putting God to the test? Do I demand God prove Himself to me? In what areas am I tempted to do this?
4. What is my speech like towards God? Do I utter more praise or doubting? How can I focus more on praise and less on doubt?
5. Am I loyal to God? How do I show my loyalty? In what ways have I been unfaithful? How can I change this?
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?
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/2/15 (11/2/09)
Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 5
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 62
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." ( vs. 1-2 )
I am so tired tonight. Going back to work from the summer break is hard as it brings long days and short nights. Hours in the car fighting traffic and endless commitments. I can hardly think, but I keep going. What is important gets done and we keep moving on. My time with God is my only time to myself, but most importantly, it is my lifeline. If I did not have God, I would surely be lost. First of all, I would not have my family, my husband, or my beautiful children. I would not be a teacher, and probably, I would not be alive. I have found rest despite being exhausted. I have a stronghold. I have something beyond this life. I always thought that if all we had to live for was the 9 to 5 and the grow old, get a job, raise a family, then die type of life than it was all so hopeless. I am so glad that God showed me something different.
"My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." ( vs. 7-8 )
Besides rest, my honor comes from God as well. If I had been left to myself, I wouldn't have had any honor. I was not a very nice person before I became a Christian. I used people and all I cared about was myself and my desires. I was full of anger and rage and had a seared conscience. I was so hardened by sin, that my spiritual transformation took a long time. I did not change overnight when I decided to follow God. Yes, I had grace, but the real work was just beginning. The consequences of only 17 years of godless living have now taken thirty plus years to overcome. It is hard for me to imagine, but I have been trying to do this since 1983; all of my adult life has been dedicated to becoming closer and closer to God. It has taken all that time to develop, through God, whatever honor I have now. What a thought! My integrity has come through walking through the furnaces and learning the hard way what it means to serve Him
One thing I am especially grateful for is that during all of this time, I have always had God to run to and to hide in. When the going got rough, as it often did, I poured out my heart to Him and then just slept an empty sleep, letting His spirit burn off the dross of my soul. In the morning when I would awake, I would be a little bit better; a little closer to the woman of integrity that I longed to be. The sun always seemed to shine brighter on those days and everything was a bit clearer. It was as if I could see God shining through.
"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving. Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done." (vs. 11-12 )
Finally, I will remember that God is strong. That fact is a given which I need to always remember. He is not like me. He is more than capable. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). God is huge and powerful. God is able! I will also remember that God is loving. He loves me. He loves You. All of what He does day to day in maintaining and running the universe is in an effort to try and bring people back to Him. That is His ultimate goal and desire. He desires that all men are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Tim 2:3-4). Let us be faithful. It is worth it. I know. God will reward us if we are faithful. He will reward us for what we have done! Let us do something worthy of being rewarded today!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are coming to You. Our souls find rest in You alone. Thank You for providing us with the refuge that we so long for. We are lonely, weary travelers here. We are so different that sometimes it is tiresome. But You know. You are strong and You are loving. You will be here for us and provide for us. You are our fortress and refuge. We will trust in You. We will pour out our hearts to You. We will commit with our hearts and souls to serving You. We know You will reward us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I finding rest in God alone? What other things do I try to find rest in? How can I turn more to God for the rest and refreshing that I need?
2. Am I easily shaken? What does my stability say about my relationship with God? How can I become more stable?
3. Which of the names of God mentioned here do I most identify with? What does it mean to me to know that God has these qualities? How can this help me to trust in Him at all times?
4. Am I remembering that God is strong and loving? Which of these is harder for me to remember? Why?
5. Am I living as if I believed He was going to reward me according to what I have done? What would I change if I truly believed He was going to do this?
Day 5
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 62
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." ( vs. 1-2 )
I am so tired tonight. Going back to work from the summer break is hard as it brings long days and short nights. Hours in the car fighting traffic and endless commitments. I can hardly think, but I keep going. What is important gets done and we keep moving on. My time with God is my only time to myself, but most importantly, it is my lifeline. If I did not have God, I would surely be lost. First of all, I would not have my family, my husband, or my beautiful children. I would not be a teacher, and probably, I would not be alive. I have found rest despite being exhausted. I have a stronghold. I have something beyond this life. I always thought that if all we had to live for was the 9 to 5 and the grow old, get a job, raise a family, then die type of life than it was all so hopeless. I am so glad that God showed me something different.
"My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." ( vs. 7-8 )
Besides rest, my honor comes from God as well. If I had been left to myself, I wouldn't have had any honor. I was not a very nice person before I became a Christian. I used people and all I cared about was myself and my desires. I was full of anger and rage and had a seared conscience. I was so hardened by sin, that my spiritual transformation took a long time. I did not change overnight when I decided to follow God. Yes, I had grace, but the real work was just beginning. The consequences of only 17 years of godless living have now taken thirty plus years to overcome. It is hard for me to imagine, but I have been trying to do this since 1983; all of my adult life has been dedicated to becoming closer and closer to God. It has taken all that time to develop, through God, whatever honor I have now. What a thought! My integrity has come through walking through the furnaces and learning the hard way what it means to serve Him
One thing I am especially grateful for is that during all of this time, I have always had God to run to and to hide in. When the going got rough, as it often did, I poured out my heart to Him and then just slept an empty sleep, letting His spirit burn off the dross of my soul. In the morning when I would awake, I would be a little bit better; a little closer to the woman of integrity that I longed to be. The sun always seemed to shine brighter on those days and everything was a bit clearer. It was as if I could see God shining through.
"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving. Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done." (vs. 11-12 )
Finally, I will remember that God is strong. That fact is a given which I need to always remember. He is not like me. He is more than capable. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). God is huge and powerful. God is able! I will also remember that God is loving. He loves me. He loves You. All of what He does day to day in maintaining and running the universe is in an effort to try and bring people back to Him. That is His ultimate goal and desire. He desires that all men are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Tim 2:3-4). Let us be faithful. It is worth it. I know. God will reward us if we are faithful. He will reward us for what we have done! Let us do something worthy of being rewarded today!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are coming to You. Our souls find rest in You alone. Thank You for providing us with the refuge that we so long for. We are lonely, weary travelers here. We are so different that sometimes it is tiresome. But You know. You are strong and You are loving. You will be here for us and provide for us. You are our fortress and refuge. We will trust in You. We will pour out our hearts to You. We will commit with our hearts and souls to serving You. We know You will reward us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I finding rest in God alone? What other things do I try to find rest in? How can I turn more to God for the rest and refreshing that I need?
