Daily Devotional - 9/22/15 (1/22/10)

Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation

Day 4
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
One skill or topic you want to learn - (with all your mind)




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



Psalms 82



"How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

They know nothing, they understand nothing.  They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken" ( vs. 2 - 5 )


The world that we live in is very confused.  We can also be very confused.  We do not really understand what truly matters anymore.  Sometimes we call wrong right, and right wrong.  Sometimes we are defending the wrong people and things.  I don't know why we do this, but I have seen this struggle in myself.  Even in my teaching, sometimes I have caught myself trying to cater to the students who cause trouble in the class instead of the ones who are trying so hard to learn.  I often see myself looking at people in a worldly way, thinking about who makes a lot of money or who is more popular and successful in the world.  I can be fooled by glitz and glamor.  I can be envious of people that have a nice car or house and a lot of money.  I can want a life of leisure instead of a life of purpose.  Then I become very dissatisfied with my life and all of its blessings.

I often think it would be good if we could go back to a simpler time so that we would not have so many distractions from the pursuit of values and integrity.  We would have a completely different perspective, but unfortunately, we can not go back.  And, I must remind myself, there have always been problems.  But, I do often think about the story of Pandora's Box.  Once the box was opened, there was no going back.  This is similar to our world now.  Everything is out of the box and evil just seems to keep expanding.  But despite all of this, we are still called to a better life.  We are challenged with our thinking and taught about what is truly life. 

This short psalms calls us out. It asks, "How long will we keep valuing what is wrong?"  It challenges us with purpose; defend, maintain, rescue, and deliver.  It calls on us to change the world; to stop being blind to the truth and to start to understand.  The earth is being shaken right now by ignorance and hatred.  Horrible things are being done, and evil men are being regarded as good in many parts of the world, but if we look to the scriptures, we are still commanded to focus on what is good and noble, perfect and true (Philippians 4:8). 

We are still called to rejoice.  Consider this:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:4-7)

We are still called to love.  Consider this:

"A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

We are called to make a difference by being different, and loving in a different way.  We are called to look at people from God's perspective and have His priorities in dealing with them.

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.  Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" (II Corinthians 5:16-17)

We tend to look at the outward appearance of others and judge them by our standards of what we like and dislike (I Samuel 16:7). We are doing wrong when we do this. I am definitely glad that God looks at my heart because I know I would never measure up outwardly; yet why do I forget that with others.  Often the best people are so far removed from what we would have imagined or picked. We need to take care of everyone that we can because that is what God desires.  He has called us to use whatever strength and resources we have to help.  We are not to just look at people outwardly, we are to look at need.  We are to help the weak and the poor.  We are to protect others from evil.  We are called and if we are called, we will be equipped. 

Let us keep our priorities right and remember we are here to serve and not be served (Matt 20:28). There are so many people who need us. Let us place others above ourselves today and everyday. We can make a difference.



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


Help us to see people as You do. Help us to focus on the heart and not on the outward appearance. Help us to not be drawn to what society promotes as the "beautiful people". We are all precious to You and so we should all be precious to each other. Help us to not miss out on the joy of serving and help us to help those who need it. Show us the good works You have for us to do and grant us the strength to do them.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT



1. How do I view people? Why? How do I see the poor, fatherless, oppressed, weak, and needy? Do I have any stereotypes about others? Why? How can I change this?

2. Do I defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked in any way?  Why?  How do I feel about doing this?  How can I change?

3. How do I deal with spiritually needy people? Am I willing to sacrifice my money to help them mature spiritually or would I rather just meet their physical needs? How can I start giving more to others spiritually? Is there someone I know that I can help today?

4.  Do I make time for those in need? Do I defend and protect them in any way? What can I do to change?  What can I do to help the poor, weak, needy, oppressed, or fatherless? What opportunities already exist? Is there something I could help begin? Is there someone I know personally that I can help?

5. Do I believe that I can make a difference in the world? Why or why not? What can I study out in the Bible that will remind me that I can? What vision or dream can I develop about impacting the world in a great way?

Daily Devotional - 8/29/15 (10/29/09)

Prayer Focus - Strangers

Day 1
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to


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


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



Psalms 59


"Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.  Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men.

See how they lie in wait for me!  Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O Lord.  I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.  Arise to help me; look on my plight ...

They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.  See what they spew from their mouths - they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?"  But You, O Lord, laugh at them; You scoff at all those nations. 

O my Strength, I watch for You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. 

God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me...

But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

O my Strength, I sing praise to You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God." ( vs. 1- 4, 6 - 10, 16 - 17)


Problems and evil people bother us.  They overwhelm us and fill us with dread.  We worry.  I know I do.  Sometimes I can be so worried about all the bad things that could happen that I feel paralyzed.  But God is different.  God is not worried by evil people.  He laughs at them and scoffs at them because He knows their days are numbered.  God is also not overwhelmed by our problems and difficulties.  He knows the big picture, and so therefore, all I need to know is God.  I need to get my eyes off of my problems and get them on God.  I need to watch for Him and for His deliverance.

