Daily Devotional - 10/11/15

Prayer Focus - Dreams



Day 2
Pray for:
One dream you have for yourself
One dream you have for your family



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



Psalms 101


"I will be careful to lead a blameless life - when will You come to me? 

I will walk in my house with blameless heart.  I will set before my eyes no vile thing.

The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.  Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil.

Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure.

My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me, he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence."   ( vs. 2 - 7 )


What a challenging call this is for us to live differently.  It calls us to be careful how we live our lives and to be different from the people around us.  Not many people in our society value living carefully anymore.  It is almost looked down upon to try to watch what we do.  Our society prides itself on being open and free.  We want to be free to do and say whatever we want even if it hurts others in some way.  Yet God has called us to check ourselves; to deny ourselves and to follow certain guidelines so that we will have something better in the long run.  Sin often feels good in the here and now, but it is later that we regret and reap consequences that are not always pleasant.  Self-control on the other hand is almost always difficult and uncomfortable in the immediate and yet it produces wonderful results that we look back on with gratitude. 

Let's look at a few of the things set out for us to watch out for in the verses of this psalm.  First, it mentions walking in our homes with blameless hearts.  I think this is especially interesting, because it is in our homes that we most often let our true selves come out.  It is here that we are not so guarded and we indulge in behavior  that we would never do in public.  It is important to think about this and evaluate if we have a double standard in our lives.  We should be the same in our homes as we are everywhere else. 

Then we are called to not set any vile thing before our eyes.  When I read this, it makes me think about the movies and shows we watch and the books and magazines we look at.  Are we being righteous in this area or are we trying to be "relevant" by watching what is popular even if it has questionable content?  Do we really need to fill our minds with some of the stuff that we do?  Once something has entered our mind, it is almost impossible to get those thoughts and pictures out.  A good question I ask myself is  - "Could I imagine Jesus watching and enjoying this?"  Even news can fill us with negative and vile images.  I like to look at all the current news stories on the Internet and do so nightly, but even this is not always a productive activity for me.  It tends to make me very down and upset.  I also waste a lot of time reading these negative articles when I could be doing something more productive like spending time with my girls or getting some sleep.

The next stanza of the psalm talks of staying away from men of perverse heart and from evil in general.  It speaks to us of watching the company we keep.  This is also not a popular concept in our world today.  We tend to want to hang out with whoever we want to.  We want to do what we want and become who we want to become.  There is often little thought to plans beyond our desires.  We are often draw to people with wild lives.  Look at the celebrities that we hold up and esteem by buying their albums, watching their movies, or reading about.  Our heroes today are more often than not, not people of strong character.  They are not people that most of us would want our children to become like. 

The issues of slander and pride are also addressed here.  God says He will silence those who slander their neighbors, even if it is in secret, and He also states that He will not endure proud hearts and haughty eyes.  In another part of the scriptures, it states that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble ( James 4:6 ).  This is very concerning as pride and slander are commonplace.  We are even considered unusual if we do not talk about others.  It is difficult to get through a day with out hearing gossip and often we are immersed in it before we even realize what is going on.  Our society also looks up to and admires a certain amount of pride.  We strive to be independent and confident.  Often this goes over board and we become self righteous and arrogant. 

Finally, the passage talks about deceit and lying.  It says that we will not be able to dwell with God or stand in His presence if we practice deceit or speak falsely.  How can we stay away from doing this, however, when it is almost expected that we will lie in certain situations.  People will even ask us to lie for them and we have found many ways to defend our deceit.  We are thought to be odd if we say no to others when they ask us to lie for them and we are often ridiculed if we take a stand for honesty; often by friends and family members. 

What a high calling this psalm is to us.  We are challenged to change and stand out in so many ways.  It seems overwhelming just thinking about it.  But God promises that His eyes will be on the faithful and that He can and will take care of us.  If we lead a blameless life, God will come to us and provide for us.  It must be possible or the scriptures would not for call us to do it.  We can with Christ.  We can if it is important to us.  It all comes down to our heart.  If our heart is right and we are striving with all we have to obey God, He will make up the difference.  He will see our faith and count it as righteousness as He did with Abraham (Galatians 3:6).  Let us then sing of God's greatness and be careful to live a blameless life.  It is worth it.




Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We want to lead a blameless life.  Help us to put aside all of these sinful ways and embrace You.  It will be alright to walk a different road than those around us.  It will be worth it.  Help us to fear You and not men.  You are the one worth following.  You are the true one.  We praise You and sing of Your love and justice.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  Do I act the same in my home as I do elsewhere?  Do I have any double standards?  What do I struggle the most with at home?  Why?  How can I change?

2. Am I careful about what I look at?  How are my standards when it comes to movies and TV?  How are my standards with what I read and the magazines that I look at?  Am I spending too much time on the Internet and am I unproductive/unrighteous in any way with this area?  What do I need to change? What is going well?  

3. Do I stay away from people that are a bad influence on me?  Why or why not?  Am I drawn to people that are not very godly?  Why or why not?  Who are my heroes?  Why?  How do I feel about this concept of watching who I associate with?

4. Do I slander others, even if it is just in my mind (in secret)?  Do I engage in gossip or listen to it?  What harm does this do?  How can I change?  Am I prideful or arrogant in any ways?  Do I look down on anyone?  Why?  How can I deal with this?

5. Am I deceitful in any way?  Why?  How do I justify this?  Do I lie?  Do I feel there is a difference between "big" and "little" lies?  Why or why not?  How does God feel about this?  How can I stop lying and stop being deceitful if this is something I do?

Daily Devotional - 10/7/15

Prayer Focus - Needs



Day 5
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive
One dream that you need to surrender to God
One challenge that you need to face and deal with
One health issue that you need to deal with



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



Psalms 97


"All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols ...

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.  Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. 

Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise His holy name."  ( vs. 7a, 10 - 12  )


We have a tendency to rely on things other than God.  This can be equated to worshipping them.  I know in my life I am tempted to think money will take care of my troubles.  I sometimes think that if I had enough money, then my life would be better.  I would not have to work and drive so much.  I would have more time with my children and could be a better mother.  Many thoughts run through my head, especially when I have to pay bills.  Another thing that I often look to for comfort is relationships.  I think that if my relationships were closer, I would be happier.  If my husband and I were better friends then that would fix all my issues.  Or maybe if my children were more obedient, everything would be solved.  There are many others too, such as success, and self-development.  Career has taken up a lot of my time and focus before too.  When I look to all of these things to comfort or take care of me, I am in effect making them gods.  I am looking to them to provide what only God can provide.  In the end, they can do nothing, and I am sad and disillusioned again.  They cannot save, and even rich people are miserable at times.  We just need to look at the lives of the rich and famous to see that they are not satisfied.  I end up, as this scripture says, put to shame.

