Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 2
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
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 53
"Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people as bread and who do not call on God? There they were overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread." ( vs 4-5a)
This psalm outlines two ways that we can become evildoers and the consequences of these actions or any sinful behavior on our part really. The first qualification for being an evildoers is being someone who uses others. We eat bread. We use it to stay alive, so someone who is devouring people in this way must be using them to get what they need. I know in the past I have used people. I am not proud of this but I think it is probably more widespread than we would like to admit. How often do we just call someone when we need something from them. Isn't that a form of using them. We are not thinking of them and how they are doing, just what we need. How about in our conversations? Are they all about us and what we are going through? Do we use others as a dumping ground and then after we feel better, leave? Isn't that using others. I am sure that we could come up with more as well; times when we are using those around us in some manner. This can even go as far as our involvement in church, our work, and our country. Are we focused on what we are getting out of the service or small group rather than what we are giving? At our work, are we known to be someone who gets involved and gives their best or are we just getting a paycheck. How about in our country? Are we just taking the benefits and not being willing to get involved and change it for the better or fight for some cause we believe in. We need to stop being takers and users and start being givers. I know I do. We are by nature selfish. Thank God that He has overcome our sinful natures and can transform us.
The second qualification for becoming an evildoers is to not call on God. That is more frightening to me. It is so easy to not pray and to not turn to God. Often, no one even knows. If we are being selfish, someone usually is affected by it and we tend to feel worse about this so we try and curb it. Not calling on God is all within us and we can cover it up for quite awhile. Eventually it will come out in a number of ways such as the dread mentioned in the next verse. When we are stressed out and feeling a nameless sense of dread about life, it would be a good idea for us to look at these two qualifications and see if we are wandering into the evil doer zone. I know I have felt dread often and sometimes there is no real reason for it. On deeper inspection, I usually find some sin, selfishness, or abandonment of God occurring. Once I turn back to God, start calling on Him, and drawing near to Him, the sense of dread disappears. Sin does make us feel guilty. Guilt and our consciences were put in us by God and help us to come back to Him. We need to stop searing them and accept that they are there and are there for a good reason. We will feel peace when we walk with God. He is a God of peace. He will do it.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We do not want to be evildoers. As we look at the attitudes of our hearts and our actions, we pray that they will be those of a giver and not of a taker. We do not want to use people, even if it is advantageous to us. Help us to not think like the world does because to the world this is normal behavior. Help us to rise above and strive each and every day to be like Jesus. Although He was a part of You, He did not claim equality with You but made Himself nothing and became a servant to us all. He went the ultimate distance in dying for us and He calls us to do the same. Help us to rise to the challenge.
We also ask Your forgiveness for all of the times that we have not called on You. We get tired, weak, or lazy at times and neglect You, our ultimate power source. Help us to remember that it is all about You and not about us. We want to pray more. We want to commune with You and walk each day with You. Help us to not be so distracted. Our flesh is so weak. We are tired of walking around in dread. There is nothing to dread. There is no virus, no foreign government, no debt, not problem bigger than You. There is nothing to dread and here we are dreading. Forgive us and help us to turn away from this faithlessness and sin. You are here. You have always been here. Help us to see You in all that we do. You are surely woven into life. We pray for peace.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Have I used people in the past? Can I see any situations where I am using people presently? Why do I do this?
2. Am I a giver or a taker in my relationships? Am I a giver or taker in my church, work, and social environment? What can I do to become more of a giver?
3. Am I calling on God on a regular basis? How is my prayer life? Do I go to God first, or my friends? What can I do to improve my reliance on God?
4. Am I at peace or am I consistently in a state of dread? Do I have reason to dread? What am I fearing? Is God able to handle it? Is there something I need to clear up/ resolve or repent of to eliminate the sense of dread that I am experiencing? If not, how can I turn to God and trust Him more?