2. Am I easily shaken? What does my stability say about my relationship with God? How can I become more stable?
3. Which of the names of God mentioned here do I most identify with? What does it mean to me to know that God has these qualities? How can this help me to trust in Him at all times?
4. Am I remembering that God is strong and loving? Which of these is harder for me to remember? Why?
5. Am I living as if I believed He was going to reward me according to what I have done? What would I change if I truly believed He was going to do this?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/10/10 (10/10/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 3
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 40
"I waited patiently for the Lord: He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." (vs 1-5)
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. One online dictionary defines blessed as enjoying the bliss of heaven. I like that definition. If I can hang onto my trust in God and I do not give in to worry or running after other gods such as money or security, then I can enjoy the bliss of heaven down here. I can go about happy in the midst of chaos and trouble because I can see it as all in God's hands and all in His plans. I have started to try and look at life this way. Although I am far from perfecting my focus, it is getting better. Today, for example, whenever something unexpected or unfortunate happened, I asked God what I needed to see in this. I tried to see the bigger picture so that I could understand where God was going with everything that was happening in my life. It has been good for me to focus this way and it has been good for me to remember that God does have plans for me. In fact, God has so many plans for me and for each one of us that we wouldn't be able to even recount them. How amazing is that! Plus, He makes these plans for us because He loves us, not because He is trying to control us! He dreams of giving us the best life and the best eternity. Surely we can trust Him.
Yet, day to day life can hinder us in trusting Him. It is not as easy as it seems it should be. We can get to the point where we feel we are in a slimy pit and need rescuing as the psalmist states. My life schedule can make me feel that way. When I am working, I am going nonstop from 4 AM to 11 PM. It is exhausting to even think of all that I have to do and I can easily get overwhelmed. I have to keep my focus and keep telling myself that I am waiting patiently for God. I am putting one foot in front of the other. I am walking and waiting. When I do this, good things happen, when I don't disaster. For example, yesterday, I worked hard trying to take care of all my business so that I could get to the computer and write this devotional. I began to struggle with feeling overwhelmed at about 9:00 pm as I tried to get my children to bed. I knew that my night of cleaning, straightening, and other tasks was just beginning. When I began to think about everything else on my to do list, I began to get frustrated and upset. I began to sink like Peter did when he was walking on the water and stopped looking to Jesus ( Matt 14: 22-33 ). I had to stop and remind myself that I had I accomplished quite a bit during the day, however, and that had only happened because I had not worried about what else I needed to get done. I just kept going. I was finally able to sit down at the computer at 11:22 pm but I was so tired I couldn't even finish writing. I had to give up and go to bed.
I was sad about this at first but I had to remind myself that I will not be able to do everything that needs being done. And besides, it might not even be God's will for me at this time. With my schedule, it is impossible for me to do everything. At times I feel like sitting down and crying - but God knows what I need to get done. He has a plan for me and He has always had my back so to speak when I can't finish something up. He has heard my cry and He will hear my cry. He helps me to able to keep myself under control when I turn to Him and He helps me to not give in to my growing frustration. He lifts me out of what feels like an endless pit of work on a daily basis and puts me in a safe place. With His help, last night, I was able to get my children to bed. With His help, I was able to get Joelle's asthma under control. With His help, I got most of my housework done. With His help, I worked a bit on this writing, and then finally, with His help, I was able to accept that I needed to go to bed and let go of what "I" felt needed to be done. God does grant sleep to those He loves! (Psalm 127:1-2).
Tomorrow will start another overwhelming day, but God will be there as well. He will continue to place my feet on solid rock so that I may stand. He will keep me walking on water if I keep focused on Him. I can not look to the future or it will overwhelm me. I can only look to now and live it to the full as God intended. He is able and He will help me. I love the quote used in Messies Anonymous, a site I have found very beneficial in my fight against my messie nature. It states, "Never underestimate the inevitability of gradualness." I can do gradualness. I can do one step at a time. And God is there. He gives us a new song, a song of praise. I do have a new song and I will keep singing.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We have made it through another day. We cry out to You as we are waiting and struggling. It often feels like we are slip sliding away. But we are not. Keep our focus on You and keep us climbing up the hill, one step at a time. Help us to keep our eyes on You so that we can get out of the boat and walk on water. You told Peter to come. You did not think he was foolish to ask to walk on water. You just said come. We desire to walk on water. We need help keeping our eyes on You and not on the waves and the water. Keep us in your care and Help us to see that You are in control. Bless us as we put our trust in You. We want to experience the bliss of heaven down here. We need this to stay refreshed. We are grateful for all of the plans You have for us and we pray to walk in them. Be pleased to save us Lord because we need saving. We are poor and needy, and You are our help and deliverer. We wait in eager expectation. We wait patiently. Most of all, we just wait.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I waiting patiently for God? How do I know?
2. Am I trusting in God? How do I know? What fruit is this producing?
3. How can I keep my focus on God when there are storms raging around me?
4. What is my new song? Am I singing it? Am I really living and thinking differently than I used to? How do I see this?
5. Am I following God's plans for me or my own? Do I have any ideas what some of God's plans for my life might be? How could I find out?
Day 3
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 40
"I waited patiently for the Lord: He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." (vs 1-5)
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust. One online dictionary defines blessed as enjoying the bliss of heaven. I like that definition. If I can hang onto my trust in God and I do not give in to worry or running after other gods such as money or security, then I can enjoy the bliss of heaven down here. I can go about happy in the midst of chaos and trouble because I can see it as all in God's hands and all in His plans. I have started to try and look at life this way. Although I am far from perfecting my focus, it is getting better. Today, for example, whenever something unexpected or unfortunate happened, I asked God what I needed to see in this. I tried to see the bigger picture so that I could understand where God was going with everything that was happening in my life. It has been good for me to focus this way and it has been good for me to remember that God does have plans for me. In fact, God has so many plans for me and for each one of us that we wouldn't be able to even recount them. How amazing is that! Plus, He makes these plans for us because He loves us, not because He is trying to control us! He dreams of giving us the best life and the best eternity. Surely we can trust Him.
