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?
Showing posts with label spiritual battle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual battle. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
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.
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?
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?
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/6/15 (11/6/09)
Prayer Focus - Gratitude
Day 2
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 66
"Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For You, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance." ( vs. 8-12 )
We are reminded here that sometimes God allows us to go through hard times in order to train and refine us. He lets testing go on to see what is in our hearts because that is what is most important. The heart is the wellspring of life and often it is not as pure as it should be. We desire to do good, but evil seems to be right with us. Testing is like the furnace that purifies metal. All the impurities are burned off. Sometimes our testing is very intense as well and we can question God. This testing does not mean that God is upset with us, however, or that He is being mean to us. He loves us so much, as evidenced by the cross of Christ. He wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth but He also knows what it is going to take to get us to heaven.
I think about all the sports I have played and this concept makes sense to me. I went through so much to excel. I put up with early morning workouts, "twice a days", and "hell weeks". I put up with persecution during the times I played on boys teams, often to the point of wanting to give up. But I loved the sport and so I kept going. I am glad I persevered because I became a better person, and a better player. The same was true with school and all the time I put into getting good grades and finishing college. It was difficult and I was tempted to quit, but once you start quitting, it becomes easier and easier and soon finishing anything seems like an impossibility.
Our society does understand commitment and enduring hardships in athletics, and maybe in a career, but in life, it seems odd to us. We have moved so far from this concept of enduring hardship that anytime something is hard or hurts, we think it must be bad or wrong. Also, many of the problems we see arising in our society stem from this lack of the ability to endure. We don't want to have to struggle for anything. Instant gratification is king. For example, no one wants to wait until they have the money in order to spend it. I know that was me until I racked up a credit card debt that was insurmountable. No one wants to wait to get married in order to be involved physically. Very few people want to put in long hours of study and practice on order to learn a subject, skill, or trade. We would rather watch someone succeed, then get out there and do it ourselves.
But God wants to change us from the inside out. He doesn't want us to be spectators, He wants us to be participants in life. He knows that nothing good comes without sacrifice and struggle. He allows this to happen in our lives because He wants us in heaven. If we can start living with eternity in our minds, we will be able to view our troubles in a different way. They will become light and momentary. Our entire lives here on earth will become only a dot on the timeline of eternity. None of this will matter so much anymore. The only thing that will matter then is being right with God and we will endure whatever comes to ensure that.
God knows, and He will not leave us hanging. He will bring us out to a place of abundance someday. The trials do not last forever. The times of rejoicing come. It is like the beauty after the rainstorms, or the rainbows that come when the sun shines through. When that happens, if we have persevered, we will be ready for it.
Scriptures for thought:
II Corinthians 4: 16 - 18
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Hebrews 12: 7 - 13
"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 'Make level paths for your feet', so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We will shout for joy today because we are alive. We will praise Your name because You are powerful. We will be grateful for all of the challenges and trials that come along because we know that they are refining us and making us into the men and women that will make a difference in the world. We praise You for not letting us go our own ways. We praise You for all of Your guidance and all the second chances that You have given us. We will not cherish sin in our hearts. You are good.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I praise God even in the difficult times? Why or why not? How can I praise Him more?
2. What is going well in my life? What am I being tested in? How do I feel about persevering through difficult times?
3. What specific difficulties am I facing right now? What prisons am I in? What burdens are on my back? Who is riding over my head? How am I dealing with all of these things?
4. Has God brought me out to my place of abundance yet? What is this like for me? What can I imagine it will be like?
5. Am I cherishing any sin in my heart and therefore hindering God's ability to do work? How can I deal with these things?
Day 2
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 66
"Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For You, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance." ( vs. 8-12 )
We are reminded here that sometimes God allows us to go through hard times in order to train and refine us. He lets testing go on to see what is in our hearts because that is what is most important. The heart is the wellspring of life and often it is not as pure as it should be. We desire to do good, but evil seems to be right with us. Testing is like the furnace that purifies metal. All the impurities are burned off. Sometimes our testing is very intense as well and we can question God. This testing does not mean that God is upset with us, however, or that He is being mean to us. He loves us so much, as evidenced by the cross of Christ. He wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth but He also knows what it is going to take to get us to heaven.
I think about all the sports I have played and this concept makes sense to me. I went through so much to excel. I put up with early morning workouts, "twice a days", and "hell weeks". I put up with persecution during the times I played on boys teams, often to the point of wanting to give up. But I loved the sport and so I kept going. I am glad I persevered because I became a better person, and a better player. The same was true with school and all the time I put into getting good grades and finishing college. It was difficult and I was tempted to quit, but once you start quitting, it becomes easier and easier and soon finishing anything seems like an impossibility.