I am reminded of Peter walking on the water when I think about focusing on God (Matthew 14: 23 - 33).  As the story goes, Jesus sent his disciples out ahead of Him on their boat. A wind came up during the night, and so the sea was rough.  It was at this point, that Jesus came out to them, walking on the water.  At first they were afraid, but when Peter realized it was Jesus, he said, "Lord, if it's you...tell me to come to you on the water."  Jesus told him to come and Peter did indeed walk on the water.  As long as he was looking at Jesus, he was able to do the impossible.  It was only when he took his eyes off Jesus and began to look at the wind and the waves, that he became afraid and began to sink.  He cried out to Jesus to save him and so Jesus took ahold of him and helped him into the boat.

We are like Peter.  We can walk on water, or we can sink.  It all depends on our focus.  When we focus on our problems, or on the evil in the world, we will sink.  When we look up, and watch for God, we will overcome.  We do not need to worry.  We are called not to worry.  As verse 9b states, God is going before us.  He is the trailblazer, carving out a path for us.  We just need to follow Him.


We are to watch and then we are follow.  We are to pray and then we are to watch for answers.  I will watch for God's provisions and for His ways of escape from the troubles that seem to outnumber me.  For God is my fortress.  I can run to Him when I am troubled or under attack.  He is my loving God.  I am special to Him in spite of all the trouble that overwhelms me.  The troubles that I have do not mean that God does not love me.  Nothing of the sort.  The trouble and hardship I face are just a part of life.  They are a part of what I need to grow.  They refine me for eternity.  I am to view hardship as discipline and training (Hebrews 12: 4 - 13), and in fact, evidence of my Father's love.

God is going before me and I will not falter.  I will not falter if I let Him clear the way and if I stay in the path He has for me.  God is strong and He will do it.  I will praise Him yet.



Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,


We are grateful that You go before us to clear the way.  Help us to walk in the path that You have prepared.  You are good.  We are grateful that nothing can hinder Your plan and that evil people are nothing but something to laugh and scoff at.  We get so worked up and worried over evil men but we need to leave them up to You.  Help us to let go of this.  You are our fortress.  Help us to run to You when we are tempted to worry or be discouraged.  You will keep us safe.  You love us.  We are so grateful for Your love.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT


1. Do I realize that evil people are best left up to God?  What do my actions show of what I believe?  Do I pray for these people?  Do I care about their eternal destiny?

2.  Am I focusing on God and His power, or am I focusing on my problems and evil men?  What am I worrying about right now?  What are the issues in my life that will make me sink?  How can I give them to God so I can walk on water?

3. Am I watching for God?  Am I asking God for anything?  Am I praying and waiting in eager expectation?  How can I improve this aspect of my relationship with God?

4. Do I believe God is going before me and clearing a path for me?  How do I know what the path He is preparing for me is?  How can I ensure I am following it?

5. What is God using in my life right now to train me?  Do I see my hardships as discipline and training from a God who loves me?  How have I seen good come out of my struggles?

Daily Devotional - 8/28/15 (10/28/09)

Prayer Focus - Enemies


Day 7
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
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
One person who you believe will never apologize for the pain they have caused you


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 58


"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." ( vs. 3-5)



This is a hard teaching.  Some people are evil early on. We do not understand this and we wonder why?  Perhaps we will never know, but God knows; the God who looks on the hearts of all men.  He knows everything about these people.  He knows they are people who will not listen to anyone.  He knows they are set on seeking their own will, no matter what the consequences are.  He even knows they have trouble looking past today.  Often these people do very well in life and they succeed in their ways.  Sometimes, they do better than those of us who are striving so hard to do what's right.  We struggle with this. We become angry and bitter.  We desire revenge.  Sometimes we even do stupid things to "pay them back".  But this is not what God desires.  God desires for us to let go and let Him take care of it.  God does see.  He does know.  He says in Romans 12:17 - 21:

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  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."

Bottom line, we need to still do good, no matter what anyone else is doing.  Our salvation and well being is not worth throwing away because of some evil person.  We are worth so much more to God than that.  He does not want for us to ruin our lives.  He continually says, "I will take care of this!  You do what's right!"  God WILL take care of it.  It may not be on our timing, but it will happen.  We need to let it go and give it to God.  We need to pour out our feelings and emotions to God and then wait patiently.  He is the only one that can change a man's heart.  All our strivings will do nothing but destroy our lives.  Our bitterness and hatred does no damage to the evil person, only ourselves.  

This takes us to another layer of trust.  We need to trust that God will win in the end.  We need to trust that God will purge out the evil and then the righteous will find relief.  It is not up to us to do the purging. We are to stay righteous and to love our enemies.  We are to leave justice and revenge up to God, who is sinless. He will do it in the most effective way possible and we, we will be rewarded for walking the high road; for not seeking revenge, for loving our enemy and overcoming evil with good. So let us remember the final promise of this psalm: 

"The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, ...Then men will say, 'Surely the righteous are still rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.' " ( vs. 10a, 11)





Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

We pray that we are never like the wicked men. Keep our hearts in tune to Your word and receptive to the help and assistance of others. Help us to always be willing to learn and grow. Help us to train our children so that they will not grow up into wicked men and women. It is a serious responsibility that You have given us and we pray for Your strength, wisdom, and guidance. We are waiting on You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT


1. How do I feel about this idea that some people are wicked early on? How have I seen this in my life or in the lives of those around me?