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/22
Prayer Focus - Enemies
Day 1
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
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 52
"Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God." ( vs 1)
What a sobering thought. We can be a disgrace in the eyes of God. So often we view God as this kindly old grandfather like figure who never gets angry or upset about anything; an ineffectual deity who just started everything and lets it run its course. But God is nothing like that. He does get angry and He does have expectations. They are for our own good but that does not make them any less important. He expects to be obeyed and He hates evil and loves good. If we set our hearts on evil, we can become a disgrace in the eyes of God. That is a frightening and sobering thought.
"Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, 'Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!' But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your name I will hope, for Your name is good. I will praise You in the presence of Your saints." (vs. 5-9)
It is frightening to see and read about the vengeance of God. It makes me want to cling to God and to rid my heart of all anger and bitterness. The man who does not make God his strength will be destroyed. I do not want this to be me. I want to flourish in the house of the Lord. I am responsible for my own salvation. It is up to me alone.
I will not be like the evil man. I will trust in God's unfailing love. I will praise Him forever for what He has done. In God's name I can always hope. God's name is good, all the time. I will praise God in front of others as well. Despite circumstances, I can still praise God. I praise the Lord for what I do have.
Here are my praise and thank offerings. I praise the Lord for my husband's health. I bring thank offerings today for whatever the future holds in this matter. I thank God they removed the main tumors and the rest looked clear. I thank God that I have him now each day that I do have him. I thank God for His forgiveness and salvation in the days to come. I thank Him for each day with my children. I thank Him for a job. I thank Him also for food to eat and a roof over our heads. I thank God for our parents and for our education. I thank Him for living in this country, despite its faults, still the best country I have found. I praise God for our churches and our faith. I praise and thank Him for the beautiful scenery that surrounds us. I thank God for the clouds and the wind and for clear days that you want to go on forever. Finally, I thank God especially for sleep, that sweet time of rest that refreshes our bodies and which allows us to start over in the morning.
Thank You Lord,
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank and praise You for all of this and more. We could not write down everything there is to praise You about because there would not be books or time enough to do it. You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. We are so blessed. Cultivate in us a perpetual state of gratitude. Rid negativism from our hearts and keep us from complaining. You are good, always good. We know it. Help us in our unbelief and grant us strength to live each and every day as You would have us. We do not want to be a disgrace to You. We want You to be able to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We fall so short, but You are able.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I boast of evil? What type of conversations occupy my time? What do I think about most? Is it pleasing to God?
2. What is my view of God? Is it Biblical? Do I see God as a God who would bring someone down? How does that make me feel to see that God does get angry?
3. What can I praise God for? Can I write a list of 25, 50, 75, or 100 things that I am grateful for right now?
4. Am I taking charge of my own salvation and making sure that I am right with God? Do I know for sure that I am pleasing Him with my life? How can I find out? Who can I talk to about this?
Day 1
Pray for:
One person who was mean to you when you were a child
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 52
"Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God." ( vs 1)
What a sobering thought. We can be a disgrace in the eyes of God. So often we view God as this kindly old grandfather like figure who never gets angry or upset about anything; an ineffectual deity who just started everything and lets it run its course. But God is nothing like that. He does get angry and He does have expectations. They are for our own good but that does not make them any less important. He expects to be obeyed and He hates evil and loves good. If we set our hearts on evil, we can become a disgrace in the eyes of God. That is a frightening and sobering thought.
"Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, 'Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!' But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your name I will hope, for Your name is good. I will praise You in the presence of Your saints." (vs. 5-9)
It is frightening to see and read about the vengeance of God. It makes me want to cling to God and to rid my heart of all anger and bitterness. The man who does not make God his strength will be destroyed. I do not want this to be me. I want to flourish in the house of the Lord. I am responsible for my own salvation. It is up to me alone.
I will not be like the evil man. I will trust in God's unfailing love. I will praise Him forever for what He has done. In God's name I can always hope. God's name is good, all the time. I will praise God in front of others as well. Despite circumstances, I can still praise God. I praise the Lord for what I do have.