Our society does understand commitment and enduring hardships in athletics, and maybe in a career, but in life, it seems odd to us. We have moved so far from this concept of enduring hardship that anytime something is hard or hurts, we think it must be bad or wrong. Also, many of the problems we see arising in our society stem from this lack of the ability to endure. We don't want to have to struggle for anything. Instant gratification is king. For example, no one wants to wait until they have the money in order to spend it. I know that was me until I racked up a credit card debt that was insurmountable. No one wants to wait to get married in order to be involved physically. Very few people want to put in long hours of study and practice on order to learn a subject, skill, or trade. We would rather watch someone succeed, then get out there and do it ourselves.
But God wants to change us from the inside out. He doesn't want us to be spectators, He wants us to be participants in life. He knows that nothing good comes without sacrifice and struggle. He allows this to happen in our lives because He wants us in heaven. If we can start living with eternity in our minds, we will be able to view our troubles in a different way. They will become light and momentary. Our entire lives here on earth will become only a dot on the timeline of eternity. None of this will matter so much anymore. The only thing that will matter then is being right with God and we will endure whatever comes to ensure that.
God knows, and He will not leave us hanging. He will bring us out to a place of abundance someday. The trials do not last forever. The times of rejoicing come. It is like the beauty after the rainstorms, or the rainbows that come when the sun shines through. When that happens, if we have persevered, we will be ready for it.
Scriptures for thought:
II Corinthians 4: 16 - 18
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Hebrews 12: 7 - 13
"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 'Make level paths for your feet', so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We will shout for joy today because we are alive. We will praise Your name because You are powerful. We will be grateful for all of the challenges and trials that come along because we know that they are refining us and making us into the men and women that will make a difference in the world. We praise You for not letting us go our own ways. We praise You for all of Your guidance and all the second chances that You have given us. We will not cherish sin in our hearts. You are good.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I praise God even in the difficult times? Why or why not? How can I praise Him more?
2. What is going well in my life? What am I being tested in? How do I feel about persevering through difficult times?
3. What specific difficulties am I facing right now? What prisons am I in? What burdens are on my back? Who is riding over my head? How am I dealing with all of these things?
4. Has God brought me out to my place of abundance yet? What is this like for me? What can I imagine it will be like?
5. Am I cherishing any sin in my heart and therefore hindering God's ability to do work? How can I deal with these things?
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Daily Devotional - 8/25/15 (10/25/09)
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 4
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 55
"Listen to my prayer , O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger" (vs. 1 - 3)
The voice of the enemy. What a disturbing thought. Satan does speaks to us, often in our thoughts. Random strange thoughts that we wonder about and think "Where did that come from". Ideas that we know are not good for us. Temptations. Satan prowls like a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8-9) and we are definitely in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-18). We forget so easily about this and then we are easy victims for the evil forces that surround us. We think that our thoughts are just our thoughts, and so why shouldn't we indulge them. Why should we be so strict with ourselves, we reason. No one knows what I am thinking about so what will it matter? What will be the consequences? What will this one thought do?
But this is where all sin starts. It starts with just a thought indulged, a small desire, that over time grows and grows. James 1: 13 - 15 states, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
Satan plants a little thought like - "I never do anything right" - in our heads and then we begin to dwell on it. Soon we are angry and frustrated. This eventually becomes depression and negativity. We stop functioning properly and become completely inward focused. Satan has won, all from that little thought. Or how about - my husband/wife doesn't act like he/she loves me. We take that thought which might run through our head and begin to dwell on it. Soon, our husbands/wives are the worst individuals alive and we are so upset that we respond very negatively towards them as well. And it gets worse from there.
We have to recognize that there is an enemy and it is not another human being. I repeat Ephesians 6: 12 ("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") almost daily so that I will remember that I am not fighting my husband, my children, my students, or even myself. I am fighting a spiritual enemy. There is more to this world than we can see. We have to remember that the next time someone is being mean to us or there is an irritating situation at work or at home. It is Satan trying to get at us and he will use whatever will work best. He knows what pushes our buttons. So since we know that we will hear his voice, that this is a definite reality, then we need to take every thought captive (II Cor. 10:3-5). This is where the battle starts. The victory in our lives will be won day by day here. We must take our thoughts captive, and then we need to take the next step - "Call on God".
"But I call to God and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me." (vs. 16 -18)
We are in a spiritual battle, and although we are called to be spiritual warriors, we cannot win this struggle by ourselves. We are no match for Satan and we should not even try to battle him alone. We need God to win the battle. We need God's word and we need an active prayer life. We need to be calling out to God continuously - morning, noon, and night. God will hear us, but we have to call out to Him. We need to plead with Him. He will ransom us from this spiritual battle when we pray. His armies are much greater than Satan's.