Yet, day to day life can hinder us in trusting Him. It is not as easy as it seems it should be. We can get to the point where we feel we are in a slimy pit and need rescuing as the psalmist states. My life schedule can make me feel that way. When I am working, I am going nonstop from 4 AM to 11 PM. It is exhausting to even think of all that I have to do and I can easily get overwhelmed. I have to keep my focus and keep telling myself that I am waiting patiently for God. I am putting one foot in front of the other. I am walking and waiting. When I do this, good things happen, when I don't disaster. For example, yesterday, I worked hard trying to take care of all my business so that I could get to the computer and write this devotional. I began to struggle with feeling overwhelmed at about 9:00 pm as I tried to get my children to bed. I knew that my night of cleaning, straightening, and other tasks was just beginning. When I began to think about everything else on my to do list, I began to get frustrated and upset. I began to sink like Peter did when he was walking on the water and stopped looking to Jesus ( Matt 14: 22-33 ). I had to stop and remind myself that I had I accomplished quite a bit during the day, however, and that had only happened because I had not worried about what else I needed to get done. I just kept going. I was finally able to sit down at the computer at 11:22 pm but I was so tired I couldn't even finish writing. I had to give up and go to bed.
I was sad about this at first but I had to remind myself that I will not be able to do everything that needs being done. And besides, it might not even be God's will for me at this time. With my schedule, it is impossible for me to do everything. At times I feel like sitting down and crying - but God knows what I need to get done. He has a plan for me and He has always had my back so to speak when I can't finish something up. He has heard my cry and He will hear my cry. He helps me to able to keep myself under control when I turn to Him and He helps me to not give in to my growing frustration. He lifts me out of what feels like an endless pit of work on a daily basis and puts me in a safe place. With His help, last night, I was able to get my children to bed. With His help, I was able to get Joelle's asthma under control. With His help, I got most of my housework done. With His help, I worked a bit on this writing, and then finally, with His help, I was able to accept that I needed to go to bed and let go of what "I" felt needed to be done. God does grant sleep to those He loves! (Psalm 127:1-2).
Tomorrow will start another overwhelming day, but God will be there as well. He will continue to place my feet on solid rock so that I may stand. He will keep me walking on water if I keep focused on Him. I can not look to the future or it will overwhelm me. I can only look to now and live it to the full as God intended. He is able and He will help me. I love the quote used in Messies Anonymous, a site I have found very beneficial in my fight against my messie nature. It states, "Never underestimate the inevitability of gradualness." I can do gradualness. I can do one step at a time. And God is there. He gives us a new song, a song of praise. I do have a new song and I will keep singing.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We have made it through another day. We cry out to You as we are waiting and struggling. It often feels like we are slip sliding away. But we are not. Keep our focus on You and keep us climbing up the hill, one step at a time. Help us to keep our eyes on You so that we can get out of the boat and walk on water. You told Peter to come. You did not think he was foolish to ask to walk on water. You just said come. We desire to walk on water. We need help keeping our eyes on You and not on the waves and the water. Keep us in your care and Help us to see that You are in control. Bless us as we put our trust in You. We want to experience the bliss of heaven down here. We need this to stay refreshed. We are grateful for all of the plans You have for us and we pray to walk in them. Be pleased to save us Lord because we need saving. We are poor and needy, and You are our help and deliverer. We wait in eager expectation. We wait patiently. Most of all, we just wait.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I waiting patiently for God? How do I know?
2. Am I trusting in God? How do I know? What fruit is this producing?
3. How can I keep my focus on God when there are storms raging around me?
4. What is my new song? Am I singing it? Am I really living and thinking differently than I used to? How do I see this?
5. Am I following God's plans for me or my own? Do I have any ideas what some of God's plans for my life might be? How could I find out?
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?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/23/10 (9/23/09)
Focus letter - W
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear Your voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 23
"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comforth me." (vs. 4)
This is the valley of the shadow of death. I always wondered where it was and then I realized it was right here, the earth. We live in the shadow of our death, in the fear of the death of all those we love, every single day of our lives. But I do not need to be afraid because I will remember that the Lord is my shepherd. He will take care of me now and when I die. I shall not be in want if I don't want to because God is in control.
He will take care of me, all of me. God wants to take care of the physical, the spiritual, the emotional, and the mental aspects of my being. These make up the totality of who we are and the Lord is equally concerned about each one. If we look at this psalm and also at the greatest commandment we see each one represented.
"Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)
The first aspect of our lives He is concerned about is our physical being. "He makes me lie down in green pastures (vs. 2a)." He provides for us physically and takes care of us. He gives us rest when we need it. "God grants sleep to those He loves (Psalms 127:1-2)." He wakes us up in the morning and keeps us going throughout our days. He knows what we need to physically stay alive. He does this so that in the end, we can love Him with all of our strength. This is the building block for the rest of the aspects of our lives because if we are not having our physical needs met, it is very difficult to focus on more spiritual issues.
Secondly, He is concerned with our emotions. "He leads me beside quiet waters (vs. 2b)." When all our emotions are on edge, we need to go to the quiet places and be still. It is very difficult to be spiritual and pleasing to God when we are overly emotional or having a temper tantrum. We need our emotions calmed down and God can provide that. How often does He offer peace to us in His word. We need to be emotionally restored and calmed so that we in turn can love God with all of our emotions. Once our physical needs are met and our emotions are calm, we can deal with the next level in our beings.
The third aspect God is concerned with is our souls or our spiritual development. "He restores my soul (vs. 3a)." He revives us and renews our spirits. When we are downcast, He lifts us up. We have all had those bad days and then something will happen and it all changes. We have been restored and it feels so good. Our souls are the deepest levels of our beings and God desires that they be completely His as well; that we love Him with all our souls. That is when we will be truly content.
Finally, God is concerned with our minds. "He guides me in the paths of righteousness (vs. 3b)." He knows we need guidance and instructions. Our minds are so easily filled with all the wrong things and society is continually bombarding us with messages, most of which are contrary to God's laws. Our minds need to be filled with His ways and renewed with His truth. Then and only then, can we love Him with all of our minds and we can use them to help others.
It is evident that God is concerned with all of us; all aspects of our lives and beings. One portion is not enough and we will continue to live in the valley of the shadow of death, fearing evil, until we can surrender it all over to our Good Shepherd.
Why does He do this? Why does He even care? He does it for "His name's sake (vs. 3b)." It is not about me. It is all about God. He takes care of me and loves me so that others will know how great He is and perhaps come to find Him. He restores my soul and guides me so that others might see the wonder of His ways and come to know Him. He gives me strength so that I might serve Him and others. It all comes back to Him. But that is okay with me because I, like a sheep, do not know how to do this thing called life. I would run off a cliff if the rest did, just like sheep without a shepherd might. I am not ashamed to admit I need a shepherd. I am tired of doing it on my own. I have seen where it has gotten me.