Here are my praise and thank offerings. I praise the Lord for my husband's health. I bring thank offerings today for whatever the future holds in this matter. I thank God they removed the main tumors and the rest looked clear. I thank God that I have him now each day that I do have him. I thank God for His forgiveness and salvation in the days to come. I thank Him for each day with my children. I thank Him for a job. I thank Him also for food to eat and a roof over our heads. I thank God for our parents and for our education. I thank Him for living in this country, despite its faults, still the best country I have found. I praise God for our churches and our faith. I praise and thank Him for the beautiful scenery that surrounds us. I thank God for the clouds and the wind and for clear days that you want to go on forever. Finally, I thank God especially for sleep, that sweet time of rest that refreshes our bodies and which allows us to start over in the morning.
Thank You Lord,
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank and praise You for all of this and more. We could not write down everything there is to praise You about because there would not be books or time enough to do it. You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. We are so blessed. Cultivate in us a perpetual state of gratitude. Rid negativism from our hearts and keep us from complaining. You are good, always good. We know it. Help us in our unbelief and grant us strength to live each and every day as You would have us. We do not want to be a disgrace to You. We want You to be able to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We fall so short, but You are able.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I boast of evil? What type of conversations occupy my time? What do I think about most? Is it pleasing to God?
2. What is my view of God? Is it Biblical? Do I see God as a God who would bring someone down? How does that make me feel to see that God does get angry?
3. What can I praise God for? Can I write a list of 25, 50, 75, or 100 things that I am grateful for right now?
4. Am I taking charge of my own salvation and making sure that I am right with God? Do I know for sure that I am pleasing Him with my life? How can I find out? Who can I talk to about this?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/21
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." ( vs 1)
We need God's forgiveness. The fact that He is willing to forgive us at all is all about Him and not us. We don't deserve it but because His love is unfailing and because He has great compassion, we have hope. I am grateful for God's mercy and do not want to take it for granted.
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
Whenever we sin, we are sinning against God. Sometimes we forget this and feel justified in doing wrong if the person we are sinning against is evil or has sinned against us. We are never justified. Our sin is always an affront to God. We need to remember that as it may help us to curb many of our more flagrant misdeeds. The sins of the heart are harder to deal with but are also done against God as well. He is justified when He says that we deserve death. He is not mean or evil. He is just and fair. We earn our condemnation. Praise God that He does not treat us as our sins deserve
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 7)
We can start over. God makes us like new and erases all of our filth. We do not have to have those burdens of regret around our necks any longer. We can be free, but let us not use this freedom to sin. Let us be like the sinful woman, who when pardoned by Jesus, was still challenged to go and sin no more and did allow her life to be transformed. We need to change and strive with all of our hearts to no longer sin.
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10-11)
We need help to do this. God can create a pure heart in me. He can renew a steadfast spirit within me. He can restore my joy and help me get through by granting me a willing spirit. I cannot make it on my own. I am too weak, but God is my strength and God can change and strengthen anything in me. He is able. I want these gifts from Him so that I can please Him, now and forever.
"In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem." (vs. 18)
In God's good pleasure, He will make us prosper. It is all in His timing. I don't need to force anything. I just need to live and to do my best. I need to humble myself and keep going with a broken and contrite heart. He will lift me up.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for forgiving us. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. We know that we are completely unworthy and we are so grateful that You care for us anyway. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. We can't keep it going by ourselves. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We are unworthy, but we know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness?
2. Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." ( vs 1)
We need God's forgiveness. The fact that He is willing to forgive us at all is all about Him and not us. We don't deserve it but because His love is unfailing and because He has great compassion, we have hope. I am grateful for God's mercy and do not want to take it for granted.
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
Whenever we sin, we are sinning against God. Sometimes we forget this and feel justified in doing wrong if the person we are sinning against is evil or has sinned against us. We are never justified. Our sin is always an affront to God. We need to remember that as it may help us to curb many of our more flagrant misdeeds. The sins of the heart are harder to deal with but are also done against God as well. He is justified when He says that we deserve death. He is not mean or evil. He is just and fair. We earn our condemnation. Praise God that He does not treat us as our sins deserve
"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 7)
We can start over. God makes us like new and erases all of our filth. We do not have to have those burdens of regret around our necks any longer. We can be free, but let us not use this freedom to sin. Let us be like the sinful woman, who when pardoned by Jesus, was still challenged to go and sin no more and did allow her life to be transformed. We need to change and strive with all of our hearts to no longer sin.