There is a story in II Kings about Elisha and his servant that always encourages me. The town that Elisha was staying in was surrounded by the troops of the king of Aram. It appeared hopeless when seen with human eyes and Elisha's servant was terrified. Elisha comforted him and told him not to be afraid because the warriors of God were more numerous that the troops of Aram. Then he prayed for the servant's eyes to be opened. When the servant looked again to the hills, he saw them full of horses and chariots of fire. The troops of Aram were then miraculously over come. When I look at this story and the many others in the Old Testament, I realize that God is bigger than all of the struggles I face. I just do not always look in a spiritual way for the victories. (II Kings 6:8-23) I must go to God, and cling to God to win the battle.
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall...But as for me, I trust in You." (vs. 22, 23b)
Finally, let us cast our worries on the Lord because He does care for us and He will sustain us. He will never let the righteous fall. Let us be righteous, and let us choose God. Let us be able to say like the psalmist, "Despite what is going on around me and even if no one else is willing to follow You anymore, God, I trust in You! I will follow."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We hear the voice of the enemy and often we don't recognize that it is an enemy at all. Help us to discern our thoughts and help us to take every thought captive. We know that what we dwell on impacts our lives and our actions. We want to dwell on what is wholesome, good, and lovely. Let us direct our thoughts to whatever is honorable and right. Guard our hearts and our minds and help us to turn continually to You for the help and the strength that we need to stand firm in this spiritual battle. Make us into mighty warriors, Father, because we know that that is what You desire for us. We desire it as well. You desire the victory for us and for others. Help us to be part of the solution. We are casting our cares onto You and turning to You. We know that You will ransom us and we will do our part as well. You are great. You are our God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I recognize that Satan can feed me thoughts? Am I taking captive every thought and striving to dwell on what is good?
2. What thoughts from Satan am I especially prone to grab hold of and dwell on? What thoughts and verses can I use to counteract them?
3. Am I praying morning, noon, and night? What can I do to remind myself to pray more and especially at these three times? Where do I pray best? When have I felt most connected to God in prayer? How can I duplicate these times?
4. What cares do I need to cast on God in prayer? What verses can I memorize and meditate on that will remind me how much God does care for me?
5. Am I committed to trusting God no matter what happens? What would make me hesitate in my trust in God? What has made me turn back/look back in the past, even if it was just in my heart?
Day 4
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
One person who has given you a lot of trouble recently
One person from your family (immediate or extended) that has given you trouble
One person from work or a social circle that has given you trouble
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Your ability to offer complete forgiveness from your heart
Your ability to let go of the hurts and move on whether they will ever apologize or not
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 55
"Listen to my prayer , O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger" (vs. 1 - 3)
The voice of the enemy. What a disturbing thought. Satan does speaks to us, often in our thoughts. Random strange thoughts that we wonder about and think "Where did that come from". Ideas that we know are not good for us. Temptations. Satan prowls like a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8-9) and we are definitely in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-18). We forget so easily about this and then we are easy victims for the evil forces that surround us. We think that our thoughts are just our thoughts, and so why shouldn't we indulge them. Why should we be so strict with ourselves, we reason. No one knows what I am thinking about so what will it matter? What will be the consequences? What will this one thought do?
But this is where all sin starts. It starts with just a thought indulged, a small desire, that over time grows and grows. James 1: 13 - 15 states, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
Satan plants a little thought like - "I never do anything right" - in our heads and then we begin to dwell on it. Soon we are angry and frustrated. This eventually becomes depression and negativity. We stop functioning properly and become completely inward focused. Satan has won, all from that little thought. Or how about - my husband/wife doesn't act like he/she loves me. We take that thought which might run through our head and begin to dwell on it. Soon, our husbands/wives are the worst individuals alive and we are so upset that we respond very negatively towards them as well. And it gets worse from there.
We have to recognize that there is an enemy and it is not another human being. I repeat Ephesians 6: 12 ("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") almost daily so that I will remember that I am not fighting my husband, my children, my students, or even myself. I am fighting a spiritual enemy. There is more to this world than we can see. We have to remember that the next time someone is being mean to us or there is an irritating situation at work or at home. It is Satan trying to get at us and he will use whatever will work best. He knows what pushes our buttons. So since we know that we will hear his voice, that this is a definite reality, then we need to take every thought captive (II Cor. 10:3-5). This is where the battle starts. The victory in our lives will be won day by day here. We must take our thoughts captive, and then we need to take the next step - "Call on God".