It doesn't have to be this way though.  I can make God my God and worship Him only.  I can do this by memorizing the promises in His word that He will take care of me and by putting His words into practice day in and day out.  I need to hate evil.  It is okay to hate sometimes, if it is for the right things.  I can not tolerate evil.  I can not defend evil.  I must hate it, for then I will be regarded as faithful, and God will protect me.  Light and joy will be shed on me and I will receive the promises that God has woven into His word for those that walk in His ways.  I need to hate evil, not because I am better than anyone else, but because I love God.  And just because I hate evil, it does not mean I hate people.  It is possible to hate sin and love the sinner; possible, not easy.  Too many people fail at this and so we have a bad reputation for hating others when we stand up for what is right.  Let us live correctly and have lives full of love and joy so that everyone will be drawn to God, and then as they learn that God loves them and as they learn to love God, the sinfulness will drop off like so many grave clothes.  God can do this.  Let us focus on love!




Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


You are the only true God.  Help us to let go of all of the false gods that clamor for our attention.  They will only bring us to shame while You will bring us life and life to the fullest.  You are so good to us and we rejoice in Your blessings.  Help us to hate evil.  Help us to hate sin and love sinners.  Help us to become what You want us to become, and help us rejoice in You always.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1.  What things become my gods?  What do I turn to for happiness and fulfillment other than God?  Why?  How does this affect me?

2. How do I see these things leading to shame in my life?  How can I change my priorities and put God in the place He deserves to be? 

3. Do I hate evil?  Do I ever defend evil?  Are there certain things I know the Scriptures say is sin that I accept or that I think are okay?  Why?

4. How do I feel about hating what God hates?  Why do I think God hates these things and calls certain things evil?  How do these things affect us?

5. Do I think God will guard and protect me if I am faithful to Him and His commands?  Why or why not?  When have I seen God guard and protect me?   How did that feel?  Do I feel like I am in the light and do I have joy or do I feel that I am in darkness and do I have more sadness than joy?  Can I relate this in anyway to my faithfulness?  Why or why not?

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

Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation



Day 5
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
One skill or topic you want to learn - (with all your mind)
One thing that you want to see improved about your health - (with all your strength)



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



Psalms 83



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


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


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

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

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

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

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



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


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


In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT



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

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

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

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

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

Daily Devotional - 9/20/15 (1/20/2010)

Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation

Day 2
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)



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



Psalms 80


"Restore us, O God; make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved." ( vs. 3, 7, 19 )


As the psalmist recounts the struggles of Israel in Psalm 80, the phrase above is repeated three times. The Israelites were longing to be restored to their days of glory, but there is also a message of restoration for us in these short verses. There is a deep longing within each of us for something better than what we have right now. We want to be more.  No child dreams about growing up to be something mediocre. They dream of being princesses and princes, heroes and heroines. God has set these dreams of greatness (Jeremiah 29:11) as well as eternity in our hearts (Ezekiel 3:11). He has also given us a desire for beauty and innocence. I think that is why we love art and nature.

We look wistfully at our young children (when they are behaving!) and often long for those carefree days when we were young. If our children are older, we miss the days when they were innocent babies. We treasure the joy of those days in our own lives because somewhere along the line, as we grow up, we get corrupted by our sins and the sins of others. Just like Adam and Eve, we fall from grace.  The longing for what we were supposed to be remains, however. We want the innocence back and the purity of heart that came with it.

Thankfully, God wants this for us as well and He has provided a way for us to receive it. There is still beauty around us. There can still be beauty within us.  There is still hope just as sure as there is still a sunrise and a sunset each day. We can be restored.

The key to restoration is in the second part of the verse. We have to let God's face shine upon us. As we look at Him and keep a steady gaze at what He is like, He will lead us and transform us. He created us to have life and life to the fullest (John 10:10). We are His works of art. Let us allow Him to transform us into what we were created to be and receive all He designed for us to have. If we can keep our eyes on Him, we can, like Peter walk on water (Matt 14:22-33). He is able and He will do it.




Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,


We long for the days of innocence. Restore us to that childlike spirit. Grant us the faith and purity of heart to truly believe. You are able and You are willing. We are Your works of art. Help us to believe that and allow ourselves to be transformed. Help us to catch a hold of the vision You have for our lives and keep our eyes fixed on You. We want to radiate Your glory. We want to be saved.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. What were my dreams as a child? When did I let go of them? Why? Can I in anyway revive them?

2. What things (my sin and the sins of others) corrupted me and took away my innocence? Have I let go/ repented of my sins so that I can be restored? Have I forgiven those that hurt me? Can I get help to work through any issues here?

3. How can I let God's face shine upon me? Am I keeping my eyes on Him? How can I do a better job at this?

4. How is God transforming me? What can I see Him doing with my life?

5. Do I have any dreams to serve Him in any way? What can I try to do? What steps of faith can I take?

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

Prayer Focus - Gratitude



Day 5
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the city that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the home that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about your family



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



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



Psalms 69



"My eyes fail, looking for my God...May those who hope in You not be disgraced because of me, ...But I pray to You, O Lord, in the time of Your favor; in Your great love, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation...Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide Your face from Your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes...

The Lord hears the needy and does not despise His captive people. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that move in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will dwell there." ( vs. 3b, 6a, 13, 16, 33-36)


Sometime we are searching, and sometimes we are finding.  There are many seasons in our lives.  I love the scripture in Ecclesiastes that highlights this.

"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:

 

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Psalm 69 contrasts two seasons - a season of struggle and a season of rebuilding.  Both are written by the same person.  I know I have been through both seasons and though I love the rebuilding, I do not regret the seasons of struggle.  I would not want to go through some of the valleys I have been through again, but I would never want to take them back.  They are why I am where I am at now and God has used them.  He has used them to humble me and to show me what life is truly about. 

I was very arrogant as a young person and I did not really understand struggle.  Many things came easy to me and so I became very prideful and sure of myself.  But we can not find God if there is no room for Him in our hearts; if we are too full of ourselves.  That was me.  I had been trained to be a student, not a person.  I was taught to achieve, not love.  I was taught that it was all about me.  There was no room for God in my life, even though I professed to be a Christian.  God had to allow me to face complete and utter moral failure so that I could truly see who I was.

All the things that I used to hide behind were stripped away in college.  It was there that I truly began to understand that I was not a "good person".  Whatever I had was not of my own doing.  I did not make myself intelligent.  That was a gift of God.  I did not make myself athletically talented.  That too was a gift of God.  What I had made of myself, however, was a mess.  I could finally see how I used people.  I could see how I thought so many mean and impure thoughts.  I could see how I thought I was better than others because of the gifts that God had given me.  I could finally see clearly. 