And so, even though I am here in this scary place, full of sadness, this "valley of the shadow of death", I will fear no evil. I will fear no evil for God is with me. The ways He leads me in are a comfort to me. God takes care of me in the midst of bad. God can do that. My cup overflows and everything is going to be alright.
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (vs. 6)
Things will be okay, now, and also into eternity. God will take care of His own.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for being our Shepherd. We are like sheep and we so easily go astray. We are so grateful that You are concerned with every area of our lives. You are not uninvolved. You know and care for us intimately. Help us to be humble and follow Your leading. Help us to accept Your care and nurturing. You are good and we are grateful.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I loving God with all of my heart (my emotions)? Am I letting Him calm them? How can I change?
2. Am I loving God with all of my soul? Am I letting Him restore me? What ways does He restore me?
3. Am I loving God with all of my mind? Am I letting Him guide me in the ways of righteousness? How can I start doing this?
4. Am I loving God with all of my strength? Am I letting Him care for my body and physical needs? Am I following His directions in caring for my temple (body)? How can I take better care of my physical body?
5. Am I following God's leading or am I trying to do it all on my own? What am I rebelling against? What am I accepting? What do I need to change?
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear Your voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 23
"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comforth me." (vs. 4)
This is the valley of the shadow of death. I always wondered where it was and then I realized it was right here, the earth. We live in the shadow of our death, in the fear of the death of all those we love, every single day of our lives. But I do not need to be afraid because I will remember that the Lord is my shepherd. He will take care of me now and when I die. I shall not be in want if I don't want to because God is in control.
He will take care of me, all of me. God wants to take care of the physical, the spiritual, the emotional, and the mental aspects of my being. These make up the totality of who we are and the Lord is equally concerned about each one. If we look at this psalm and also at the greatest commandment we see each one represented.
"Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)
The first aspect of our lives He is concerned about is our physical being. "He makes me lie down in green pastures (vs. 2a)." He provides for us physically and takes care of us. He gives us rest when we need it. "God grants sleep to those He loves (Psalms 127:1-2)." He wakes us up in the morning and keeps us going throughout our days. He knows what we need to physically stay alive. He does this so that in the end, we can love Him with all of our strength. This is the building block for the rest of the aspects of our lives because if we are not having our physical needs met, it is very difficult to focus on more spiritual issues.
Secondly, He is concerned with our emotions. "He leads me beside quiet waters (vs. 2b)." When all our emotions are on edge, we need to go to the quiet places and be still. It is very difficult to be spiritual and pleasing to God when we are overly emotional or having a temper tantrum. We need our emotions calmed down and God can provide that. How often does He offer peace to us in His word. We need to be emotionally restored and calmed so that we in turn can love God with all of our emotions. Once our physical needs are met and our emotions are calm, we can deal with the next level in our beings.
The third aspect God is concerned with is our souls or our spiritual development. "He restores my soul (vs. 3a)." He revives us and renews our spirits. When we are downcast, He lifts us up. We have all had those bad days and then something will happen and it all changes. We have been restored and it feels so good. Our souls are the deepest levels of our beings and God desires that they be completely His as well; that we love Him with all our souls. That is when we will be truly content.
Finally, God is concerned with our minds. "He guides me in the paths of righteousness (vs. 3b)." He knows we need guidance and instructions. Our minds are so easily filled with all the wrong things and society is continually bombarding us with messages, most of which are contrary to God's laws. Our minds need to be filled with His ways and renewed with His truth. Then and only then, can we love Him with all of our minds and we can use them to help others.
It is evident that God is concerned with all of us; all aspects of our lives and beings. One portion is not enough and we will continue to live in the valley of the shadow of death, fearing evil, until we can surrender it all over to our Good Shepherd.
Why does He do this? Why does He even care? He does it for "His name's sake (vs. 3b)." It is not about me. It is all about God. He takes care of me and loves me so that others will know how great He is and perhaps come to find Him. He restores my soul and guides me so that others might see the wonder of His ways and come to know Him. He gives me strength so that I might serve Him and others. It all comes back to Him. But that is okay with me because I, like a sheep, do not know how to do this thing called life. I would run off a cliff if the rest did, just like sheep without a shepherd might. I am not ashamed to admit I need a shepherd. I am tired of doing it on my own. I have seen where it has gotten me.
And so, even though I am here in this scary place, full of sadness, this "valley of the shadow of death", I will fear no evil. I will fear no evil for God is with me. The ways He leads me in are a comfort to me. God takes care of me in the midst of bad. God can do that. My cup overflows and everything is going to be alright.
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (vs. 6)
Things will be okay, now, and also into eternity. God will take care of His own.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for being our Shepherd. We are like sheep and we so easily go astray. We are so grateful that You are concerned with every area of our lives. You are not uninvolved. You know and care for us intimately. Help us to be humble and follow Your leading. Help us to accept Your care and nurturing. You are good and we are grateful.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I loving God with all of my heart (my emotions)? Am I letting Him calm them? How can I change?
2. Am I loving God with all of my soul? Am I letting Him restore me? What ways does He restore me?
3. Am I loving God with all of my mind? Am I letting Him guide me in the ways of righteousness? How can I start doing this?
4. Am I loving God with all of my strength? Am I letting Him care for my body and physical needs? Am I following His directions in caring for my temple (body)? How can I take better care of my physical body?
5. Am I following God's leading or am I trying to do it all on my own? What am I rebelling against? What am I accepting? What do I need to change?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Daily Devotional - 1/24
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 would be 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)
But we can have some peace here. 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, 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 and will continue up to heaven where all the saints will rejoice someday. We are praising God if 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. 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 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 valleys of suffering into valleys of joy? 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?
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 would be 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)
But we can have some peace here. 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, 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 and will continue up to heaven where all the saints will rejoice someday. We are praising God if 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. 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 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 valleys of suffering into valleys of joy? 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?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Daily Devotional - 1/21
Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 81
"Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!... He says, " I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you,.." ( vs. 1, 6 & 7a)
Sing for joy. Be happy and excited about God and His strength. No matter what is going on in our lives, we are to rejoice in the Lord. Circumstances will always let us down but God will not. We can always rejoice in Him for He removes our burdens. He frees up our hands from the slave labor of the world. He gives us a new perspective. He rescues us from all that would harm us including ourselves. God answers. God is worthy of our praise, always.