"But I call to God and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me." (vs. 16 -18)
We are in a spiritual battle, and although we are called to be spiritual warriors, we cannot win this struggle by ourselves. We are no match for Satan and we should not even try to battle him alone. We need God to win the battle. We need God's word and we need an active prayer life. We need to be calling out to God continuously - morning, noon, and night. God will hear us, but we have to call out to Him. We need to plead with Him. He will ransom us from this spiritual battle when we pray. His armies are much greater than Satan's.
There is a story in II Kings about Elisha and his servant that always encourages me. The town that Elisha was staying in was surrounded by the troops of the king of Aram. It appeared hopeless when seen with human eyes and Elisha's servant was terrified. Elisha comforted him and told him not to be afraid because the warriors of God were more numerous that the troops of Aram. Then he prayed for the servant's eyes to be opened. When the servant looked again to the hills, he saw them full of horses and chariots of fire. The troops of Aram were then miraculously over come. When I look at this story and the many others in the Old Testament, I realize that God is bigger than all of the struggles I face. I just do not always look in a spiritual way for the victories. (II Kings 6:8-23) I must go to God, and cling to God to win the battle.
"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall...But as for me, I trust in You." (vs. 22, 23b)
Finally, let us cast our worries on the Lord because He does care for us and He will sustain us. He will never let the righteous fall. Let us be righteous, and let us choose God. Let us be able to say like the psalmist, "Despite what is going on around me and even if no one else is willing to follow You anymore, God, I trust in You! I will follow."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We hear the voice of the enemy and often we don't recognize that it is an enemy at all. Help us to discern our thoughts and help us to take every thought captive. We know that what we dwell on impacts our lives and our actions. We want to dwell on what is wholesome, good, and lovely. Let us direct our thoughts to whatever is honorable and right. Guard our hearts and our minds and help us to turn continually to You for the help and the strength that we need to stand firm in this spiritual battle. Make us into mighty warriors, Father, because we know that that is what You desire for us. We desire it as well. You desire the victory for us and for others. Help us to be part of the solution. We are casting our cares onto You and turning to You. We know that You will ransom us and we will do our part as well. You are great. You are our God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I recognize that Satan can feed me thoughts? Am I taking captive every thought and striving to dwell on what is good?
2. What thoughts from Satan am I especially prone to grab hold of and dwell on? What thoughts and verses can I use to counteract them?
3. Am I praying morning, noon, and night? What can I do to remind myself to pray more and especially at these three times? Where do I pray best? When have I felt most connected to God in prayer? How can I duplicate these times?
4. What cares do I need to cast on God in prayer? What verses can I memorize and meditate on that will remind me how much God does care for me?
5. Am I committed to trusting God no matter what happens? What would make me hesitate in my trust in God? What has made me turn back/look back in the past, even if it was just in my heart?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/14/10 (10/14/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
If anything is to be accomplished in life, it will be through God. God sustains and grants the victories. I will not win the land, God will. I will not be successful with my life. It is too much for me. It really is, but God is here. He is pushing back my enemies. He is taking care of my children. He is getting me through my days. It is all too much for me and on some days I can not even think straight. I just keep going and somehow, everything keeps getting done. I will boast in God and I will go to sleep now because I am very, very tired.
Good night.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary sometimes and exhausted. Life can be so overwhelming and yet You are always there. You are waiting for us. Help us not to miss You in our frustration and sorrow. Help us not to miss You in our often frantic endeavours. Help us to slow down and recline at Your feet, to know that You are truly God and You are all we need. Remind us that the world will keep turning without us and that our jobs will go on. Help us to do our best, but help us to remember that there is more out there than what we see. We are so small and our worries so insignificant. You can solve them all. You are still in control, no matter how out of control we feel. The battle is Yours, let us give it to You. Grant us the rest we need tonight for we know that You grant sleep to those You love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. What are the battles I am fighting right now? Am I winning or losing?
2. Am I fighting them by myself or am I giving them over to God? How do I know?
3. Am I keeping my perspective right? Am I focused on knowing God first and foremost?
4. Am I seeking first the Kingdom of God (church) and His righteousness (my relationship with Him) and letting God take care of the rest? How do I know? If not, what am I seeking first in my life?
5. How can I seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness? What does that mean to me, and what would this look like in my life?
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
If anything is to be accomplished in life, it will be through God. God sustains and grants the victories. I will not win the land, God will. I will not be successful with my life. It is too much for me. It really is, but God is here. He is pushing back my enemies. He is taking care of my children. He is getting me through my days. It is all too much for me and on some days I can not even think straight. I just keep going and somehow, everything keeps getting done. I will boast in God and I will go to sleep now because I am very, very tired.