I did not want to bring shame and disgrace on those that hoped in God anymore.  I claimed to be a Christian, but in my actions I was denying Him.  I was as big of a hypocrite as the people I hated for being hypocritical.  In God's great mercy, He had allowed me to see this.  He did not show me this to destroy me, however.  He showed me this so that I could change.  He allowed me to start over.  He came to my rescue.  I had searched and searched for Him and He was found.  At the right time, when I was most open to see the truth, God was there.  God is here.  I was crushed so that I could rise to a better life.

God saved me from myself and He continues to save me from myself.  I can not believe how far I have come and I am so grateful that I can now understand life better and I know what it is to struggle.  I know what it is to have to climb that long ladder back up to normal; to be a successfully functioning human being.  God does restore and rebuild, even if everything right now lies in chaos around us and we struggle to get through each day. God will not despise us. The poor and needy will see and be glad. Our hearts will live. Our searching for God is not in vain. We will find Him and He will reward us if we are faithful.  I praise God every day for this.



Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,


We grow weary searching for You. We are looking. We are struggling but You are strong. You are waiting for us to come to You. You are not far from each one of us. Help us to clear all the fog from our vision and throw off the sin that so easily entangles us. Help us to run our race with perseverance and not lose sight of our goal to make it to be with You. Keep our sights eternal. We love You.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. What season am I in right now?  How do I know this?  What seasons have I gone through?  What have I learned from them?

2. Am I disgracing God and/or my brothers and sisters by the way I am living? What do I need to change to be living a life that pleases God?

3. Am I praying and pleading with God about my needs? How often am I praying? Can I make a schedule that would enable me to have more time to pray? When is the best time for me to pray? Where is most effective?

4. What do I need God to rebuild in my life? In what way am I like the cities of Judah that were torn down? How can God restore me? Do I believe God can and desires to do this?

5. How will I be able to help others better once I am rebuilt by God? What is my vision for what my life could be like and what is my vision for how God could use me?

Daily Devotional - 9/5/15 (11/5/09)

Prayer Focus - Gratitude

Day 1
Pray for:
One thing I am grateful for about the country that I live in


Thank God for the effect that what I am grateful for has on:
my spiritual life
my physical life
my emotional life
my mental life



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



Psalms 65


"O You who hear prayer, to You all men will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, You forgave our transgressions, Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts! We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple. You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas," ( vs. 2-5)

"You care for the land and water it; You enrich it abundantly. ..You crown the year with Your bounty and Your carts overflow with abundance." (vs. 9a ; 11)



We worship "O You who hear prayer." What a good way to describe God. He hears our prayers.  He is waiting to hear from us.  It is hard sometimes to find a person who can listen to us.  Everyone is so busy these days and most people have so many things to deal with already.  Yet, God always has time.  Even silly little things are not unimportant to Him.  I am grateful I can turn to Him and pour out my heart at anytime.  I am never alone.

I am grateful that there is more to life than just the physical aspects; the seen.  I know there is more, but many people can not get beyond the seen.  This does not negate what is true, however.  There is a greater truth that does exist and some day we will all know it.  Some day, all men will come to God and bow down before Him, acknowledging that He is who the Bible says He is.  We are blessed if we have been given the opportunity to know and follow God. He chose us, not the other way around. That should make us eternally grateful; that we were chosen and that we will be filled with all the good things that God has in His house.  How grateful I am that He has chosen me now.  I am grateful that He picked me.  Why? I do not know but I thank Him daily.  I truly am blessed. 

I am also thankful that God forgives our sins. That is what makes Christianity so different. Many religions teach us how to live and have noble aspects to them but there is always the problem of sin.  We have all sinned.  We are all separated at some point because of this.  We can never work our way to forgiveness or become good enough to pay for what we have done in the past and what we continue to do because of our human frailty.  But in Christ, there is forgiveness of sin.  This forgiveness comes through the death of Jesus on the cross.

 God is the hope of all the earth. He is my hope. He can do anything and everything, even care for the land. I do not need to worry.  God is the one who keeps this whole planet functioning and He cares for all that is alive on earth. He knows every single bird. He knows the number of hears on our heads. He knows everything about us and loves us just the same.  Is there anyone else like our God?  No, not one.

God's ways are right.  God's ways are loving.  Crown us with Your bounty, Lord.  Yes, crown us as we strive to follow You. Surely Your cart does overflow.



Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

We are so grateful to have been chosen by You and brought close to You. We are so grateful that even though You are caring for everything n the world, You still have time for us. You have so much abundance and blessings. You are able to provide richly for us. Help us to remember that Your idea of riches and abundance are often different than ours. You are our hope.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT


1. Do I believe that God hears prayer? How is my prayer life? How can I improve it?


2. Am I asking God for forgiveness for my sins on a daily basis? Am I feeling overwhelmed or relieved? Can I make a daily list of what I need forgiving from for a week and then commit to praying about these needs?


3. Do I realize that I have been chosen by God? Am I living like a chosen one? How can my life reflect this in a greater way?


4. Do I realize that God is managing and running the whole world? List twenty of the things that God does on a day to day basis in keeping the earth functioning?

5.  Do I think about the power of God that is available in my life if He is able to do all the things previously written down? What should I be bringing to Him in prayer if I believe He is truly in charge of everything?

Daily Devotional for 8/21/15 (10/21/09)

Prayer Focus - Friends


Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are


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



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



Psalms 51


"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." (vs. 1)

"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)

"Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 6 - 7)

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10 - 12)

"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (vs. 16 - 17)

In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; Build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You; (vs. 18 -19a)


True religion is something totally different than what most of us think.  Often we think of going to church and a bunch of dos and don'ts.  Definitely there are things that should and shouldn't be done but it all seems to boil down to love.  What is the greatest commandment?  Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39).  This is what Jesus said summed it all up - Love. 

God is love.  Do we remember this?


I think we forget.  We think - God is a taskmaster. God is far away.  God does not care.  God is not fair.  God is mean.  God hates.  God just wants me to obey.  But is this really true?  Does God want our sacrifices? Will our hard work save us?  Can we ever be good enough?

The answer to all these types of questions are no.  No, no, no.  God is love.  God wants truth.  God wants integrity. God wants us to come back and say, "Thank You. Do not cast me away from You."  God wants us broken and contrite. Ready to be something different.  Ready to turn away from all the secrets within us.  Bottom line, God wants us to be with Him and He knows what that will take.