2. Is it difficult for me to accept the idea of God's judgment? Why or why not? How can I develop a greater understanding and appreciation for this aspect of God's character?

3. How do I feel when I see injustice? How do I feel when I see justice done? Why?  What do I do about unjust situations?  Is there a better way for me to deal with what I see around me?

4. Do I seek revenge?  Why?  How do I see myself being vengeful?  What should I do instead?  How can I get help with this?

5. How do I treat my enemies?  Am I overcoming evil with good or am I acting evil as well?  How can I do this?  Are there any situations that I am in right now that I am not handling correctly?  How can I change?

Daily Devotional - 2/19/11 (10/19/09)

Prayer Focus - Friends



Day 5


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


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 49



"Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me - those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him - the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough - that he should live on forever and not see decay.

For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.

But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem my life from the grave; He will surely take me to himself.

Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men praise you when you prosper - he will join the generations of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.

A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish." ( vs 1-3, 5-20)



I have struggled for six months to find something to add as commentary for this Psalm, yet nothing comes.  I believe it really says it all. 

We will all die, and someday, we will face God whether we believe in Him or not.  I truly believe this and so what happens here is only important on the spiritual realm.  Where are we at really with God?  In this new year, let us renew our vows and commitments and if this is new or foreign to us, let us seek it out.

We truly are mists, here today and gone tomorrow.  Let's make it count.



Prayer for the Day




Dear Lord,



We praise You for creating us.  Life is so beautiful, despite its ups and downs.  We know and believe that You exist and that You reward those who earnestly seek You.  We want to seek You.  We want to recommit to serve You and we want to be pleasing to You in all we say and do.  You are truly all that matters.  Turn our eyes away from the worthless things of this world and all that glitters and charms us.  Grant us an undivided heart that we might serve You wholeheartedly.  We know that You are able.



In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT



1. Am I afraid of anything that is going on in the world today? How can I turn it over to God and trust in Him to take care of it?

2. What is my attitude towards money? Is it trying to take first place in my life? How can I have a correct attitude about wealth?

3. Do I get overawed by the wealthy and the "successful" in the world's eyes? Who are my heroes and what does that say about myself?

4. What is my life focus? What am I striving for, and what am I putting my energy into on a daily basis? Is it moving people towards Christ?

5.  Where am I with God really?  Have I lost my first love?  Am I wholehearted in my devotion?  Am I focused on the spiritual?

Daily Devotional - 9/7/10 (10/7/09)

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




Day 7


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
One leader you disagree with
One leader you interact with on a daily basis

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 37



"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away." (vs. 1-2)


"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain form anger and turn from wrath; do not fret- it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land." (vs. 7-9)



It is okay to not worry. In fact, it is more than okay, it is what is expected of us. This seems so counter intuitive. I almost feel guilty if I am not worrying. "Perhaps I am not being responsible if I give up my worry," I think. There is so much that can go wrong in the world. There is so much that can go wrong in my life, in my children's lives. It is overwhelming to think about every danger and yet I often try to. Thankfully, I do not have to. I can give this up and I must remind myself that I need to do this on a daily basis.


This is not just a suggestion either. This is a command. In several places, I am told - Do not worry. It is very clear. I have been commanded to not worry about anything. Not about my life, what I will eat or drink. Not about my body, what I will wear (Matt 6:25-34). Not about evil men. Not even when they are carrying out their wicked schemes (vs 2). Not even then. I am commanded - Do not worry! The evil men will get what's coming to them. It will happen someday. What about the large global and political issues? What about the global economy or the H1N1 virus? Is God bigger than this new flu? Is God bigger than depression? Bigger than world crises? Yes. He is bigger that even these things. What about evil conspiracies and the evil plots of diabolical men. Even then, I am not to fear or worry. I am to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. I am to refrain from anger and turn from wrath. I am to not fret - it leads only to evil. Worrying will not add an hour to my life, rather it will dissipate the energy I have left that could be used to fight. Worry is a large consuming force of Satan's and it has far reaching consequences. I must start viewing it as God does, as a direct affront to Him. It is not a little sin. It is enormous.



"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (vs. 3-4)


But it is not enough to just stop worrying. I am to start doing something as well. I am to let go of worry and to grab a hold of doing good. I am supposed to start being proactive, not just sit around worrying. I am to start trusting in God, that He will take care of everything and that He knows the ins and outs of my life. I need to remember that not even a sparrow falls to the earth without Him knowing (Matt 10:28-31). Surely He knows my life and times. Surely, He knows my fears. With my youngest daughter's asthma and various other health issues, such as severe food allergies, I have had to come to trust God over and over again. Even as I write this, she is sick again and I am tempted to worry about the flu and all of the warnings of it striking hardest those with underlying health issues. I have had to come to grips with the fact that a day may come when God may want her back with Him. I have spent many nights in the emergency room with her already in her short five years. I am continually reminded that it is not up to me, and now I deal with my husband as well.


I cannot focus on these things or I will be crippled. There was a time when much less would send me off to bed to sleep til the storm had past. Those days are over. God has used life to mature me and He is continually perfecting the process. I have learned that I need to just focus on doing good. If I sit and worry, I waste the time I do have with those I love. I cannot be godly while in the midst of a worry induced panic. So I need to focus on doing good. I need to dwell in the land. I need to live; to be here in the moment, to be with my children and laugh and play. This is so hard for me. I am so used to worrying. It is almost a comfort to me, like a drink to an alcoholic. If I have my worry, I think I will be okay, but I will not be.