Good night.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary sometimes and exhausted. Life can be so overwhelming and yet You are always there. You are waiting for us. Help us not to miss You in our frustration and sorrow. Help us not to miss You in our often frantic endeavours. Help us to slow down and recline at Your feet, to know that You are truly God and You are all we need. Remind us that the world will keep turning without us and that our jobs will go on. Help us to do our best, but help us to remember that there is more out there than what we see. We are so small and our worries so insignificant. You can solve them all. You are still in control, no matter how out of control we feel. The battle is Yours, let us give it to You. Grant us the rest we need tonight for we know that You grant sleep to those You love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. What are the battles I am fighting right now? Am I winning or losing?
2. Am I fighting them by myself or am I giving them over to God? How do I know?
3. Am I keeping my perspective right? Am I focused on knowing God first and foremost?
4. Am I seeking first the Kingdom of God (church) and His righteousness (my relationship with Him) and letting God take care of the rest? How do I know? If not, what am I seeking first in my life?
5. How can I seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness? What does that mean to me, and what would this look like in my life?
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/5/10 (10/5/09)
Prayer Focus - Leaders (any type - World, State, Local, Church, Business, Work)
Day 5
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
One leader from another country
One local leader
One political leader
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 35
"Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me...Say to my soul, I am your salvation." (vs. 1 & 3b)
Sometimes someone we love can act like an enemy in our lives. It may be a spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, or a co-worker. It can be anyone close to us really. This is a painful situation when it arises, but God knows what we are going through and why. Although it is difficult, we need to view the relationship from a distance and see that this is really a spiritual battle between good and evil. In many ways, it is not really about us, especially if we have done nothing to provoke the antagonism. We always need to search our hearts and make sure there is nothing we can change, but in the end we need to realize "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12)." Since the battle is a spiritual one, we need to pray for God to contend with them and fight against the sinfulness in their lives. It is not up to us to fight them personally.
We definitely need to turn to God and cling to Him in these situations. We can feel like we are at the end of our rope and don't know how much more we can take. Only God can provide the comfort we truly need in this situation. He can speak to our souls when they are down and devastated and say what truly will heal and comfort them. God can make our souls know that He is our salvation. No one else is. God can and will save us when the time is right, and in the meantime, we are to remember that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us....And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:18 & 28)"
God can put a bubble around our hearts so that the attacks and anger of the person we are dealing with will just bounce right off of us and we will be able to say, "I am sorry that you feel this way. I am sorry that you are angry with me." God can help us to not retaliate. We are called to rise above as evidenced by the following scriptures.
I Peter 3: 9-17 (9, 14-15a, highlights printed below)
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing...But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.... It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Proverbs 24: 17-18
"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him."
Matt 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
This seems like too much of a challenge at times, but God rescues us. Our enemies may be too strong for us emotionally. They may beat us down and oppress us. They may rob us of our joy at times, but God will rescue us in due time. God knows. God knows when we are being repaid evil for good. He knows when our souls are left forlorn by various relational conflicts. God will take care of it. Our responsibility is to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, no matter what happens (Phil 1:27a). We still need to love and pray and fast for our enemies. We need to be like God and rise above. Despite their actions, we need to be loving and full of empathy and compassion. We need to love our enemies, regardless.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Father,
You have seen our struggles. Do not be far from us, so that we can do right in the midst of our relational struggles. We will rejoice in You always. We will say to our souls, "The Lord is my salvation." We will not look for salvation from those around us because they will fail us, but You will never. Help us to be gentle as we remember that You are near. Forgive us Lord where we need to be forgiven. Strengthen us where we need to be strengthen. Vindicate us, Lord, where we need to be vindicated. We know You delight in our well being. Today we will speak of You because You are awesome, no matter what. You are in control of all that is going on in our lives and You know. Help us to keep doing right and keep rejoicing in You. You will take care of the rest.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there any relationship in my life right now that is difficult? Am I dealing with it in a righteous manner? What do I need to do to keep the proper perspective? Do I have any support to help me get through these difficulties?
2. How do I treat those who do not like me? Am I loving my enemies? How can I change and do better with this?
3. How can I overcome evil with good? What situations in my life might be categorized as evil? What is my attitude like towards them? What are my actions in dealing with them?
4. Is there a past relationship that I have not dealt with? How can I resolve this so that my heart is right before God?
5. How do I presently deal with conflicts with others? What can I do when I am in the midst of a conflict so that I can do what is right? How can I remember God in these situations?