I think when we look deep into ourselves, we know this as well.  There is an aching part in us that just wants to be known, loved, and changed.  I think we long for transformation. We long to be clean - to be free from what ever it is that is binding us and keeping us from life. 

But even though we know this, there is a barrier to us reaching the healing we seek.  I believe this barrier is sin.  Sometimes we think we are so clever.  We do things we know are wrong and think it will never be found out.  We think no one can really see what is going on within us.  Well, that is not really true is it?  God sees everything.  God already knows, and sooner or later everyone else usually finds out too.

When I was a child, I used to think it would be a great parenting tool to have cameras in every room so that a parent could see what was going on at all times.  Now of course, that is possible now but it wasn't back in the 70's.  I was grateful back then that nothing like that existed because I did a lot of things in secret that I didn't what anyone seeing.  It was quite a revelation to me when I finally realized that God saw everything and that He had seen every single thing I had ever done in secret.  I was quite ashamed and embarrassed.


So in order to be transformed and healed, and since all the things we have done have been seen anyway, we need to deal with them.  We need to seek repentance.  We have to get these secrets out into the open and get help.  We need to stop doing wrong and start doing right.  That is what I had to do.

I had to come to grips with the fact that God wanted me.  He wants us, all of us, and He wants us to be true believers.  He wants our hearts, not just our outward acquiescence.  But I didn't know how to get from where I was to where I needed to be?  This is where Psalm 51 is essential.  It is the cry for forgiveness and restoration that we all need to cry.

When I was finally trying to get my life right with God, I had a mentor who was working with me in my life.  He knew just about everything about me and he gave me a key assignment.  He challenged me to memorize this Psalm and repeat it as often as I could.  He felt that when I could truly pray this Psalm from my heart, then I would probably be ready to become a Christian.

I would finally be ready to become a Christian, because I would finally be ready to deal with the sin in my life.  My heart would be ready to change because it would have released the things that were at that time controlling it.  Sin hardens us.  Sin hardens and breaks us.  This world is broken.  I was broken.  Sin breaks our communion with God, others, and even ourselves.  It cuts us off from our heart and it sears our consciences.  It destroys whatever good is in us and it destroys the good in this world.  We can not be close to God and be in sin as well.  It is impossible. 

I was so hard at this point in my life from all the sin I had indulged in that I needed a transformation.  I needed a new heart, and new spirit.  I needed to come to God on His terms, not mine.

I took my friend's challenge and eventually I had a breakthrough.  God did have mercy on me.  He did restore to me the joy of my salvation and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  God was faithful and created a pure heart within me.  I had not been pure in a long time but now I was and I could be completely different.  Instead of being religious, I could be righteous - right with God.  I could have integrity.  I could have truth.  I could walk without fear of what I was hiding. 

God was and is faithful.  Thirty some years later, I am still walking this walk and striving to keep this prayer and all of God's word in my heart so that I will not sin against Him.

I praise God that He did restore and in His timing, He did make me prosper.  He has given me so much and I would never have known all the good He had in store if I had not been willing to get on my knees and pray.





Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

Have mercy on us we pray.  Forgive us our sins.  Cleanse us.  Only You can do this.  We thank You for forgiving us.  We thank You for Your mercy and grace. We thank you for even caring at all. We know that we are completely unworthy. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT


1. What do I think God really wants from me?  Why?  Do I have a correct perspective of God? Why or why not?  How can I get a more accurate view?

2. Do I realize how much I sin against God?  Am I turning to Him for forgiveness?  Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God?  Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me?  How can I remind myself of this fact?

3. Do I feel burdened by past sins?  Have I been forgiven?  How do I know?  Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?

4. What does repentance mean to me?  What do I do when I have done something wrong?  How do I deal with it?  Is this the best thing to do or could I do something differently?

5. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?

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

Prayer Focus - Family



Day 1

Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to


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


Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.




Psalms 38



"My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.  My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.  I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning...My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.  My friends avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away...For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.  I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin." (vs. 4-6, 10-11, 17 & 18)

Sin can damage us in more ways than one. Our sin can affect us physically, relationally, and emotionally. The psalmist points to this when he describes in detail how our bodies are impacted by our guilt and sinful folly. I know that when I have something that I have not dealt with in my life, I become very tired.  I don't feel well.  Some people get headaches and stomach aches.  Many real illnesses have roots stemming from sin and wrongdoing that has been concealed.  Some mental illnesses can arise from this as well. 

Our friendships are also damaged by the things we cover up.  The psalmist mentions that "my friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away (vs. 11)." First of all, when we have sin that we are distressed about, we can't be close to others, even if the sin have nothing to do with them.  We are short tempered or else we tend to isolate ourselves so that no one will catch on to what is going on with us.  Often we lie to keep from being found out.  It is difficult to have good friendships when we are doing these things.  Secondly, relationships are cut off by the things we do to hurt one another or often by the thoughts and attitudes we have towards others that they might not even aware of. Best friends drift apart because on some unresolved issue.  Bitterness and jealousy also cause so much trouble in people's lives. If we let bitterness take any root in our hearts, it will take over. 

Emotionally, the affects of undealt with sin are enormous as well.  We lose our joy and can be driven to depression and isolation.  We become afraid for anyone to see the real person inside of us because we think they will not be able to accept us for who we are and for all the bad things we have done in our life.  We are truly walking in darkness.  We don't even know what is causing the dark feeling sometimes.  But sin festers and grows whether we realize it is there or not.  

Since these are the affects of doing wrong, it is imperative that we strive to do right. We must long for righteousness because in it, there is true life. We can know others and be known ourselves.  We can have clear consciences and walk with our head up.  It is so refreshing to not have any nagging thoughts about something we did or didn't do. To live a life of no regrets would be truly amazing. It can be discouraging sometimes though because we are all so far from this and we fail daily. What are we to do? We must begin by doing as the psalmist recommends - by confessing our iniquity and by being troubled by it in a good way (vs. 18). We need to get everything that we are hiding out of our systems and get ourselves out into the light.  Then we must repent or be truly sorry and troubled in a way that leads us to change.  Repent means to turn 180 degrees and go in the other direction. It is a sorrow that leads to action and not just depression.  Finally, we need to continue following this process so that we are staying in the light. 

This seems so difficult and if we have never been open before, it may seem impossible.  Without God it really is, but thankfully, He is there. He will answer us when we call and when we humble ourselves and ask for help. He will not be far from us and will come quickly to save us. He is waiting for us to take the first step back and then He will come running just like in the story of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32).


" I wait for You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God." (vs. 15)


God is amazing.  Let us wait for God. He will answer.