I am to live and enjoy safe pasture. I am to have life, and life to the fullest. That is why Jesus came (John 10:10). Then when I die, my existence will be even better. This is so hard for me to fathom. The afterlife is so unknown. I hope and pray to have the child-like faith of my Joelle, (my youngest), who tells me that she cannot wait to go to heaven so that she will not have asthma anymore and will be able to eat nuts and not react. She talks with such longing for the day she will be there and have her perfect body. She shares this with her little friends at school and she laughs and plays in the meantime. She is not afraid. She is not worried. She is good at living and good at trusting. I love that about her and strive to imitate it. Finally, I am to delight myself in the Lord. I am to get to the point where it truly is all about God and I can let go of the rest. Then and only then can He give me the desires of my heart because then and only then will I use His gifts correctly and my desires will also be what are pleasing to Him.


In the end, if we hope in the Lord, we will inherit the land (vs. 9). The Lord laughs at the wicked for He knows their day is coming (vs. 13). Better the little that the righteous have than evil with money. It is better to be righteous than rich (vs. 16). The power of the wicked will be broken (vs. 17). It may not seem like it now. Evil does seem to rule this old world, but if so, it is only temporary. God wins out in the end and that is what I need to cling on to. In times of disaster, I will not wither or fade (vs. 19). Even in famine, I will be supported and my children protected (vs. 19). For if the Lord delights in me, He will help me and make my ways firm.


I will wait for the Lord and keep His way. There is a future for the man of peace.



Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord Father,

We want You to delight in us. It is often difficult to know if anyone has ever truly delighted in us, but we would really like that. We want to be special to someone. Father, we know that the righteous are never forsaken. Help us to turn from evil and do good. We know that You will not forsake Your faithful ones. If we hide the law of God is in our hearts, we will not slip. If we are righteous, the Lord will not let us remain under the power of the wicked or be condemned. We are so grateful for You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1. Am I a worrier? How is this not trusting God? What specific things do I worry about the most? How can I surrender them to God?

2. Am I an angry person? If so, what is the anger about? How can I let this negative emotion go?

3. Am I living life to the fullest and being "in the moment" or am I hiding behind worry? What promises of God can help me to stop worrying?

4. How can I do good and be proactive with my life. What have I been avoiding because of worry or fear? What can I start doing?

5.  Which promises in this psalm encourage me the most?  Why? Which are the hardest for me to understand and grasp at a heart level?  Why?

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

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



Day 6


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
One leader you disagree with


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 36



"An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin." (vs. 1-2)


Without the fear of God, we get into a lot of trouble. I believe that is partly why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, Psalms 111:10). Without it, we get puffed up and think that we are something special. We are special to God, but not for anything we have done. Like a precious child, God loves us because we are His creations. We can never be good enough or earn God's love. It just is. It is so important that we keep in perspective the fleeting nature of our lives and the inability we have to control the workings of the world and time and chance. We are so minuscule and yet so often we presume to be kings and queens. We presume to be able to rule over our lives. We flatter ourselves too much and can not take a good look at ourselves and our need anymore. When we start on this path, it is leading us to our downfall. We must continually work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12-13). That is what God wants. He does not want us groveling on the ground but He wants us, like humble children, to acknowledge our need for Him. He wants us to draw close to Him so that He can take care of us like a father would his child. Consider these passages:



"Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies...How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house; You give them drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. Continue Your love to those who know You, Your righteousness to the upright in heart." (vs. 5, 7-10)



God's love is priceless. His justice is amazing. We are all the same and equal in the eyes of God; the rich and poor, alike, will fall at the feet of the Lord someday and praise Him. In the present also, we are all to find shelter in the shadow of His wings. We are to run to Him as chicks run to hide under the wings of their mother. His care for us is immense. We can feast on the abundance of His house. We may be struggling now, but God has abundance. We can feast on it, if we find refuge in Him and maintain our fear of the Lord. We can also drink from His river of delight. We all like to be delighted. God has a whole river awaiting us. With Him is also the fountain of life. It springs up for us to drink from. Finally, in His light we see light. We do not have to go blindly about our days anymore. We can see because the Lord will light our path and show us which way to go. God will continue His love for us, but is up to us to remain in it (John 15:10).



Daily Prayer



Dear Lord,

Continue Your love and Your righteous to us. Help us to fear You because we know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We know that You want to take care of us and pull us under Your wing so that You can comfort us. Help us to number our days right so that we realize that we do not have long here and that we need to take advantage of it. We don't want to be swept along with the evildoers. We want to rise up and be a comfort to others. We know how the evildoers will lie fallen, thrown down, not able to rise. Keep us from this fate and help us to stay focused on You.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. Do I fear God? What does that mean to me?  If I do not like this idea, why not?

2. Am I willing to look at the sin in my life? Am I willing to hate it? Why or why not? How can looking at my sin help me? How can hating my sin help me?