Day 5
Pray for:
One leader who inspires you
One leader who you know is struggling with something
One leader from another country
One local leader
One political leader
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to hear You and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 35
"Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me...Say to my soul, I am your salvation." (vs. 1 & 3b)
Sometimes someone we love can act like an enemy in our lives. It may be a spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, or a co-worker. It can be anyone close to us really. This is a painful situation when it arises, but God knows what we are going through and why. Although it is difficult, we need to view the relationship from a distance and see that this is really a spiritual battle between good and evil. In many ways, it is not really about us, especially if we have done nothing to provoke the antagonism. We always need to search our hearts and make sure there is nothing we can change, but in the end we need to realize "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12)." Since the battle is a spiritual one, we need to pray for God to contend with them and fight against the sinfulness in their lives. It is not up to us to fight them personally.
We definitely need to turn to God and cling to Him in these situations. We can feel like we are at the end of our rope and don't know how much more we can take. Only God can provide the comfort we truly need in this situation. He can speak to our souls when they are down and devastated and say what truly will heal and comfort them. God can make our souls know that He is our salvation. No one else is. God can and will save us when the time is right, and in the meantime, we are to remember that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us....And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:18 & 28)"
God can put a bubble around our hearts so that the attacks and anger of the person we are dealing with will just bounce right off of us and we will be able to say, "I am sorry that you feel this way. I am sorry that you are angry with me." God can help us to not retaliate. We are called to rise above as evidenced by the following scriptures.
I Peter 3: 9-17 (9, 14-15a, highlights printed below)
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing...But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.... It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Proverbs 24: 17-18
"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him."
Matt 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
This seems like too much of a challenge at times, but God rescues us. Our enemies may be too strong for us emotionally. They may beat us down and oppress us. They may rob us of our joy at times, but God will rescue us in due time. God knows. God knows when we are being repaid evil for good. He knows when our souls are left forlorn by various relational conflicts. God will take care of it. Our responsibility is to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, no matter what happens (Phil 1:27a). We still need to love and pray and fast for our enemies. We need to be like God and rise above. Despite their actions, we need to be loving and full of empathy and compassion. We need to love our enemies, regardless.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Father,
You have seen our struggles. Do not be far from us, so that we can do right in the midst of our relational struggles. We will rejoice in You always. We will say to our souls, "The Lord is my salvation." We will not look for salvation from those around us because they will fail us, but You will never. Help us to be gentle as we remember that You are near. Forgive us Lord where we need to be forgiven. Strengthen us where we need to be strengthen. Vindicate us, Lord, where we need to be vindicated. We know You delight in our well being. Today we will speak of You because You are awesome, no matter what. You are in control of all that is going on in our lives and You know. Help us to keep doing right and keep rejoicing in You. You will take care of the rest.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Is there any relationship in my life right now that is difficult? Am I dealing with it in a righteous manner? What do I need to do to keep the proper perspective? Do I have any support to help me get through these difficulties?
2. How do I treat those who do not like me? Am I loving my enemies? How can I change and do better with this?
3. How can I overcome evil with good? What situations in my life might be categorized as evil? What is my attitude like towards them? What are my actions in dealing with them?
4. Is there a past relationship that I have not dealt with? How can I resolve this so that my heart is right before God?
5. How do I presently deal with conflicts with others? What can I do when I am in the midst of a conflict so that I can do what is right? How can I remember God in these situations?
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/7/10 (9/7/09)
Focus Letter - G
Pray for:
Five things that you are thankful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic beginning with the focus letter you would like to see grow in you and your family
Dear Lord - open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey
Psalms 7
"O Lord my God, I take refuge in You; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me." (vs. 1-2)
I take refuge in God. My enemies pursue me. Often my thoughts are my enemies. My worries are my enemies relentlessly swirling in my head. I hear what I think is God's voice, yet I hesitate. I do not want to make waves. I do not want to make someone mad at me by telling them that I think something they did was not right. I am too weak to be bold and my thoughts pursue me. I need to take refuge in God, but does that mean hiding? I don't think so this time. I think it means take refuge in Him while I step out and speak.
Why is my voice hidden? Why am I afraid to speak, to have my own opinions and thoughts? I don't know, perhaps I never will. Perhaps it is just my personality but I cannot hide behind my personality. I must take refuge in God and trust that He will take care of me when I obey the commands that I find difficult. Sometimes I am afraid that I am in the wrong. I do not want to speak because I do not want to find out that I am incorrect. I want to hang on to my rightness more than my righteousness. But God knows if I am right or wrong anyway. I just need to obey and if I am right, He will protect me.