"Hear, O my people, and I will warn you - if you would but listen to me, O Israel! You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." (vs. 8-10)
Beyond rejoicing, we must listen and obey. There should be nothing that rivals God in our lives and in our hearts; nothing should get in the way to our obedience and worship. Work, schedules, exhaustion, ourselves - these things are not worth serving. Life will go on without us, but will we go on without God? Don't bow down to them. Remember it is God that has brought us here to this point in our lives and will continue to take care of us if we let Him. He brought us up out of our Egypts; our captivity. He is wanting to fill us up. We need to open wide our mouths. Give God the opportunity to work. There is no limit to God and how He works.
"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices." (vs. 11-12)
The problem though, is that we struggle to listen. We forget God is speaking to us all the time and the world is so noisy that it is hard to hear His voice unless we are focusing intently on it. We need to make a concerted effort to hear and when we ask for something, we need to pay attention for the answer. I think we are often like children who ask questions of their parents and then get so sidetracked that they never hear the answers. We need to be still and listen and we will hear God. Then we need to obey. We have to submit our will to His because He does know best. If we ignore what He is saying, eventually He will let us go our own way. Then we will wander like the Israelites in the desert.
Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 81
"Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!... He says, " I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you called and I rescued you,.." ( vs. 1, 6 & 7a)
Sing for joy. Be happy and excited about God and His strength. No matter what is going on in our lives, we are to rejoice in the Lord. Circumstances will always let us down but God will not. We can always rejoice in Him for He removes our burdens. He frees up our hands from the slave labor of the world. He gives us a new perspective. He rescues us from all that would harm us including ourselves. God answers. God is worthy of our praise, always.
"Hear, O my people, and I will warn you - if you would but listen to me, O Israel! You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." (vs. 8-10)
Beyond rejoicing, we must listen and obey. There should be nothing that rivals God in our lives and in our hearts; nothing should get in the way to our obedience and worship. Work, schedules, exhaustion, ourselves - these things are not worth serving. Life will go on without us, but will we go on without God? Don't bow down to them. Remember it is God that has brought us here to this point in our lives and will continue to take care of us if we let Him. He brought us up out of our Egypts; our captivity. He is wanting to fill us up. We need to open wide our mouths. Give God the opportunity to work. There is no limit to God and how He works.
"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices." (vs. 11-12)
The problem though, is that we struggle to listen. We forget God is speaking to us all the time and the world is so noisy that it is hard to hear His voice unless we are focusing intently on it. We need to make a concerted effort to hear and when we ask for something, we need to pay attention for the answer. I think we are often like children who ask questions of their parents and then get so sidetracked that they never hear the answers. We need to be still and listen and we will hear God. Then we need to obey. We have to submit our will to His because He does know best. If we ignore what He is saying, eventually He will let us go our own way. Then we will wander like the Israelites in the desert.
"If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before Him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." (vs. 13-16)
He will allow us to go but I think it breaks His heart, just as it would break our hearts to have our own children walk away from us. His love for us is so clear here as He speaks of how quickly He would subdue our enemies if we took His messages to heart. He is speaking to us relentlessly and waiting to bless us and take care of us. If we listened and obeyed, God could and would turn anything around in our lives - illness, debt, clutter, lack of organization, ineffectiveness, bad schedules, bad parenting, bad marriages. God could transform any of these things in a minute. God is waiting. It's up to us now.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We long to be filled by You. Help us to rid ourselves of the idols in our lives and the things that we strive after instead of you. Help us to be still and hear Your voice. Help us to be still and know that you are God and we are not. Life will go on without us. We are not indispensable. Our relationship with You is all that really matter and You will take care of the rest. We want to obey. We want to rejoice. Help us. We are opening wide our mouths. We are waiting on You. We will let You lead us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I praising God and focusing on all He has done for me? What did He set me free from? What was I in slave labor to and what burdens has He lifted from me?
2. Do I have idols in my life? What do I devote most of my time to? Is it worth it? How can I change my priorities to make sure God is in first place?
3. Am I listening to God's voice? What distracts me from hearing Him? Am I allowing myself quiet time in which I can meditate on His word? How can I incorporate more time for reflection into my life?
4. Am I obeying the voice of God in my life? Am I allowing Him to subdue my enemies? What enemies do I have that need subduing? Am I remembering God's love for me in all of this?
Dear Lord,
We long to be filled by You. Help us to rid ourselves of the idols in our lives and the things that we strive after instead of you. Help us to be still and hear Your voice. Help us to be still and know that you are God and we are not. Life will go on without us. We are not indispensable. Our relationship with You is all that really matter and You will take care of the rest. We want to obey. We want to rejoice. Help us. We are opening wide our mouths. We are waiting on You. We will let You lead us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I praising God and focusing on all He has done for me? What did He set me free from? What was I in slave labor to and what burdens has He lifted from me?
2. Do I have idols in my life? What do I devote most of my time to? Is it worth it? How can I change my priorities to make sure God is in first place?
3. Am I listening to God's voice? What distracts me from hearing Him? Am I allowing myself quiet time in which I can meditate on His word? How can I incorporate more time for reflection into my life?
4. Am I obeying the voice of God in my life? Am I allowing Him to subdue my enemies? What enemies do I have that need subduing? Am I remembering God's love for me in all of this?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Daily Devotional - 1/19
Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing that you would like to see improved in your relationship with God
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 79
"O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble...How long, O Lord, will You be angry forever? How long will Your jealousy burn like fire?..Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may Your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need...Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will recount Your praise." ( vs. 1, 5, 8, & 13)
God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed and His people taken into captivity. He allowed them to get into such a difficult situation that they were in desperate need. The Israelites were in captivity many times, often for such a long period that the original people that had sinned were long gone. This did not stop the latter generations from still reaping the consequences. This can be troubling to think about. In the Old Testament, there are long periods of silence from God when His people wondered where He was. In our lives, at times, we can feel the same. We face various trials from without and within. There can be issues with our health, our finances, our parenting, our marriage, our job or lack there of. Internal struggles can include grief, anger, bitterness, depression, guilt, obsessions, and worry. The list goes on and on. Struggles can endure for days, months, years. And we wonder, "God where are You? God do You even exist at all?"