3. How can I draw close to God? Who do I have that can help me to do this?

4. What does it mean to me that God has a house of abundance, a river of delight, and a fountain of life available to me? How can this encourage me?

5.  What have I received from God so far in my life?  What qualities about myself do I like?  How are these gifts from God?  Do I look at all of the good things in my life as gifts from God?  Why or why not?

Daily Devotional - 8/14/10 (9/14/09)

Focus Letter - N


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



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



Psalms 14


"Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the Lord?  There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous." (vs. 4 & 5)


God is present in the company of the righteous. The Lord is their refuge.


If God is in the company of the righteous, that is what I want to be. I want to be with God; keep company with Him. I want to be able to go to Him with confidence and take refuge in Him. Often though, in my efforts to be righteous, I think I end up being "religious". I miss the whole point of what God desires from me and start following a bunch of rules. I have my checklist and do my duty, thinking that is enough. I become religious like the pharisees and I must remember Jesus' harshest criticisms were directed at them. So what is the difference between being righteous and religious?


Some verses come to mind when I think about this question.


James 1: 26-27
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."


I must watch my mouth. It is not okay to say whatever I feel. I must speak the truth in love. I must remember that I will be called to account for every careless word I utter (Matt 12:36-37). Thank God for His mercy here but I must try harder. I also need to be socially conscious and help out those less fortunate than me. I must remember, even in my current financial difficulties, that I am rich. Finally, I must keep myself from becoming polluted by the world. I must be different. I must not become corrupted and cynical. I must not become a complainer. I must be different from the world.


Matt 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."


I cannot follow the masses. There are only two roads. Which one am I on? Are there a lot of people on it? I should be a little concerned then. If there are a few, I should not be discouraged or think I am in the wrong!


Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never know you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"


This one is scary to me. These people were religious, and they were not pew warmers. They were actively serving God in the way they thought best. The question, however, is am I doing the will of the Father, or am I just doing what I think is the will of the Father? I can be sincerely wrong! (Proverbs 16:25)


Philippians 2:12b-13
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."

I must always keep striving to make sure I am following the will of God. It is easy to get off track and it is easy to follow the crowd, whether in the world or even in the church. I need to work out my own salvation. I must watch my own life and doctrine (I Tim 4:16). I must guard my own heart because it is the wellspring of my life (Proverbs 4:23). I cannot make anyone else do anything at all, but I can make myself do "all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)." I must do what I need to do and in doing this, then I may help save others. God is in the company of the righteous. Let us be righteous!



Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

Thank You for hearing us when we pray.  We long to be righteous and not just religious.  Help us to watch our mouths and take care of others.  Help us to do Your will as we work out our salvation.  We know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT: (Questions for Thought)


1. Am I righteous or religious? How do I know?  What can I do to change?

2. Am I helping those less fortunate? If not, how can I start?

3. Am I keeping myself from being polluted by the world? What are my temptations here?

4. Am I keeping a reign on my tongue? When is it most difficult for me to do what is right in this area?

5.  Do I know what the will of the Father is?  If not, how can I find out?  If so, am I doing it?  How do I know?  What evidence do I have?  How can I start or improve on what I am presently doing?

Daily Devotional - 8/12/10 (9/12/09)

Focus Letter - L



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


Dear Lord - Thank You for always speaking to me. Please help me to hear You today and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 12


"The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men." (vs. 8)


Our society is moving more and more away from its Christian roots. Some even go so far as to say it was never based on Judeo-Christian principles at all. The many scenes we see around us are often overwhelming and depressing. We want to change the course of society, but how? We immerse ourselves in politics and become passionate about some cause. We immerse ourselves in separating from the evil world and refuse to vote, read the paper, or listen to the news. We give up. I have been all of these places.

We need to balance social responsibility with our spiritual mission. It is so easy to sway too far one way or another on this spectrum. As a new Christian, I completely renounced any involvement with politics and major social issues. I was focused on my purpose as a disciple so I didn't have time to vote or to know about any world/social issues. I did not have time to become immersed in these "worldly issues". I used the verse in II Tim 2:4 about a soldier not getting involved with civilian affairs to justify my lack of involvement.

Then later, when I became discouraged with my lack of effectiveness in helping others know about God (the reasons for this were many and varied) I turned to politics as the saviour of the world and threw myself into that. When this proved to be completely ineffective and frustrating, I turned to my career as a teacher. Perhaps in this way I could make a difference in the world. It did not and so I turned to "just living." This made no difference to anyone as well. My family and I became no different than anyone else I saw around me. We were like everyone else and this also made me very unhappy. Where could I turn now? Fortunately, I turned back to God who had the answers all along. My discouragement with my perceived failure as a Christian had nothing to do with God. He had not changed. I had.

We do have a social responsibility, though, because evil will definitely triumph if good people do nothing. We are also completely responsible for living out our purpose in Christ. We will never be satisfied if we do not order our priorities correctly and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If we do not do this, we will always be seeking something to fill us. In our hearts, God has embedded eternity and a desire to make a difference (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Every child grows up with great dreams. Only after failure and discouragement do we give up on our dreams. Often we turn to the wrong avenues for fulfillment if we become discouraged or disillusioned with God and the church.