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10-11)
We need help to do this. God can create a pure heart in me. He can renew a steadfast spirit within me. He can restore my joy and help me get through by granting me a willing spirit. I cannot make it on my own. I am too weak, but God is my strength and God can change and strengthen anything in me. He is able. I want these gifts from Him so that I can please Him, now and forever.
"In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem." (vs. 18)
In God's good pleasure, He will make us prosper. It is all in His timing. I don't need to force anything. I just need to live and to do my best. I need to humble myself and keep going with a broken and contrite heart. He will lift me up.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for forgiving us. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. We know that we are completely unworthy and we are so grateful that You care for us anyway. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. We can't keep it going by ourselves. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We are unworthy, but we know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness?
2. Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/20
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 6
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
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 50
"Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." ( vs 14-15)
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." (vs. 23)
Thank offerings honor God. I must be thankful. It is so easy to be ungrateful and complaining. It seems to be natural for us. But negative thinking spirals us down to depression and futility. Positive, grateful hearts enable us to see God and the ways He has laid out to help us in any and every situation. My gratitude and thanks enable God to usher in His salvation. The road to victory is paved with thanks. Let us call out to God in our times of trouble and do it with rejoicing since we are blessed to even have a life to be struggling with. God will answer.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving us life. We are grateful to exist and we are grateful that You care for us. Help us to remember that our gratitude opens the doors for Your salvation. Help us to not be like the Isrealites that wandered for years in the desert because of their ingratitude and unfaithfulness. They continued to complain in spite of all the miracles You brought to them. We can be no different. We want to amaze You with our faith and our good attitudes and happy hearts. We ask for Your strength and blessing as we strive to be pleasing to You in each and every moment of our days. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I sacrificing thank offerings to God? How often do I thank God for something?
2. Am I fulfilling my vows to God? What vows have I made to God? What do I need to change to fulfill them more completely?
3. Am I calling upon God in my times of trouble? Who do I turn to first when I am having a problem? Is it God or a friend/spouse?
4. Am I seeing victories in my life? What is my mental attitude like? Do I see any correlation between when I am positive and grateful and when I see victories/ success in my life? If so, how can I do a better job at sustaining my gratitude level?
Day 6
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
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 50
"Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." ( vs 14-15)
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors Me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." (vs. 23)
Thank offerings honor God. I must be thankful. It is so easy to be ungrateful and complaining. It seems to be natural for us. But negative thinking spirals us down to depression and futility. Positive, grateful hearts enable us to see God and the ways He has laid out to help us in any and every situation. My gratitude and thanks enable God to usher in His salvation. The road to victory is paved with thanks. Let us call out to God in our times of trouble and do it with rejoicing since we are blessed to even have a life to be struggling with. God will answer.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving us life. We are grateful to exist and we are grateful that You care for us. Help us to remember that our gratitude opens the doors for Your salvation. Help us to not be like the Isrealites that wandered for years in the desert because of their ingratitude and unfaithfulness. They continued to complain in spite of all the miracles You brought to them. We can be no different. We want to amaze You with our faith and our good attitudes and happy hearts. We ask for Your strength and blessing as we strive to be pleasing to You in each and every moment of our days. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I sacrificing thank offerings to God? How often do I thank God for something?
2. Am I fulfilling my vows to God? What vows have I made to God? What do I need to change to fulfill them more completely?
3. Am I calling upon God in my times of trouble? Who do I turn to first when I am having a problem? Is it God or a friend/spouse?