Why? Why does God allow this? What can we learn from these times? There are many lessons in this, but they often run contrary to our modern culture, which sometimes makes them hard for us understand. We are people of sight. We are people of immediate gratification. We are people that deny there are consequences to our actions. Remember the slogan, "If it feels good, do it?" But life doesn't follow our culture. There are eternal truths we need to internalize if we are going to walk successfully through this life. The following are a few of them.
Day 1
Pray for:
One thing that you would like to see improved in your relationship with God
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 79
"O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble...How long, O Lord, will You be angry forever? How long will Your jealousy burn like fire?..Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may Your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need...Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will praise You forever; from generation to generation we will recount Your praise." ( vs. 1, 5, 8, & 13)
God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed and His people taken into captivity. He allowed them to get into such a difficult situation that they were in desperate need. The Israelites were in captivity many times, often for such a long period that the original people that had sinned were long gone. This did not stop the latter generations from still reaping the consequences. This can be troubling to think about. In the Old Testament, there are long periods of silence from God when His people wondered where He was. In our lives, at times, we can feel the same. We face various trials from without and within. There can be issues with our health, our finances, our parenting, our marriage, our job or lack there of. Internal struggles can include grief, anger, bitterness, depression, guilt, obsessions, and worry. The list goes on and on. Struggles can endure for days, months, years. And we wonder, "God where are You? God do You even exist at all?"
Why? Why does God allow this? What can we learn from these times? There are many lessons in this, but they often run contrary to our modern culture, which sometimes makes them hard for us understand. We are people of sight. We are people of immediate gratification. We are people that deny there are consequences to our actions. Remember the slogan, "If it feels good, do it?" But life doesn't follow our culture. There are eternal truths we need to internalize if we are going to walk successfully through this life. The following are a few of them.
First, there are consequences to every action. We don't want to believe this. We are so used to being rescued. I know when I was growing up, I was rescued many times in big and small ways by my parents. Although I know it was done in love, I think it might have been better off facing some consequences in my youth. As a result, I had to learn the hard way that no one comes to rescue you anymore when you are an adult. If you don't pay your bills, bad things happen, such as the lights get shut off. If you overspend, you have to pay it off. Also, there are laws that have to be obeyed and there are deadlines that can not be denied. We can't always talk our way out of something. How many of us were shocked when we began to realize this? And many times we are still fighting this very issue; arguing the consequences of our actions with a policeman that stopped us even though we know we were speeding. Bailing our children out when they procrastinate or get in trouble. Putting the blame on someone else rather than letting them or ourselves face what we really deserve. Thankfully, God is not like us. He sees the big picture. He knows the ultimate consequences of life and He is not afraid to let us face what we deserve or need to. He is the ultimate loving parent who is willing to let us face the hard lessons so that in the end we might live.
Secondly, we can learn that sin has far reaching consequences, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us as well. Many times the Bible talks about the sins of the fathers (Ezekiel 18). We are not held responsible in the sense that we will die spiritually for what someone else does, such as our parents, but their sins will still impact us. Children and spouses' of alcoholics know the truth in this. Sin leaves scars that are often difficult to heal. Even sins we might consider less dramatic such as impatience and selfishness damage others. When we say careless and mean things in our anger, those around us will have to deal with the depth of that wound. Even if they forgive us, the words have gone out and can never be taken back. We often hear the echoes of cruel things that were said to us years later, try as we might to forget. The Bible states that we will be called to account for every careless word we speak (Matt 12:36-37). This verse is sobering to me as I know I have said many careless things in my life. It reminds me that we have to take our lives seriously because we do impact others for eternity, whether we want to or not.
Finally, the last lesson I will mention here is that God is still there in the silence, working away at the plan He has for our lives. In the silence of the Old Testament, God was working out His plan of salvation for not only Israel but for the whole world. We do not know why it took so long but it was worth the wait. The behind the scenes work of the universe is a bit beyond us, but it is good enough for me to know that someone who is able is back there working it out. As a child, most of us did not have to worry about the bills or the more complicated issues about what had to be done to provide for us. We trusted our parents and lived life. Think about all that went on behind the scenes to get us to adulthood. Even if our childhoods were not that good, there was work done on our behalf by many people. We will never know the full extent, but as we become parents, we get a glimpse of what it takes to raise a child and hopefully we have more mercy on our parents for all of their failings. It is so hard and although we try our best we fail so often. But God is the perfect parent and we can rest easy knowing that He is working behind the scenes to take care of what needs to be done to get us to our final destination. We need to be like that weaned child resting with its mother, confident in the safety she provides (Psalms 131). God is there. God does exist. All hard times eventually come to and end and that in itself is good.
Secondly, we can learn that sin has far reaching consequences, not just in our own lives, but in the lives of those around us as well. Many times the Bible talks about the sins of the fathers (Ezekiel 18). We are not held responsible in the sense that we will die spiritually for what someone else does, such as our parents, but their sins will still impact us. Children and spouses' of alcoholics know the truth in this. Sin leaves scars that are often difficult to heal. Even sins we might consider less dramatic such as impatience and selfishness damage others. When we say careless and mean things in our anger, those around us will have to deal with the depth of that wound. Even if they forgive us, the words have gone out and can never be taken back. We often hear the echoes of cruel things that were said to us years later, try as we might to forget. The Bible states that we will be called to account for every careless word we speak (Matt 12:36-37). This verse is sobering to me as I know I have said many careless things in my life. It reminds me that we have to take our lives seriously because we do impact others for eternity, whether we want to or not.
Finally, the last lesson I will mention here is that God is still there in the silence, working away at the plan He has for our lives. In the silence of the Old Testament, God was working out His plan of salvation for not only Israel but for the whole world. We do not know why it took so long but it was worth the wait. The behind the scenes work of the universe is a bit beyond us, but it is good enough for me to know that someone who is able is back there working it out. As a child, most of us did not have to worry about the bills or the more complicated issues about what had to be done to provide for us. We trusted our parents and lived life. Think about all that went on behind the scenes to get us to adulthood. Even if our childhoods were not that good, there was work done on our behalf by many people. We will never know the full extent, but as we become parents, we get a glimpse of what it takes to raise a child and hopefully we have more mercy on our parents for all of their failings. It is so hard and although we try our best we fail so often. But God is the perfect parent and we can rest easy knowing that He is working behind the scenes to take care of what needs to be done to get us to our final destination. We need to be like that weaned child resting with its mother, confident in the safety she provides (Psalms 131). God is there. God does exist. All hard times eventually come to and end and that in itself is good.