Psalms 12 states that the wicked can go about without fear when vile things are honored and when there is no one to oppose them. We must strive to the best of our ability to remain set apart and holy and to not honor what God considers vile. We also need to help our society to not be vile as well. We need to be involved with voting and trying to help laws and causes that we believe in and yet we cannot become so absorbed in this that we lose sight of what will really make a difference. God's purpose is what will make the most changes, one by one, for we do not know what God's ultimate course is for our country or our society. He does allows negative things to happen. Things we do not understand may be a part of His bigger plan.

We also need to make sure that we look at what we do and what we accept and make sure that it is not dishonorable to God. Our consciences are easily dulled by the constant bombardment of the world. "What would Jesus do" was a popular saying and movement but I think it is important for us to think about. What would Jesus do? Would he be listening to this music? Would He be watching this movie? It is not enough to just stay away from the "big sins". We must be becoming like Jesus. We need to not be ashamed about being righteous and refraining from evil. We need to be happy that we do not have to spend our time addicted to the behaviors that we indulged in before we knew God. I must remember, "Do not love the world or anything of it. Friendship with the world is hatred towards God" (James 4: 4-6).

Finally, I must be faithful. I must be faithful in the good and in the bad times. I must be faithful for myself and also for others. Sometimes, for the sake of others, I have to do what I do not want to do. About twenty years ago, I went through a very intense period of time as I tried to deal with a deeply ingrained character issue. I considered walking away from God. Many of my friends had when times got tough for them. Why not? Life would be so much easier. I could just go with the flow and be me.

I couldn't do it. I kept thinking about my friends in the church who had left and I thought about how much it had hurt me and my faith. I decided that even if my heart wasn't into it at the time, since I knew the Bible was right, I would keep going. I knew my faithfulness would help others in the long run, and for them, I would keep it up for as long as it took. Even if it was only to help a few people stay faithful, I would keep fighting.

The Lord was faithful, however. He changed me and renewed the joy of my salvation. He will always change us if we are willing to do the hard work as well. He will keep us safe and protect us from evil people. He does have a plan. We need to do our part, both in the social arena and in the spiritual realm, and then we need to wait on Him. His words are flawless and perfect. His promises will never fail. In this depressing world, we can be joyful. The future is as bright as God's promises and God's promises are amazing.


His promises include:

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'"  (Jeremiah 29 : 11)

"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'"  (Malachi 3:10)

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matt 7:7-8)

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:4-7)

"But seek first his kingdom and His righteousness, and all of these things will be given to you as well." (Matt 6:33)

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Eph 3:20-21)

"Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (II Cor 9:10-11)

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11: 28-30)

"With God all things are possible." (Matt 19:26b)

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matt 21:22)



Prayer for the Day

Dear Lord,

Help us to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness.  Help us to have our priorities correct and yet not forget our social responsibility.  You will fill our hearts when we are focused on You.  We long to be faithful in the good and bad times.  Although the world moves farther and farther away form You, we will stay close.  Strenghten us and increase our faith.  We know Your promises are true.

In Jesus' Name
Amen

QFT

1.  What is my focus right now? Am I focused on my spiritual mission or on another mission or goal?  Am I seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?  What does that mean to me?  Do I have a proper balance of concern for the kingdom and for societal causes?  Am I willing to get involved to make the world better in both spiritual and physical ways?

2. What do I use to try and give my life meaning?  Is it always God or do I use relationships, work, or anything else to try and fulfill me?  Is it working or should I change my focus?

3.  Do I love the world?  What does my life show?  Is there anything I am doing that I feel Jesus wouldn't do?  Am I different from those who do not claim to be Christians?  Is there anything I need to change?

4.  Am I faithful to God in the good and bad times?  What tempts me to lose faith?  Has God always been faithful to me?  Why or why not?  How does my faith affect those around me?  Am I an inspiration to others?

5.  What promises of God are most meaningful to me?  Why?  How can these promises give me hope and joy despite what I see going on around me?

Daily Devotional - 8/11/10 (9/11/09)

Focus Letter - K



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


Dear Lord - Please help me to hear Your ever present voice. I know You are always trying to communicate with me but often I fail to listen. Please grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 11



"In the Lord I take refuge.  How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain.  For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.  When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?'  The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne.  He observes the sons of men; His eyes examine them.  The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence His soul hates... For the Lord is righteous, He loves justice; upright men will see His face." (vs 1-5, & 7)

The Lord is in His holy temple.  Upright men will see His face. God examines the righteous. He looks us over and makes sure we are doing right. The wicked have punishment coming someday.

We often feel like running away when we see negative things happening. It is easy for me to avoid confrontation and want to escape. I am very nonconfrontational. There is a time to flee, however, and I appreciate those times but more often than not, we really need to stand strong and even fight. The psalmist says, "When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? (vs. 3)" He seems overwhelmed by what he sees happening around him. The evil is getting him down and people are even telling him to flee. He seems to be saying, however, that he can't do that. He can't just let evil take over without a fight.

He states, "In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'Flee like a bird to your mountain.' (vs. 1)" Once again, the idea of taking refuge in God in order to be able to do battle arises. We are to find the courage and the strength we need to fight in God alone. It is not in us. We have no power to save.