4. Am I seeing victories in my life? What is my mental attitude like? Do I see any correlation between when I am positive and grateful and when I see victories/ success in my life? If so, how can I do a better job at sustaining my gratitude level?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/19
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...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 5-20)
Why should I fear when evil days come? Men are nothing. Men cannot save, only God can save. All perish and wealth gets passed on. It is so easy to envy those who seem to have it all together, especially monetarily. When you are penny pinching and see someone living in luxury, it is easy to think you missed the boat and are doing things all wrong. That is until you take a look at life from an eternal perspective. Then it all makes sense. Wealth is fleeting. We store up and then have to pass it on and we have no idea if the next person will be wise or foolish with what we worked so hard for. Everyone dies. There is no escaping it so we need to focus rather on pleasing God and being upright so that we will be redeemed and be taken to
God, Himself. We just don't endure!! We are fleeting so make a difference. The upright will rule over the the evil in the morning. God will redeem me from the grave. He will surely take me to Himself. Do not be overawed. Riches don't follow us, only God. A man who has riches without understanding is like a beast that perishes.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for taking hold of us and moving us toward You. We are grateful to have all the time we do with our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are so grateful to be learning more and more how to be close to you and how to worship you appropriately. We want to let go of all of our temptations to envy those around us that appear to have it all make. No one knows the pain those people might be going through and we have the answers. WE do not have to be apologetic and sad. We need to be remembering the fleeting nature of life and all that we have to share. Help us to not be afraid and help us to have understanding. We want to glorify You and we pray that we can through every avenue available.
In Jesus' Name,
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...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 5-20)
Why should I fear when evil days come? Men are nothing. Men cannot save, only God can save. All perish and wealth gets passed on. It is so easy to envy those who seem to have it all together, especially monetarily. When you are penny pinching and see someone living in luxury, it is easy to think you missed the boat and are doing things all wrong. That is until you take a look at life from an eternal perspective. Then it all makes sense. Wealth is fleeting. We store up and then have to pass it on and we have no idea if the next person will be wise or foolish with what we worked so hard for. Everyone dies. There is no escaping it so we need to focus rather on pleasing God and being upright so that we will be redeemed and be taken to
God, Himself. We just don't endure!! We are fleeting so make a difference. The upright will rule over the the evil in the morning. God will redeem me from the grave. He will surely take me to Himself. Do not be overawed. Riches don't follow us, only God. A man who has riches without understanding is like a beast that perishes.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for taking hold of us and moving us toward You. We are grateful to have all the time we do with our brothers and sisters in Christ and we are so grateful to be learning more and more how to be close to you and how to worship you appropriately. We want to let go of all of our temptations to envy those around us that appear to have it all make. No one knows the pain those people might be going through and we have the answers. WE do not have to be apologetic and sad. We need to be remembering the fleeting nature of life and all that we have to share. Help us to not be afraid and help us to have understanding. We want to glorify You and we pray that we can through every avenue available.
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?
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?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/18
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 4
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
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 48
Day 4
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
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 48
"Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love. Like Your name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness." (vs. 9 - 10)
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end." (vs. 14)
God will never stop being our God. He will guide us till the end if we let Him. His love for us is unfailing and as high as the heavens are above the earth. His love never fails. Everything else will. At the waterpolo reunion I went to, the memories of failing to win the National Championship in my senior year of college haunted me. After playing my freshman year, I took two years off. My team won the championship one of the years I did not play and then won once again the year after I graduated. The elusive victory that was so important to me never came. I failed. I had a chance to win the game for us, as did many other of my teammates. All we had to do was tie the game and we would have been the champions but we could not do it. I missed a shot that I had taken many other times over the years, my easiest shot and I barred the ball.
I asked myself again the question I had off and on for the past twenty years - Why? Why couldn't I have made it? It haunts me still if I let it, although everyone else seems to have moved on. It was a lifetime ago, but for me, if I allow myself to think about it, it seems like yesterday. I wanted to be the best. For once in my sporting life, I wanted to be a winner. I was always the next best, always on the losing teams. Always, almost but not quite. I wanted to win this last time, this last chance for me. I was sure it was going to happen this time. So when the game was over, it was devastating to know that that victory would never come for me. It was over. My waterpolo career was over. Waterpolo had failed me. I had failed me.
As I walked around the campus of my Alma mater, the questions came back up for me - Why? I had prayed. I had always tried to put God first, even in my waterpolo. I had not missed church for a game. I did not party. I tried to be a good example. So why had God not answered my prayers that day when He knew how important it was for me. This thought of having missed the mark and having failed echoed in mind over more than just my waterpolo career, however. It seemed to loom large over my entire college experience. Mediocre grades, mediocre relationships, always on the outside looking in at what others were experiencing. Always, almost victorious, almost good friends, almost happy. Almost.