"My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore." Psalm 131
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
It is so hard to be like the weaned child. We have so many fears and it is so hard for us to just rest in You. Yet You are majestic and able. Forgive us for insulting Your power and goodness. We, as sinful humans, know how to give good gifts to our children. You are so much more. Thank You for thinking in the long term and for not always giving us what we want. Thank You for letting us go through the hard times so that we might in the long term make it to be with You in eternity. Help us to keep our eyes on the eternal and in the times of silence know that You are there. Just as the sun shines behind the clouds though we see it not, You shine through out the universe. We praise Your name.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I willing to face the consequences of my actions? Am I helping my children to face the consequences of their actions? How can I teach them this concept? How can I stop blaming others for my problems and start dealing more with my actions?
2. Am I dealing with any scars from the sins of those around me? How can I work on being healed?
3. Am I creating any scars? Are my sins affecting my children. spouse, significant other, roomate, etc.? How? What do I need to change and how can I?
4. Am I trying to control everything in my life? Am I filled with worry about all of the issues I face? Am I like the weaned child or like a unhappy child? How can I change? What will I do today to start trusting God more?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Daily Devotional - 11/8
Prayer Focus - Gratitude
Day 4
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
Thank God for how what you are grateful for affects:
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 68
"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful." ( vs. 3)
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads froth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land." ( vs. 5-6)
"You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance. Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, O God, You provided for the poor." (vs. 9-10)
"The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into His sanctuary" (vs. 7)
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death." (vs. 19-20)
"You are awesome, O God, in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!" (vs. 35)
God is awesome. We can be glad and rejoice because God has thousands of thousands of chariots and warriors and God is looking out for us in all of our situations. If we are lonely. If we are fatherless. If we are widows. God knows our needs and is more than able to meet them. We do not need to worry. That will only bring sin into our lives. God will refresh and provide for us. He will even daily bear our burdens for us. We only need to be obedient. If we are rebellious, we will reap the consequences of that. We will live in a scorched land in the midst of what could be plenty. I have known people who have everything and yet are miserable. I am led to believe that they must have been rebellious in some way. Perhaps it was rebellion in the heart that was only visible to God but that is all that matters. He has asked us to be in submission to Him in order to receive the blessing and that is what we need to be. God will save. God will give us strength. Praise be to God!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for setting us in families and for caring for us in every stage of our lives. You will not abandon us when we are old and grey. O Lord help us to not abandon You. Keep us as enamoured with You as we were when we first began to follow. You have not changed. We are the ones who change so often. Keep us in the shelter of Your circle for there is danger outside the circle. Please bear our burdens for they are too much for us. Help us to not be rebellious in any way. We do not want to live in the sun scorched land but rather in the beautiful pastures of the Lord. Bring Your chariots to surround and protect us. Grant us strength to continue. We are weary and weak but You are strong.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Which of the four categories mentioned best fits me - the fatherless, the widow, the lonely, the prisoner? How can or has God helped me in these situations?
2. Am I a rebellious person? How do I feel about authority in general? How do I feel about authority in my life? Are my views in line with God's? How become more submissive to God?
3. Am I living a refreshed life or am I wandering in a sun-scorched desert? Am I weary? How can I change so that God can take care of me? Why do I struggle with letting God take charge in my life?
4. Am I letting God carry my daily burdens? What are these daily burdens? How can I let go of them?
Day 4
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
Thank God for how what you are grateful for affects:
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 68
"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful." ( vs. 3)
"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads froth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land." ( vs. 5-6)
"You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance. Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, O God, You provided for the poor." (vs. 9-10)
"The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into His sanctuary" (vs. 7)
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death." (vs. 19-20)
"You are awesome, O God, in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!" (vs. 35)
God is awesome. We can be glad and rejoice because God has thousands of thousands of chariots and warriors and God is looking out for us in all of our situations. If we are lonely. If we are fatherless. If we are widows. God knows our needs and is more than able to meet them. We do not need to worry. That will only bring sin into our lives. God will refresh and provide for us. He will even daily bear our burdens for us. We only need to be obedient. If we are rebellious, we will reap the consequences of that. We will live in a scorched land in the midst of what could be plenty. I have known people who have everything and yet are miserable. I am led to believe that they must have been rebellious in some way. Perhaps it was rebellion in the heart that was only visible to God but that is all that matters. He has asked us to be in submission to Him in order to receive the blessing and that is what we need to be. God will save. God will give us strength. Praise be to God!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for setting us in families and for caring for us in every stage of our lives. You will not abandon us when we are old and grey. O Lord help us to not abandon You. Keep us as enamoured with You as we were when we first began to follow. You have not changed. We are the ones who change so often. Keep us in the shelter of Your circle for there is danger outside the circle. Please bear our burdens for they are too much for us. Help us to not be rebellious in any way. We do not want to live in the sun scorched land but rather in the beautiful pastures of the Lord. Bring Your chariots to surround and protect us. Grant us strength to continue. We are weary and weak but You are strong.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Which of the four categories mentioned best fits me - the fatherless, the widow, the lonely, the prisoner? How can or has God helped me in these situations?
2. Am I a rebellious person? How do I feel about authority in general? How do I feel about authority in my life? Are my views in line with God's? How become more submissive to God?
3. Am I living a refreshed life or am I wandering in a sun-scorched desert? Am I weary? How can I change so that God can take care of me? Why do I struggle with letting God take charge in my life?
4. Am I letting God carry my daily burdens? What are these daily burdens? How can I let go of them?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Daily Devotional - 11/3
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
"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." ( vs. 2-5)
I have seen the power of God. I have seen Him change me. I have seen great victories. I would be nothing without Him and He is all that I have that is good. I have seen His power and glory. I must always remember that. His love is better than life. Life is a struggle, God's love is not. I will be satisfied. It is a choice.
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 else that we have, as all that we have came 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 damaged people to be healed. Help us to learn to sing again and to be mentally, emotionally, physically, and especially spiritually healed so that we might be able to serve and worship You completely and acceptably. We humbly come before You. Please accept us today and always.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How has God's power been expressed in my life? Do I recognize God's glory? Am I praising Him daily?
2. Do I truly believe that God's love is better than life? How do I know this? How do I show it?
3. 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?
