Powerful Prayer

Ephesians 6:18 - Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.

These are great instructions for Christians to keep in prayer for other Christians.  Not just occasionally, but at all times and on every occasion.  And don't just do it once in awhile, but be persistent about it.

Christians are persecuted a lot more for spreading God's Good News by people who refuse to believe than the other way around.  This is why we need to keep them in our prayers to God every day.

Dear Lord, please keep watch over my brother's and sister's as they work tirelessly to spread Your Good News.  Please guide and protect them with Your infinite wisdom and unfailing love.  Amen!



God Bless!!!

Backsliding

Psalm 94:19 - When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Whenever doubts about our faith creep in, it is Satan's way of knocking at our door and trying to get in.  We must be strong and prayerful and keep him out and let God's Spirit stay strong in us.

I know I have been guilty of backsliding.  I accepted Jesus as my Savior more than 14 years ago, but I didn't have any kind of relationship with Him until about 2 years ago.  But one I started an honest walk with Him, I have indeed had renewed hope and cheer.

Dear Lord, thank You for renewing Your Spirit in me and giving me a hope and happiness that I cannot find anywhere else.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Upward Path

Ecclesiastes 7:29 - I discovered that God created people to be upright, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.

God created us to be perfect but gave us the free will to choose for ourselves.  Since the original sin by Adam & Eve, we can never be perfect and will always fall short of God's glory.

I know that I am not perfect, and I never will be.  I used to joke with people that I wasn't perfect, but I was pretty close.  That is so far from the truth.  I know I have fallen short, but God gave His Son to redeem me, and I will forever seek to honor Him for that.

Dear Lord, thank You for choosing me.  I know that I am not worthy of anything You give me, but Your unfailing love is given to me daily anyway, and I am eternally grateful.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Life Giver

Ephesians 2: 4-5 - But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.

Human nature is to take credit for everything we can.  We say, "I got this because of what I did here."  Nothing happens without God's stamp of approval.  Including life eternal in Heaven.  Jesus is that stamp of approval.

I saw a saying once that said, 'I cannot brag about my love for God, because I fail Him daily.  But I can brag about His love for me, because His love never fails.'  Truer words were never spoken...

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me and giving me the life I do not deserve but definitely needed.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Plans

Psalm 33: 10-11 - The Lord shatters the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.  But the Lord's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken.

This is a great passage.  Left to ourselves, we are dangerous.  But if we trust in God's solid foundation, we will be just fine.

I once heard a wise person say, 'If you want to make God smile, tell Him your plans'.  What I want doesn't matter.  The only thing that matters is God's plan for me, and I am trusting in it completely.

Dear Lord, thank You for thinking of me and making a plan for me.  I know and trust that it is good and You will never lead me astray.  Amen!



God Bless!!!

Re-Guided Trust

Proverbs 29:26 - Many seek the ruler's favor, but justice comes from the Lord.

A lot of people misguidedly put their trust and faith in man.  True justice will only come from God.

I know I have been guilty of this.  Since my walk with Christ began in earnest a couple of years ago, I have gotten so much better about it.  I know that God will never let me down, and never tell me to 'figure it out'.  He already has it figured out.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for Your guidance in this life.  I know I can trust You to lead me where I should go according to Your plan for me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Foolish Follower

Proverbs 26:4 - When arguing with fools, don't answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are.

In Star Wars, the wise old Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi said, "Who is the more foolish?  The fool, or the fool who follows him?"  This a good way to summarize this verse.

I remember someone telling me once that 'arguing with an idiot doesn't make them smarter, but it makes you an idiot too'.  Never try to argue with a fool.  Try to reason with them, and show them God's way.

Dear Lord, thank You for all of the life lessons You have taught me with Your unending patience and unfailing love.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Made Equal

Proverbs 22:2 - The rich and the poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.

This is such a great truth.  God made all of us.  For His purpose.  No one is better than another.  We are all unique individuals, because that's what God wanted us to be, but by no means is anyone better than anyone else.  We all fall short of God's glory because of our sin.

I have always believed in total equality.  There have been times I have looked down my nose at people, but God has always been quick to corret me.  I am no better than any of God's children.

Dear Lord, I cannot thank You enough for teaching me humility.  It is the best lesson I have learned so far.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

God's Plans

Proverbs 21:30 - Human plans, no matter how wise or well advised, cannot stand against the Lord.

No matter what we may want to do, if it isn't in God's plans for us, it will not happen.  God always holds the trump card.

This is something that took me awhile to understand.  But as I gave my heart completely over to God, I have completely understood that God will only trump my plans for His protection and love for me, and I am completely fine with that.

Dear Lord, thank You for trumping me.  I know that Your plans for me are to love and prosper.  Thank You for prospering me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Patiently Prayerful

Romans 12:12 - Be glad for all God is planning for you.  Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.

The harder it is to be enthusiastic about something, the harder we should try, and the more enthusiastic we should be about it.

This is something I have to work very hard at.  It is not something that comes naturally to me.  But I have noticed that the harder I work at it, the more God has blessed me.  And that makes it totally worth it.