The psalmist then turns his eyes to God. He acknowledges there are dangers and problems. There are even wicked men waiting to destroy the righteous. Evil is there and it is destroying the foundations of their society, but still, he is not distraught. He looks to God and I can almost hear him declaring triumphantly, "The Lord is in His holy temple". He is saying, this is no problem for God. God is here, why are we afraid. The psalmist is clearly convinced of God's power and His presence. He believes in God's sovereignty over all the earth. He declares it by mentioning that God is looking down from His throne.

We need to remember this when the world is getting us down. God is not dead. God is here. God is in control. He is watching. He is examining each one of us and He knows. He knows who is righteous and who is evil. Nothing in all creation is hidden from the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account (Heb 4:12-13). The wicked won't make it, the righteous will.

We all love justice deep down. People protest when someone is treated unfairly. It is good to know that there is ultimate justice. There is a final righteous judge. Truth is not relative, regardless what society says. God has set a standard, and He won't make mistakes. In the end, the upright man will see God's face. I want to see His face. I want to make it and with God, I know I can


Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,

Thank You for being here with us and for us.  It is easy to let the world get us down, but we need to take refuge in You and fight the good fight of the faith.  Give us the strength we need to do this.  Grant us wisdom to know when to flee and when to stay and fight.  Help us to never take the easy way out.  We want to be Your man or Your woman.  We pray that we may be found righteous in the end, and some wonderful day be able to see Your face.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT

1. How do I feel about how my society is morally?  Do I feel like the foundations are being destroyed?  Why or why not?  What can I do to make my neighborhood/ city/ state/ country better?

2.  Do I usually run from problems or confront them?  Why?  When should I run and when should I confront? What steps can I take to decide when I am faced with a problem?

3. How can I take refuge in God?  How can I remember daily that He is here?  How does remembering that God is in heaven and on His throne help me to be encouraged?  Do I think about this often?  Why or why not?

4.  How do I feel about God examining me?  Is there anything I am ashamed of?  Is there anything that I wish He didn't see?  How can I change these things?  How can I get help?

5.  Do I feel truth is relative or is there an absolute truth? Why?  What is my personal standard for truth?  Why did I chose that standard?  If I believe truth is relative, how do I determine right from wrong?  How do I feel about God being the final judge?  Why?

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 - 11/15

Prayer Focus - Needs


Day 4
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city


Pray about:
How it will help those concerned with their spiritual life
How it will help those concerned with their physical life
How it will help those concerned with their emotional life
How it will help those concerned with their mental life



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



Psalms 75


"You say, 'I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly. When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more, and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns. Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.' No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, He exalts another." ( vs. 2-8)


God is powerful and God is in control. He holds the earth together. He holds all the molecules in our bodies together. He knows what is going on. We are fallible but God is not. Our governments are fallible, but God is not. He knows. What a comfort that is if we are right with Him. Even though we try to exalt and bring one anther down, God must laugh at our efforts. He says that no one from anywhere on the earth can do this. Only He is the judge and only He truly knows who should be exalted and who should be brought down. We have all seen this. Someone is raised up and looked up to and then they fall. Often these people fall the hardest. We are shocked, but why should we be? They are just men like ourselves. We are easily fooled. Only God knows the hearts of men and that is what really counts. Sometimes it is the weakest among us and the ones that are despised that are truly the best. They might have hearts of gold and yet we in our arrogance and worldliness pass them by as undeserving. Let us leave judging to God and let us focus on ourselves. Let us make sure that we will be lifted up at the final day and will be able to hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant." (Matt 25:23)




Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


It is easy for us to look at man's outward appearance but You look at the heart. Help us to have pure hearts and help us to rid our lives of secret sins. We ask that our hearts be pleasing to You in every way and that we will be able to stand on the last day in faithfulness. You rise up and You tear down. You are the ultimate judge. We leave the judging of men's hearts to You. We can not know. Help us to do our best and leave the rest to You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT



1. Do I meditate on God's power and ability to control everything that exists? How can I focus on this more?


2. Do I realize that wicked people will receive their just reward from God? Do I try to take revenge for wrongs I feel I have suffered? Is this righteous? How can I let the desire to take revenge go?


3. Do I look at people from a spiritual perspective? How do I evaluate others? Do I look at the outward appearance or the heart? How have I been fooled before?


4. Who are my heroes? Why? Are they truly deserving of my respect? Why or why not? If I do not have any heroes, why is that? Do I struggle with looking down on anyone? Why is this not right, and how can I stop doing this?

Daily Devotional - 11/4

Prayer Focus - Strangers

Day 7
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to
One person you met/meet today
One person that is in the entertainment industry
One person in politics
One person you always see but have never spoken to
One person that you have read about that is still alive
One person that you have not met but struggle to like


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 64


"Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy." ( vs. 1)

It is okay to pour out our hearts to God, even if what we have to say is not always lovely. There are difficult and evil things going on in the world, and sometimes even in our own lives. God desires to hear from us. He is waiting. How incredible is that, that the Creator of the Universe waits to spend time with us. He is there in the morning, hoping we will make some extra time to sit down and have a coffee with Him. He has an appointment with us all day long. He walks with us and lives with us. We can ever turn to Him. He is concerned about the good, bad, and the ugly. I know that I like to hear all the little things that are going on in my children's days, and definitely if they look upset or unhappy, I want to know what is going on. God, of course, is even more concerned about us as He is the perfect Father. He will hear, and He will protect us.



"Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning. But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be struck down. He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what He has done. Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Hm; let all the upright in heart praise Him." (vs. 6b-10)


Men are devious. They think of so much evil, it is mind boggling. But in the end, God still wins. Sometimes He lets minor victories go to the enemy, but we know the final outcome. Evil men will be found out. Their words will incriminate them and bring ruin upon them. It is not for us to force, it will happen in God's timing. We need to remember this and we need to strive to keep our ways righteous because it is easy to envy the prosperous and those who go about seeking their own self interest. We are not living for the here and now, though. We are living for eternity and we need to take refuge in God and praise Him for His protection from the enemy. The rest will all come.


Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

It is easy for the world to get us down. There is such a lack of civility and morality these days. It seems that there is much evil around us all the time. It is enough to drive one's spirits down and cause desperation, but we know that in the end, You win. Help us to hang onto that thought. You will not hand us over to be destroyed and you will not allow other things to get in the way of our knowing and loving You. You are great and greatly to be praised.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT


1. Do I voice my complaints to God or to others? How can I work on not being a complainer around other people? How can I be positive and encouraging to others and only give my complaints and frustrations to God?


2. Am I making time for God? Do I realize that God is waiting for me to come and spend time with Him? What can I do to make my time in the morning with Him a priority?


3. Do I let evil discourage me? How can I become more resilient when faced with evil?


4. Am I proclaiming the works of God and the wonders of what He has done? Am I letting others know how awesome our God is and what He has done in our lives? Am I developing a healthy respect and fear of God? How can I do this?

Daily Devotional - 10/29

Prayer Focus - Strangers

Day 1
Pray for:
One person you admire or look up to


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


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



Psalms 59


"But You, O Lord, laugh at them; You scoff at all those nations.  O my Strength, I watch for You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.  God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me." ( vs 8-9)


God is not worried by evil people.  He laughs at them and scoffs at them because He knows their days are numbered.  God knows the big picture and all I need to know is God.  I will watch for Him.  I will pray and then watch for the answers to come from Him.  I will watch for His provisions and for His ways of escape from the troubles that seem to outnumber me.  God is my fortress.  I can run to Him when I am troubled or under attack.  I need to be going to Him regardless!  He is my loving God.  He loves me.  I am special to Him in spite of all the trouble that overwhelms me.  The trouble does not mean that He does not love me.  Nothing of the sort.  The hardships are a part of life and what is needed to refine me for eternity.  I am to view hardship as discipline and training, and in fact, evidence of my Father's love.  God is going before me and I will not falter if I let Him clear the way and stay in the path He has carved out for me.


Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,


We are grateful that You go before us to clear the way.  Help us to walk in the path that You have prepared.  You are good.  We are grateful that nothing can hinder Your plan and that evil people are nothing but something to laugh and scoff at.  We get so worked up and worried over evil men but we need to leave them up to You.  Help us to let go of this.  You are our fortress.  Help us to run to You when we are tempted to worry or be discouraged.  You will keep us safe.  You love us.  We are so grateful for Your love.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT


1. Do I realize that evil people are best left up to God?  What do my actions show of what I believe?  Do I pray for these people?  Do I care about their eternal destiny?

2. Am I watching for God?  Am I asking God for anything?  Am I praying and waiting in eager expectation?  How can I improve this aspect of my relationship with God?

3. Do I believe God is going before me and clearing a path for me?  How do I know what the path He is preparing for me is?  How can I ensure I am following it?

4. What is God using in my life right now to train me?  Do I see my hardships as discipline and training from a God who loves me?  How have I seen good come out of my struggles?

Daily Devotional - 10/28

Prayer Focus - Enemies


Day 7
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
One person that you feel is a danger to your well being even though you have never met
One person who is unaware that they are hurting you
One person who you believe will never apologize for the pain they have caused you


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 58


"Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be." ( vs 3-5)



This is a hard teaching, but some people are evil early on. Who knows why? They will not listen. God will purge them out and then the righteous will find relief. It is not to us to do the purging. We are to stay righteous and to love our enemies. We are to leave justice and revenge up to God who is sinless. He will do it. We do not have to be afraid and take matters into our own hands. We are to wait, and pray that we are never in the category of the wicked and of those who will not listen to anyone, even the most skillful at leading.



"The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, ...Then men will say, 'Surely the righteous are still rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.' (vs. 10 -11)




Prayer for the Day


Dear Lord,

We pray that we are never like the wicked men. Keep our hearts in tune to Your word and receptive to the help and assistance of others. Help us to always be willing to learn and grow. Help us to train our children so that they will not grow up into wicked men and women. It is a serious responsibility that You have given us and we pray for Your strength, wisdom, and guidance. We are waiting on You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen


QFT


1. How do I feel about this idea that some people are wicked early on? How have I seen this in my life or in the lives of those around me?

2. Is it difficult for me to accept the idea of God's judgement? Why or why not? How can I develop a greater understanding and appreciation for this aspect of God's character?

3. How do I feel when I see injustice? How do I feel when I see justice done? Why?

4. How have I been unwilling to listen to others? How can this impact my life negatively? How can I change?