4. 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
"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." ( vs. 2-5)
I have seen the power of God. I have seen Him change me. I have seen great victories. I would be nothing without Him and He is all that I have that is good. I have seen His power and glory. I must always remember that. His love is better than life. Life is a struggle, God's love is not. I will be satisfied. It is a choice.
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 else that we have, as all that we have came 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 damaged people to be healed. Help us to learn to sing again and to be mentally, emotionally, physically, and especially spiritually healed so that we might be able to serve and worship You completely and acceptably. We humbly come before You. Please accept us today and always.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How has God's power been expressed in my life? Do I recognize God's glory? Am I praising Him daily?
2. Do I truly believe that God's love is better than life? How do I know this? How do I show it?
3. 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?
4. 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?
Monday, November 2, 2009
Daily Devotional - 11/2
Prayer Focus - Strangers
Day 5
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 62
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." ( vs. 1-2)
"My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in Hm at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." (vs. 7-8)
"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving. Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done." (vs. 11-12)
Nothing else can provide relief and rest for me except God. I can try many other avenues to peace and comfort but they will always be lacking. God is the only one that can save me. He is my strength. How incredible that I can cling to the promise that I will never be shaken. No matter what happens, I will not be shaken if I turn to God for my strength. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)" I will trust in Him at all times, because He is good and He is able. Why would I trust in myself when I am so lacking? Why would I trust in others as well to do what only God can do? I need to get help from others when that is warranted and I need to depend on them emotionally as well. All the one another scriptures in the new testament point this out, but in the end, my ultimate trust has to be in God. Only God can master our bodies and our souls. Only God has the whole of eternity within his eyesight and grasp.
I will trust in Him and I will pour out my heart to Him as well. Although God knows all my thoughts before I think them, He still wants to hear them. That is such a strange thought to me, but it is what God has asked from us. There is something in speaking. It is a commitment. Until a thought is spoken, it can still be taken back and changed. Once it leaves our mouths, it is out there for all of eternity. There is no way to take it back. Perhaps this is why God wants us to pour out our hearts to Him. He wants us to commit to something; to commit to getting help from Him and commit to dealing with everything that is in our hearts. We cannot hide it anymore. We cannot run from it either. We can be healed now. God is our refuge.
Finally, I will remember that God is strong. That is a given which I need to remember. He is not like me. He is more than capable. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). God is huge. "My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do." Although these are the words of a children's song, they are apropos. I will also remember that God is loving. He loves me. He loves You. All of what He does day to day in maintaining and running the universe is in an effort to try and bring people back to Him. That is His ultimate goal and desire. He desires that all men are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Tim 2:3-4). God will reward us if we are faithful. He will reward us for what we have done!
"Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done."
Let us do something worthy of being rewarded. Let us get going today.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are coming to You. Our souls find rest in You alone. Thank You for providing us with the refuge that we so long for. We are lonely, weary travelers here. We are so different that sometimes it is tiresome. But You know. You are strong and You are loving. You will be here for us and provide for us. You are our fortress and refuge. We will trust in You. We will pour out our hearts to You. We will commit with our hearts and souls to serving You. We know You will reward us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I finding rest in God alone? What other things do I try to find rest in? How can I turn more to God for the rest and refreshing that I need?
2. Am I easily shaken? What does my stability say about my relationship with God? How can I become more stable?
3. Which of the names for God mentioned here do I most identify with? What does it mean to me to know that God has these qualities? How can this help me to trust in Him at all times?
4. Am I remembering that God is strong and loving? Which of these is harder for me to remember? Why? Am I living as if I believed He was going to reward me according to what I have done? What would I change if I truly believed He was going to do this?
Day 5
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 62
"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." ( vs. 1-2)
"My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in Hm at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge." (vs. 7-8)
"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving. Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done." (vs. 11-12)
Nothing else can provide relief and rest for me except God. I can try many other avenues to peace and comfort but they will always be lacking. God is the only one that can save me. He is my strength. How incredible that I can cling to the promise that I will never be shaken. No matter what happens, I will not be shaken if I turn to God for my strength. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)" I will trust in Him at all times, because He is good and He is able. Why would I trust in myself when I am so lacking? Why would I trust in others as well to do what only God can do? I need to get help from others when that is warranted and I need to depend on them emotionally as well. All the one another scriptures in the new testament point this out, but in the end, my ultimate trust has to be in God. Only God can master our bodies and our souls. Only God has the whole of eternity within his eyesight and grasp.
I will trust in Him and I will pour out my heart to Him as well. Although God knows all my thoughts before I think them, He still wants to hear them. That is such a strange thought to me, but it is what God has asked from us. There is something in speaking. It is a commitment. Until a thought is spoken, it can still be taken back and changed. Once it leaves our mouths, it is out there for all of eternity. There is no way to take it back. Perhaps this is why God wants us to pour out our hearts to Him. He wants us to commit to something; to commit to getting help from Him and commit to dealing with everything that is in our hearts. We cannot hide it anymore. We cannot run from it either. We can be healed now. God is our refuge.
Finally, I will remember that God is strong. That is a given which I need to remember. He is not like me. He is more than capable. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). God is huge. "My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do." Although these are the words of a children's song, they are apropos. I will also remember that God is loving. He loves me. He loves You. All of what He does day to day in maintaining and running the universe is in an effort to try and bring people back to Him. That is His ultimate goal and desire. He desires that all men are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Tim 2:3-4). God will reward us if we are faithful. He will reward us for what we have done!
"Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done."
Let us do something worthy of being rewarded. Let us get going today.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We are coming to You. Our souls find rest in You alone. Thank You for providing us with the refuge that we so long for. We are lonely, weary travelers here. We are so different that sometimes it is tiresome. But You know. You are strong and You are loving. You will be here for us and provide for us. You are our fortress and refuge. We will trust in You. We will pour out our hearts to You. We will commit with our hearts and souls to serving You. We know You will reward us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I finding rest in God alone? What other things do I try to find rest in? How can I turn more to God for the rest and refreshing that I need?
2. Am I easily shaken? What does my stability say about my relationship with God? How can I become more stable?
3. Which of the names for God mentioned here do I most identify with? What does it mean to me to know that God has these qualities? How can this help me to trust in Him at all times?
4. Am I remembering that God is strong and loving? Which of these is harder for me to remember? Why? Am I living as if I believed He was going to reward me according to what I have done? What would I change if I truly believed He was going to do this?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)