Prayer for the Day
 Dear Lord,

Come quickly to save us. We know we fail so often. We have such great intentions but such weak results. Help us to start anew tomorrow and strive to deal continuously with our sins. Help us to hate them and strive to live purely so that nothing hinders us from being close to You and others. We want to live in the light as You are in the light. We want to be pleasing to You. We are lifting our souls up to You and are confessing and repenting of everything we know that is displeasing to You. Forgive us as well for those things we have done that we do not even realize displeases You. We are waiting on You and we know that You will save us.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. Is there any sin I am not dealing with at present that is making me feel guilty? Has sin damaged any of my relationships? How can I deal with these problems and make amends?

2. How do I feel when I finally confess or talk about something that has been bothering me? Why do I not do this more often?

3. Do I have someone who I can talk with on a daily basis to confess my sins to and get help from?

4. Am I striving for righteousness? Am I repenting or changing the things that I confess or am I struggling with the same sins over and over again?

5.  Am I calling out to God for help or am I trying to deal with everything on my own?  Am I waiting on the Lord for His answers?  How can I start to do these two things?

Daily Devotional - 9/2/10 (10/2/09)

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



Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something


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


Dear Lord - Open my ears to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 32



"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.  Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said,' I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' - and You forgave the guilt of my sin." (vs. 1-5)



We all want to be blessed.  Here are some keys for us to consider.  We are blessed if we are forgiven. We are blessed if we have no deceit. Why is this?  First of all, we can be right with God and have a relationship with Him now and after death.  But secondly, and quite relevant while we are here on earth, we can walk with out fear and guilt. It is a terrible state to be in when there is something we are hiding.  The psalmist writes that when he was silent his bones wasted away and he groaned night and day.  He was miserable.  That is how undealt with sin affects us.  We can think that eventually we will forget, but we are still haunted.  Only when we get things out can we feel that light free feeling that comes with a transparent life. It is a truly blessed feeling.  I have been in both places.  I know. We need to be open channels for God's love to flow through us. There is so much that needs to be done in this world, that we just can't let sin, clutter, confusion, and disorder of any kind block us and stop us up. We will lose the strength and power that is available to us.  We will miss the opportunities that God has in store for us.  We need to just open up our lives and then call out to God to search us and heal us.




"Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. 
     I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.  Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." (vs. 6-9)


We do this by confessing and then by going to God in prayer.  We can't wait.  We must pray while God can be found. There are opportunities when God is calling us and we can miss them.  People miss out on God and eventually our hearts can get so hardened to everything that it will be almost impossible for us to change.  Unfortunately, there are deadlines in life. Whether or not we want them to exist, they do. Thank God, however, that we can hide in Him. We don't have to run and hide somewhere when we are feeling guilty.  We can go to Him because He is much better place to hide than any real physical place. God will protect us and restore us. He will make us into someone incredible if we let Him.  He created us for great and glorious things and He will teach us and show us the way to go. He will counsel us and watch over us.

There is a catch to these incredible promises though.  We have to receive His direction. We need to not be like an animal who has to be forced to go where its master wants it to go. God is longing for us to follow willingly.  Our attitude should be, "I will do it!" Let's not force God anymore.  The road is much easier for us when we are not rebellious.  The way of the rebellious is hard the Bible states elsewhere, but unfailing love surrounds us if we trust in God.


"Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" (vs. 11)


If I am righteous and upright in my heart, I will be able to do this. I will rejoice and be glad.  I will be able to see beauty in everything. This is God's world. Despite the sadness and difficulties, it still is good, and there is always hope.



Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

We are grateful for Your forgiveness.  Help us not to be deceitful.  We are praying.  Help us to pray more.  We want to find You.  You are our hiding place and it is good to be able to run to You.  We do not want to run away any longer.  Grant us the strength to face where we have gone wrong and turn to You.  We need You and we long for Your unfailing love.  We will rejoice in You for You are good.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. How am I deceitful?   How can I become honest in all my ways?
2. Is there anything blocking the flow of God's love and communication through me? If so, how can I get rid of it?
3. Am I praying about my needs and the needs of others regularly? Why or why not? How can I get in the practice of praying for others on a regular basis?

4. How am I doing at receiving God's instruction? Am I willing to learn or am I like an animal that needs a bit and bridle in my mouth to force me to obey? Why am I like this and what results am I gaining from my attitude towards instruction?

5.  Am I rejoicing daily?  What is my attitude about life?  Have I let undealt with sin make me bitter?  How can I change and start seeing the beauty that God intended for us in the world?

Daily Devotional - 8/19/10 (9/19/09)

Focus Letter - S



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


Dear Lord - Please help me to hear Your everpresent voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 19



"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (vs. 14)


If I can please anyone in this world, if anyone is going to be happy with my life, I want that person/being to be God. I know I can't please everyone, and sometimes even pleasing those closest to me seems impossible. I used to worry about this quite a bit and compromise myself trying to make everyone happy. I wanted everyone to like me but in striving for this, I became someone even I didn't like. I came to the conclusion that I couldn't worry about it anymore. I had to live with myself and my conscience, and so I had to have integrity. I needed to be true to the one who matters the most - God.

Now I want everything about me to be pleasing to Him. How can I have this in my life? How can my words and even the thoughts of my heart be good and be pleasing to God? I fail so much in this area and I know that I only see the tip of the iceberg. As I mature as a Christian, I continue to see how far away I am and it seems impossible, but it is not.


"Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me." (vs. 12-13)


God knows we fall short. He can see all of it. I think He is so kind to us in letting us see only what we can handle. If we could see the complete depth of our sin and depravity all at once, I think that would be the end of us. Thankfully, He has mercy. But we do need to deal with our sins if we want to be pleasing to God.

In the verses written above, the author points out two types of wrongdoings that must be forgiven and dealt with. First he mentions our hidden faults. I equate this to what is often referred to as iniquity. These are those character issues and predispositions; those deeper controlling factors that lead to our outward sins. Often they can stem from family issues and perhaps even biological factors. A deeper study of this might be of interest. I know there have been times that I have done things and then wondered why on earth I did them. There was no conscious reason but there was a driving force hidden somewhere in me. We need these forgiven. We need to pray to be transformed and to have the deep core iniquities uprooted.