God also knows what is right and wrong and He knows when His righteousness has been violated. He searches the hearts and minds of people and He can correct them. I don't need to do His job for Him, but I do need to speak if He has put it on my heart. God judges the people, not me, but I am in charge of at least giving a warning (Ezekiel 3:16-21). If I do not give the warning, I will be held accountable for not doing it. That is frightening for a big coward like me. Also, there is the very challenging verse about being a coward. It groups cowardice in a category along with murderers (Rev 21:8). I need to step out and follow the leading of Christ.
"My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart...I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." (vs. 10 & 17)
I need to not be afraid because I am taking refuge in God and He is my shield. He will protect me from the anger of another or from disagreement. He saves the upright in heart. He will save me as long as I am righteous. Therefore, I must make sure I am righteous even when talking to someone about a disagreement or about some perceived wrong. I must be pure in heart and make sure that I have no evil intent at all, no matter what, because evil will come back to me. If I dig a pit, I will fall into it. It is that old saying, "what goes around, comes around."
And in all these struggles, I am still to rejoice in the Lord. I am to rejoice always, because God does not change. I can be gentle in conflict and confrontation because God is near. He is the one who will take care of everything. (Philippians 4:4-7) "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord" (Romans 12:17-21). Vengeance is not Lillian's. I have no right to take revenge. My role in any situation is to be gentle, and to warn, or at least to talk it out. To put it out there and let God do His work. I do not need to force anything. That would not be effective or righteous.
The Lord is near. He will take care of it in His time and in His way. Therefore, I will not be anxious. I will pray instead. I will present my requests to God, with thanksgiving that I am even alive to have problems and conflicts, and I will enjoy His peace. I will give thanks to Him because He is righteous. None of the rest of us are. We are all just travelers trying to get somewhere. Even the best of us are just fellow beggars trying to point others to the feast we have found. So I will rejoice, and I will give thanks, and I will give praise. And I, I will not be afraid anymore.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Save us form our thoughts. It is difficult to be pure in our mind and our thoughts are our enemies. We struggle so much to keep our focus on You and to be godly. We are so far from You so much of the time. We long for peace and joy but find ourselves broken. You can heal everything. You can heal our thoughts, our minds, and our souls. You know exactly what is in our hearts, what we struggle with, what holds us back from the life You have for us. Help us to truly live as You would want. Help us to be open and communicative and to speak the truth in love. Help us to throw open our hearts and minds to others so that You can work in us and others. We ask all this of You and know that You hear.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QTF
1. How are my thoughts my enemies? What thoughts do I have that are not godly? How do I deal with them? How can I do a better job at taking my thoughts captive?
2. Do I speak the truth in love? Do I speak up about things that bother me or about issues I see in the lives of those I care about or even society at large? Why or why not? What holds me back? What can I do to deal with these things that hold me back?
3. Do I make sure I am righteous when I am speaking to someone about a disagreement or problem? Do I find myself in arguments often? Why? How am I contributing to the controversy? How can I handle my conflicts better?
4. Do I realize and hold onto the idea that the Lord is near? How can this help me to deal with conflicts better? Do I find myself arguing my point or trying to win in a conflict? Do I seek vengeance? Am I bitter and unforgiving toward anyone or any situation? How can I deal with these sins?
5. Do I rejoice in the Lord even in the midst of my struggles and conflicts? Would others describe me as a happy or unhappy person? Why? What excuses do I give for myself if I am not joyful or happy consistently? Are these excuses valid? How can I change and become joyful?
Pray for:
Five things that you are thankful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic beginning with the focus letter you would like to see grow in you and your family
Dear Lord - open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey
Psalms 7
"O Lord my God, I take refuge in You; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me." (vs. 1-2)
I take refuge in God. My enemies pursue me. Often my thoughts are my enemies. My worries are my enemies relentlessly swirling in my head. I hear what I think is God's voice, yet I hesitate. I do not want to make waves. I do not want to make someone mad at me by telling them that I think something they did was not right. I am too weak to be bold and my thoughts pursue me. I need to take refuge in God, but does that mean hiding? I don't think so this time. I think it means take refuge in Him while I step out and speak.
Why is my voice hidden? Why am I afraid to speak, to have my own opinions and thoughts? I don't know, perhaps I never will. Perhaps it is just my personality but I cannot hide behind my personality. I must take refuge in God and trust that He will take care of me when I obey the commands that I find difficult. Sometimes I am afraid that I am in the wrong. I do not want to speak because I do not want to find out that I am incorrect. I want to hang on to my rightness more than my righteousness. But God knows if I am right or wrong anyway. I just need to obey and if I am right, He will protect me.