I missed out on so much being so "almost". I felt like such a failure all the time I was there in college. So much sadness. I had done so well in high school and I struggled so much in college just to make it. So I asked myself - Why? As I walked through the Eucalyptus forests on campus, I thought that maybe it was that God wanted me to realize that I was a winner already. I was a Christian and I had a relationship with Him. I was willing to forgo the immediate gratification that the world offered for something that would be longer lasting. I was willing to walk a different path and I was willing to do the hard work of dealing with my character and striving to become like Christ. That is true victory, anyway, not a fleeting athletic victory that is remembered only by a handful of individuals and posted in old scrapbooks. I had won the victory in Christ; an eternal victory, and I have still won that victory. God had not failed me at all. He was guiding me to a greater victory. The peace that I feel now with my life and the blessings I have in my husband and children were bought with the hard work that I began in college. I have won the victory, the one that really matters, because Christ has won the victory, and that should be enough.
Consider the following verses on the victory we have already if we are right with God and Christ:
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58)
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all." (1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35 &37-39)
“This is the love for God: to obey His commands. And His commandments are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:3-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank You for the victories You give. They are eternal victories and far outweigh anything we can win here on earth. Temporal victories can be so fulfilling and we enjoy Your blessing but often even better comes for us when You say no to something we desire. Help us to not be like spoiled children who sulk and pout over not receiving something we have asked for. You are looking at these moments of our lives from the perspective of eternity and we cannot even fathom the riches and depth of Your wisdom and knowledge. We are grateful that You give us each new day and we are grateful for what our momentary troubles are gaining us. Help us to be obedient and joyful despite failures because they are really not failures in the long run. Keep our perspectives right and help us to let go of any past regrets. We cannot go back and take anything over so let us truly forgive and forget. Let us live today and each day from now on like there is no other for us and then we will find we can look back with a happy heart. We are grateful for Your directive to forget the past and strain toward what is ahead. Grant us obedience in this so that we may truly live.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God be my guide? How can I do that?
2. Do I have any past regrets or failures that are haunting me? Have I ever talked to anyone about them? How can I let them go?
3. How do I feel when God says no or wait to me regarding something that I am praying about? Do I lose faith? Do I pout or sulk?
4. Do I have God's perspective about who is a winner? Do I consider myself a winner because I have a relationship with God or am I looking at more worldly achievements for my feelings of success?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Daily Devotional - 10/17
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 3
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
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 47
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise." (vs. 7)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. I need to praise Him. When I praise, I am happy. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. It is no good to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any problems. I need to just pray and go. So off to San Diego I go.
Day 3
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
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 47
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise." (vs. 7)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. I need to praise Him. When I praise, I am happy. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. It is no good to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any problems. I need to just pray and go. So off to San Diego I go.
"For the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted." (vs. 9b)
Even the kings belong to God. We are all His. I am in good hands. I am looking forward to this day now. I am looking forward to God's victories. He will do it!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Today as we go about our business and travel to and fro on this earth, remind us of Your sovereignty. Help us to see the sunrise and remember Your glory. Help us to see the birds flying in the air and look at the mountains so majestic and remember that the mountains are small in comparison to the rest of the earth and they are minuscule in comparison to the whole universe. Help us to remember that despite this smallness of the large mountains, not one little bird that flies over them falls to the ground without You knowing. How amazing is that. We are so grateful that You pay attention to us at all.
I praise You for Your victories and I praise You for taking hold of us and giving us life. Thank You for the purpose that You have given us and thank You for walking with us all of the way. We glorify You this day and everyday You give us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it?
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it?
2. Am I known for my positive and praiseful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and praiseful?
3. What does it mean to me to exalt God? How can I exalt God today?
4. Am I intimidated by "important people"? If they belong to God and I belong to God, how should I view them? What should my perspective be towards everyone?
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