Next there are the willful sins. The psalmists asks God to keep him from them. The willful sins fall into two categories - sins of omission and sins of commission. Sins of commission are those things we do that we know we shouldn't. Basically, they consist of doing something wrong. They are spelled out by God in the Bible, so it is important we find out what they are. There are several lists of these types of sins in the New Testament. I have posted two of them below. One list consists of the "major sins"; the ones most people probably think deep down are wrong even if they are still doing them. The other is more intense as it lists the sins of the heart. Disobedience to our parents is on this list as is ingratitude and being a lover of ourselves. This list may surprise some as our society takes pride in many of them. The sins of omission are the second type. These are all of those things we know we should do and don't. This one is particularly frightening to me because I am excellent at having "good intentions". I always remember with trepidation the saying my mother used to tell me, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

So how can we deal with the sin in our lives so that we may be continually pleasing to our God? The first step is to turn to Him. The beginning of the psalm declares the awesome power of the Lord and the beauty of His creation. It reads as follows:

"The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."  (vs. 1-4)

When we turn our eyes to Him and His ultimate authority and strength, it makes more sense for us to obey and turn from our sins. Often we continue doing wrong because we do not realize the greatness of God and how He can fulfill us. We turn to sin to fulfill us and it cannot. We worry because we forget God. We turn to love in the wrong ways because we forget God has this love for us. We are mean and selfish because we forget God can take care of us. The root of all sin begins with us forgetting God and His power (Romans 1:18-32). So in order to deal with our lives, we need to remember God. We don't need the sins, we only need God.



"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.  The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.  The precepts of the Lord are right giving joy to the heart.  The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes." (vs. 7-8)

Next, we need to turn to His words which give us the directions for life. They tell us what to do and not to do. God was gracious enough to spell it out. He is not a God of confusion. He is the ultimate God of peace and order. He shows us the way. We need, then, to obey if we want to be free from sin. It is not enough to just look at the Word, we must do what it says (James 1:22-25).

In dealing with sin, the guidance given in I John 1:5-10 is a good place to start. It states that we need to get things out into the light. We need to confess our sins to someone. The power of this is so incredible. I think that is why Satan does whatever he can to prevent us from doing so. We fear that if people really knew us, they wouldn't like us. The exact opposite is true. We think nothing will change even if we are open. How wrong that is. Even modern psychology acknowledges the benefit of openness, which is what therapy is all about. It works because it is God's principle. He really does know.

Secondly, we need to accept God's forgiveness. We need to let it go and move on. If we continue to dwell on something, the likelihood of it repeating itself increases. If God, who is perfect can forgive us, who are we to not. Thirdly, we need to fill ourselves up with good things, the fruits of the Spirit. It is not enough to just empty ourselves of evil because then we leave ourselves open for more evil and sin to come right back in. We need to stuff ourselves so full of God and His good benefits that there is no more room for the sin and iniquity in our lives. (Luke 11:24-26)

There is great reward in keeping God's word. The sins and iniquities that plague us can be things of the past. I love I Cor 6:9-11 because it mentions some of the more serious sins that can plague us (and I was guilty of some on the list) and then it says - That is what some of you were! It is true. Our sins and iniquities can be in the past. They can be what we were, not what we are now. What an awesome truth this is. I know. It is worth it to please Him. Let us strive to do so!


Verses for reference:

Isaiah 53:5-6
"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His words we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

II Timothy 3: 1-5
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than overs of God -having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."

James 4:17
"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins"

Galatians 5: 19-25
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

I Cor 6:9-11
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."



Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

We are so grateful that You deal with our lives.  We want to change but are unable to on our own.  We are so grateful for the promises in Your word about how we can be transformed into Your likeness more and more each day.  We want to please You.  Help us to recognize and turn from our iniquities and willful sins so that we can say that the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths are pleasing to You.  We commit ourselves to You today.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

QFT


1. Who am I striving to please? How do I know? Do my actions and words support this?

2. What sins do I need to deal with right now in my life? What are my sins of commission and omission?

3. What might be the iniquities in my life? How can I start to deal with them?

4. Am I being open about my life? Who am I open with? If I am not being open, is there someone I could open up to?

5.  Am I accepting God's forgiveness?  Is there anything in my life that I have not accepted forgiveness for?  Is there anyone that I need forgiveness from?  When will I ask them?  If I am not ready to do so, how can I get myself in the place to do so?  Do I need to forgive anyone?  When will I do this?

Daily Devotional - 8/13/10 (9/13/09)

Focus Letter - M



Pray for:
Five things that you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter


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




Psalms 13



"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" (vs. 1)


"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13


"But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me." (vs. 5)


How long are we willing to do battle with ourselves and our sins/character flaws? A day, a week, a month, a season? How about a year? How about ten years? That seems like a long time. I know because I went through it.


After I became a Christian in 1983, an issue came up in my life that was deeply embedded in who I was. It was contrary to the Word of God, however, and so I took up the fight against it. I prayed. I fasted. I confessed. I did everything I knew of to deal with it and yet it still was a daily struggle for me. I would have good and bad days but the problem remained. I even saw a psychologist for help. All the things I did helped to some degree but the sin remained with me.


I felt like the psalmist. I cried out, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? (vs. 1)" I did feel forgotten in many ways because I was trying. I was doing everything right. But this was something more than not swearing or not getting drunk. The obvious sins are often the easiest to overcome. Many things I had struggled with for years changed overnight the day I became a Christian. Deeper heart issues arose, however. And so it is for all of us. We are not changed overnight. We are changed continually. We are slowly sculpted into something beautiful that will not be finished until the day we stand before God.

I struggled and struggled but in the end I trusted in God and did the best I could that day. That was all I could do and I kept on going. I did not know when my struggle would end or if perhaps it would not and I would deal with this particular issue til the day I died. Eventually it did not matter anymore. I decided that no matter what, I would not give up. In becoming a Christian, I had found the best thing in my life, even if it was not easy. At 17, I knew that if I walked away from God, I would be walking away from the best thing I ever had and my only hope of change.


I felt like Peter when he declared to Jesus, "Lord, to whom shall we go?Where else could we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68). " I truly believed and still to this day believe there is no where else for me to go. Jesus still has the words of life. And amazingly enough, ten years later, I awoke one day to find my struggle was gone; never to return. As I look back over the ten years, now that I am on the other side of it, it didn't seem that long of a time. The relief was so tremendous that to this day it gives me chills just thinking about it. I was finally free. I am finally free. Finally.

It was all worth it. All the years of struggle, all the tears. I have no regrets. And now, "I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me." (vs. 6) God is always good. Always.



Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

We are grateful for the power You give to our lives.  We are grateful for the transformations that You grant.  We believe in Your ability and desire to remake us into what we were created to be.  We fall so short but we have great dreams.  Forgive us and help us to get back up and fight on.  We remember our past victories and we look forward to what is in store for our lives.  Help us to walk the path You have planned for us and to keep our eyes focused on You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1. Is there anything in your life right now that you need to start fighting to overcome?