God also knows what is right and wrong and He knows when His righteousness has been violated. He searches the hearts and minds of people and He can correct them. I don't need to do His job for Him, but I do need to speak if He has put it on my heart. God judges the people, not me, but I am in charge of at least giving a warning (Ezekiel 3:16-21). If I do not give the warning, I will be held accountable for not doing it. That is frightening for a big coward like me. Also, there is the very challenging verse about being a coward. It groups cowardice in a category along with murderers (Rev 21:8). I need to step out and follow the leading of Christ.
"My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart...I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." (vs. 10 & 17)
I need to not be afraid because I am taking refuge in God and He is my shield. He will protect me from the anger of another or from disagreement. He saves the upright in heart. He will save me as long as I am righteous. Therefore, I must make sure I am righteous even when talking to someone about a disagreement or about some perceived wrong. I must be pure in heart and make sure that I have no evil intent at all, no matter what, because evil will come back to me. If I dig a pit, I will fall into it. It is that old saying, "what goes around, comes around."
And in all these struggles, I am still to rejoice in the Lord. I am to rejoice always, because God does not change. I can be gentle in conflict and confrontation because God is near. He is the one who will take care of everything. (Philippians 4:4-7) "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord" (Romans 12:17-21). Vengeance is not Lillian's. I have no right to take revenge. My role in any situation is to be gentle, and to warn, or at least to talk it out. To put it out there and let God do His work. I do not need to force anything. That would not be effective or righteous.
The Lord is near. He will take care of it in His time and in His way. Therefore, I will not be anxious. I will pray instead. I will present my requests to God, with thanksgiving that I am even alive to have problems and conflicts, and I will enjoy His peace. I will give thanks to Him because He is righteous. None of the rest of us are. We are all just travelers trying to get somewhere. Even the best of us are just fellow beggars trying to point others to the feast we have found. So I will rejoice, and I will give thanks, and I will give praise. And I, I will not be afraid anymore.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Save us form our thoughts. It is difficult to be pure in our mind and our thoughts are our enemies. We struggle so much to keep our focus on You and to be godly. We are so far from You so much of the time. We long for peace and joy but find ourselves broken. You can heal everything. You can heal our thoughts, our minds, and our souls. You know exactly what is in our hearts, what we struggle with, what holds us back from the life You have for us. Help us to truly live as You would want. Help us to be open and communicative and to speak the truth in love. Help us to throw open our hearts and minds to others so that You can work in us and others. We ask all this of You and know that You hear.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QTF
1. How are my thoughts my enemies? What thoughts do I have that are not godly? How do I deal with them? How can I do a better job at taking my thoughts captive?
2. Do I speak the truth in love? Do I speak up about things that bother me or about issues I see in the lives of those I care about or even society at large? Why or why not? What holds me back? What can I do to deal with these things that hold me back?
3. Do I make sure I am righteous when I am speaking to someone about a disagreement or problem? Do I find myself in arguments often? Why? How am I contributing to the controversy? How can I handle my conflicts better?
4. Do I realize and hold onto the idea that the Lord is near? How can this help me to deal with conflicts better? Do I find myself arguing my point or trying to win in a conflict? Do I seek vengeance? Am I bitter and unforgiving toward anyone or any situation? How can I deal with these sins?
5. Do I rejoice in the Lord even in the midst of my struggles and conflicts? Would others describe me as a happy or unhappy person? Why? What excuses do I give for myself if I am not joyful or happy consistently? Are these excuses valid? How can I change and become joyful?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Daily Devotional - 1/23
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)
Life is a spiritual battle. We are in a spiritual battle every day and our enemy is strong and pervasive. He can pretend to be good (II Cor 11:14). He is prowling around (I Peter 5:8-9), looking to get us when we are weak, 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. In order to survive, we must keep a right spiritual perspective on Satan and we must put on the spiritual armor of God in order to fight him. (Eph 6:10-18).
We must be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. He has the power to raise even the dead and so why are we worried. We must remember 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. Put on the full armor of God so that we can take a stand against the Devil's schemes. Our struggle 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 over come 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 see life as a spiritual battle? How can I develop the right perspective and keep it in the forefront of my mind?
2. 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?
3. 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?
4. 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?
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)
Life is a spiritual battle. We are in a spiritual battle every day and our enemy is strong and pervasive. He can pretend to be good (II Cor 11:14). He is prowling around (I Peter 5:8-9), looking to get us when we are weak, 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. In order to survive, we must keep a right spiritual perspective on Satan and we must put on the spiritual armor of God in order to fight him. (Eph 6:10-18).
We must be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. He has the power to raise even the dead and so why are we worried. We must remember 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. Put on the full armor of God so that we can take a stand against the Devil's schemes. Our struggle 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 over come 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 see life as a spiritual battle? How can I develop the right perspective and keep it in the forefront of my mind?
2. 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?
3. 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?
4. 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?
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