2. Have you given up working on something because it seemed impossible to change?

3. What can you do today to get back in the fight?

4. What verses can motivate you when you are feeling weak?

5.  What things have I overcome already?  How do the victories make me feel?

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

Focus Letter - J



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


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



Psalms 10


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

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

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT

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

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

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

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

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

Daily Devotional - 8/6/10 (9/6/09)

Focus Letter - F



Pray for:
Five things that I am 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 for you and your family to grow in that begins with the focus letter


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



Psalms 6



"Be merciful to me for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony.  My soul is in anguish.  How long, O Lord, how long?" (vs. 2-3)

Sometimes life is overwhelming. When I sat down and wrote the background information piece (8/31/09), I laughed because, if it wasn't my life, I would have thought that it was made up - and I didn't even include everything that was going on. Somehow, though, I am making it through and I even have a pretty good attitude about it most of the time. I know this can only be God.


But it is overwhelming, nonetheless, and this is what the psalmist appears to be feeling as well. He is faint. I have felt faint. He is in anguish. I have been in anguish. He asks how long, and I too have asked how long. He even felt like he wasn't going to make it through. I have felt that way as well. All of us have probably gone through at least one period of time in our lives that is similar to this; where everything seems to be crashing down around us. I remember at one point recently being very upset and thinking that this was not the way my life was supposed to turn out. Things were supposed to go right for me. However, despite my best efforts, everything was turning out wrong and falling apart. The apostle Paul also wrote about feeling these emotions. He wrote that he was under such great pressure that he even "despaired of life" (II Cor 1: 8-11)

We feel these emotions when we are worn out and exhausted from battling all of our enemies - in my case it was my debt, my clutter, the various health issues, my discipline issues with my children, and the like. It was too much for me and this was because I was using my best efforts, not God's. But just like Paul expressed, all these things were happening to me for a reason. They were happening to turn me back to God in a greater and deeper way. I had been relying on myself to accomplish what I had to accomplish. For example, I was relying on worldly wisdom when it came to my finances. I was just doing whatever came naturally to me with my children. I was collecting "treasures" (junk) because that is what I liked to do. I was not really looking to God to find out what He had to say about these issues or if I did know, I was not taking it seriously.

I had to face the fact that most of my problems were of my own doing. They came about by my own failure to adhere to God's laws. I was in debt because I overspent and lived outside of my means. God says, "let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another" (Romans 13:8). I had clutter because I horded things and was often undisciplined with my housework. God says it is better to give than receive (Acts 20:35) and that we should not be storing up things for ourselves here on earth but in heaven (Matt 6:19 -21). He also says that I did not receive a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline (II Tim 1:7). I had problems with my children because I was not consistent with them and because I was not training them up to know God's laws. I was not making them a priority. God says to show a child the way that he should go (Proverbs 22:6) and that it is up to us as parents to train our children to be godly (Deut 6:5-7).

"Turn, O Lord, and deliver me; save me because of Your unfailing love." (vs. 4)

Basically, I was putting a lot of effort into my life but it was not in the manner God desired. This was making me very unproductive and God was not able to bless what I was doing. I had to face these facts, as difficult as they were. I wanted to blame someone or something else, but I had to admit the responsibility was mine. When I came to grips with my responsibility, I could go back to God and ask Him to rescue me, to save me, because I now knew what I needed saving from. I also knew that it was only because of His love that He would rescue me. It was not because of anything I had done or would do. I had gotten myself into this mess, and yet, I could still ask God for help and deliverance.


"Away from me, all who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping.  The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayers.  All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace." (vs. 8-10)


I did have some responsibility though. I had to turn from my way of living, from depending on myself and running on my own power and reasoning. I had to get all my enemies (my sin of overspending, indulgence, laziness, etc.) away from me (vs 8). This is called repentance, the hating and turning away from all of those things that I did to get myself in such a mess. Then, I needed to cry out to God. I needed to have godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow (II Cor 7: 9 - 11). This is the weeping and sorrow that God will hear and acknowledge. God is strong enough to hear us and help us at any time, but our sin separates us from Him (Isaiah 59: 1-2). We have to deal with our sins first by acknowledging and confessing them, and then guess what, God hears (I John 1: 5-10). God hears and will continue to hear.

If He is pleased with us, He will accept our prayers and turn our enemies back in disgrace. The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective (James 5: 16). We will start overcoming whatever is plaguing us, if we deal with it God's way - acknowledge it, accept it, own it, turn from it, and turn to God. This is all that matters really, making sure that the Lord is pleased with me, that I am right with Him. When I focus on this, I will receive His forgiveness, and ultimately His blessing. My problems may not completely and immediately go away, but God is able. He can take away everything, solve every problem, if He desires. All my enemies - debt, clutter, lack of discipline - they can all be scattered back in shame. All I need to do is remember to do it God's way; set my reliance and my hope on God and continue to do so.


Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

We come to You with our lives and our problems.  We acknowledge that we have failed in many ways.  Help us to turn to Your ways and Your word so that our lives can be pleasing to You.  The ways of the world will only lead us to frustaration but Your ways are ways of life and peace.  We want peace dear Lord.  Strengthen us so that we may obey.

In Jesus Name,
Amen


QFT

1. What in my life tends to make me feel faint?  What causes me anguish? 

2.  What are the underlying causes of these problems/ issues?  Do I have any responsibility in them? 

3.  Am I trying to solve my problems God's way or the world's way?  How do I know?  What are the results of my actions?

4.  Am I putting my enemies (sin) far from me?  What are my feelings toward the concepts of repentance and godly sorrow?  Do I feel bad about my sin because it hurts God or because it hurts my life?  Do I feel bad about my sin at all?  What do I need to change?

5.  Am I asking God for help and deliverence?   How is my prayer life?  Do I lift up my problems to God?  Do I pray for forgiveness and for spiritual transformation?  Am I righteous so my prayers are effective?  What can I change?

Daily Devotional - 8/4/10 (9/4/10)

The scripture reference for the story of the angel being delayed in coming that I mentioned yesterday is in Daniel 10:1 - 11:1, see especially verses 10 - 14. This is a very interesting story about the spiritual world and the spiritual warfare that goes on unbeknownst to us.



Daily Focus Letter - D


Pray for:
Five things you are thankful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A country, city, or place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that you would like to see your household grow in beginning with the focus letter


Dear Lord - help me to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.


Psalms 4


"Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God.  Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer." (vs. 1)

It is okay to ask for relief from our distress. We don't have to just gut it out all the time. There definitely are times of battle or times of suffering that we will have to endure but then God provides times of refreshing. Even Jesus thought His disciples should go off for some time of relief when they returned from their missionary journey.


What we need to ask ourselves is am I really doing the work of the Lord or standing firm in some struggle so that a time of relief is merited. If so, great, but I know I have many times just fallen into relief mode and often struggles and problems came about because I was in relief mode and then I asked for more relief. I was just being spiritually lazy. What I really needed in order to start feeling better was to start doing something!


As for suffering, it is okay to ask for relief but then we need to be ready for God to say no, or not yet. The best example of this is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked, and asked some more, but in the end, thankfully, He said, "not my will, but Yours be done"(Luke 22:39-46). Paul asked for the thorn to be removed from him but God said no, that His power was made perfect in Paul's weakness. Paul finally surrendered it and was able to say he "delighted" in his weakness and other struggles which were quite astounding (see 2 Cor 12:7-10 & 6:3-10).


The bottom line is that we are set apart by God, for His purposes. We aren't here for ourselves and our hopes and dreams. There is the wonderful verse in Psalms 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart," but often we forget the first part - delighting ourselves in God - and focus primarily on God giving us the desires of our heart. We need to think more about how we can delight in God and less about our desires and dreams. When we do this, the two will start falling into place.



"Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord will hear when I call to Him." (vs. 3)


Secondly, we need to think about whether or not we are allowing ourselves to be set apart. Perhaps we are blending right into the world and everyone around us. What do our activities show, how about the TV shows we watch, and the movies we go to. What about the books we read and the places we hang out? I know when I first became I a Christian I was very sensitive towards what I was watching, wearing, and reading but then I got rather casual about it and even used the rationalization that I have to know what the world is into. After having children, I think I became more sensitive to these issues again because I started looking at the world from their eyes. When your child starts being able to read and starts asking what that vulgar saying on that person's t-shirt means, it begins to hit home. Or when you have to change the TV channel when they walk into the room, it makes you think.


"In your anger, do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." (vs. 4)

Sometimes the way the world is, and the baseness of our culture as it strays away from Godly principles gets me upset. Then I tend to feel guilty because when I was growing up, I was taught to not get angry. We were not even allowed to fight in my house. So, while I understand the reasoning behind the rule, (it is exhausting to have duelling siblings), being told to not fight or to not get angry did not stop the very human emotion of anger, nor should it have really. What it did produce was a lot of built up resentment and the victim mentality in me so that I was not able to be angry in appropriate situations or even say "no" when I needed to. This led to me allowing others to abuse me and also to me placing myself in bad situations.

Verse 4 of this psalm was a revelation to me because it says "in your anger, do not sin." It is just accepted that we will get angry. It is okay. Jesus got angry. He even acted on it, but He did not sin (Matt 21:12 -13). I can get angry, I just need to channel it right. I cannot have a temper tantrum, which I want to do. That would be sin. I cannot throw things, which I have to admit I have done. That would be sin. I cannot swear at someone and tell them off. That would be sin. I cannot reject the world in the sense of looking down on it and feeling that I am above it. Or I cannot look down on those of my friends that are involved with things I know are wrong. I can be upset, even angry, but then I must respond in love and concern. They are the ones that will ultimately suffer. I need to be concerned about their spiritual welfare, and as one who has been there myself, try to help them and reach out in love. How they respond is up to them but my love can not stop. In my anger, I cannot sin


Self evaluation is so important to handling our anger correctly. As it says in verse 4, at night I need to go over my day and search my heart. I need to be silent and let God speak to me about where I have been and what I have done. Then, I need to deal with whatever I find. We cannot let the sun go down on our anger, as this will give the Devil a foothold in our lives (Eph 4:26-27). When we get angry (whether or not it is justified), and then don't deal with it, we let bitterness grow and develop in our hearts. This can eventually lead us away from God. We are to make sure that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Heb 12:15). Unresolved anger is the start of this bitterness.


 In all this, sometimes, it seems like life is just too much. Too many problems, too many personal issues to deal with, too many world problems. I remember a point in time in my husband's battle with cancer, right after we found out that the cancer had spread, that I saw something negative about the state of the world on TV and just started weeping. My husband couldn't understand why this little short TV segment could set me off. I just kept telling him, "I can't take anymore bad news." Everything was building up and I was asking just like the psalmist - "Who can show us any good?" (vs 6). I just couldn't see any good. After I finished my cry, I turned back to God. I had to look up because there was nowhere else to go. In all that I have gone through in the last 25 years of trying to truly follow God, this is where I have always ended up. Yes, there are many things around me but God. That's it "Yes, But God."


I have always loved the last verses of the psalm (vs 7 & 8) because of this. They state..

 "Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."


I have to stop looking around at the world and my circumstances as overwhelming as they may seem and look up at God, at the light coming from Him. I have to remember that I am supposed to focus on God, rejoice in God, know that in the world there will be troubles, but God has overcome the world. The world - the grain and new wine which can be enjoyable - will never fill me up. Even if everything is going great in my life, even then, I still won't be filled with as much as I can be with God.


So in the end, I can lie down and sleep in peace. In the midst of everything the Lord is making me dwell in safety. Everything is going to be alright.


Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

We live in a troublesome world.  Often there does not seem to be any good, but You are here and You are good.  You have asked us to dwell on the positive, the honorable, the lovely.  Help us to fix our eyes on those things and to keep our eyes focused on Your face.  Only then will we be able to live our lives properly.  Help us to live truly set apart lives.  Help us to remember You.  You fill us with what is greater than the world has to offer but we are so easily deceived.  We do not want to be deceived any longer.  Help us to seek the truth.  Help us to seek You so that we may truly have peace.

In Jesus Name,
Amen
QFT

1.  Am I in distress right now?  What is causing this if I am?  Am I asking God for relief and help in this time?

2.  Am I in the spiritual battle and am I doing the work of the Lord or am I being spiritually lazy?  Are any of the problems/issues I am facing in my life right now due to my spiritual inactivity or weakness?  If so, what can I do to get back to where I need to be or to grow?

3.  Am I being set apart?  Is there any difference in my life/activities as a Christian or am I just like those around me who do not claim to know God?  Is there anything that I am doing right now that makes me feel guilty or that I think deep down is not the best for me spiritually?  What can I do differently starting today?

4. How do I feel about anger?  How do I deal with my anger?  Do I have healthy boundaries?  Can I say no to people or situations that aren't best for me spiritually or do I get sucked into them time and time again?  Am I bitter?  How can I get help with this?  Do I have strong spiritual friends who can help me?

5.  Do I have peace in my life?  Am I sleeping well?  What am I trying to use to bring me peace and joy?  Do I believe that my spiritual life could make a difference in this?  Am I focusing on God or circumstances?  What can I do to start moving closer to God and the peace that He offers?
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