Dear Lord, thank You for doing a work in my heart and making me more patient and prayerful.  Your love is worth it to me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

His Glory

Romans 11:36 - For everything comes from Him; everything exists by His power and is intended for His Glory. To Him be glory ever more.  Amen.

For those who aren't celebrating this holiday for the right reasons, this can be a very selfish time.  What did you get me? they ask.  They give so they can get more.  Mine, mine, mine.  None of it is ours.  It's all His.  And if it doesn't bring Him glory, then it's wrong.

Even before I found my faith, I had always felt a strong connection with this holiday.  I always believed it was so much more than giving presents getting them.  More than a stocking and a tree.  I am so blessed to know that I was right.

Dear Lord, thank You for holding that special place in my heart even before I really knew what it was.  All glory be to You forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Searching

Proverbs 11:27 - If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!

I have heard it said, that you don't have to go far to find evil.  Evil will always seek you out.  This passage could have easily said, 'If you search for God, you will find favor'.  And you don't have to go far to find Him either.  He will be right there waiting for you with open and loving arms.

In my old life, I had no problem finding trouble.  I have been truly blessed to find good.  To find God.  Sometimes I'll say it took me a long time to find Him.  But it didn't.  Once I opened my heart and looked, He was right there.

Dear Lord, thank You for being there.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Right By Faith

Romans 9:30 - Well then, what shall we say about these things?  Just this: The Gentiles have been made right with God by faith, even though they were not seeking Him.

Gentile is a generic term that means anyone who isn't a Jew.  Originally God's chosen people were the Jews.  Even though the non-Jews weren't seeking God at first, they started to display their faith in Him, and He showered them with His love.

I am so blessed to belong to such a loving God.  I am blessed to be made right in His eyes by my faith in Him.  I love to thank and praise Him for His gift of salvation every day.

Dear Lord, thank You for saving me...from myself.  I know that I cannot do this without Your love and grace, and I am happy to welcome You into my heart and into my life.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Free

Romans 8:2 - For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.

Jesus took the punishment to free us from the certain death we were destined for because of our sinful lives and our sinful nature.  To allow us to be with Him in God's Glorious Kingdom.

How do you say thank you for something like that?  The only way I can think of, is by spreading the Good News of His Word in the hopes of others giving their lives over to God and accepting His gift of salvation.

Dear Lord, thank You for saving me from myself.  Give me the wisdom and the strength to reach others for Your Kingdom so they may be saved also.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Greedy for Gain

Proverbs 1:19 - Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain.  It ends up robbing them of life.

The material desires of this world will rob us of our eternal life with God if wee allow them to.  We must put these evil desires away and live for the eternal gain from Him.

This is something I struggled with for a long time.  It finally sunk in, with some great teaching, that there is nothing this world could give me that I need.  I only need God.  God will give me whatever I need here on earth AND He gives me eternal life.  That's a much better deal.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for teaching me about the worth of eternal gain in You through faith in Your Son Jesus.  It is the best lesson I have ever learned.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Live For The Glory

Romans 6:11 - So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus.

Once we are saved through God's grace through our faith in Him, we are no longer slaves to our old lives.  He has set us free to live for the Glory of God.

I am so blessed to not have my old life anymore.  I am no longer a slave to sin, but a slave to His righteousness.

Dear Lord, thank You for saving me.  Give me the strength and courage to continue living for Your Glory.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

High Privilege

Romans 5:2 - because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

It is through faith alone that we have been given this gift.  No work will do it.  The work was done by Jesus, we have to believe it now.

Sharing God's glory...who am I to deserve that high privilege?!  I am simply an unworthy sinner.  But I have faith.  I volunteer at church no to earn God's favor, because I can't.  I do it to share God's favor.

Dear Lord, it is so difficult for me to find the words to express sometimes how thankful I am for Your love.  Please continue to grant me the wisdom and courage to continue to share it.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Faith Alone

Romans 4:5 - But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.

Paul made the point here.  We are saved by God's grace because of our faith alone.  There is nothing we can do to earn our way into God's Glorious Kingdom.

My faith has never been stronger than it is at this point in my life.  I am so thankful for the wonderful teaching I have received over the last year that has really helped strengthen my faith.

Dear Lord, thank You for every gift You have given me.  Your wise counsel and wonderful teaching through Your Word has meant so much to me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Tell Everyone

1 Kings 8:60 - May people all over the earth know that the Lord is God and that there is no other god.

Solomon had the right idea.  Everyone needs to know.  This was the work that Jesus started when He sent out His disciples and told them to go to all the nations and spread the Good News to everyone.

Sharing God's Word is something I love to do.  A lot of times, it is simply just a bible verse or two posted on my Facebook.  But whenever I have the opportunity, I love doing more.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me the wisdom and courage to spread Your Good News with anyone that will have ears to hear it.  I want to shout it from the highest mountains!  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Persistently Good

Romans 2:7 - He will give eternal life to those who are persistent in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

This is a great passage.  Paul is telling the Romans that it doesn't count if you do good if you are only doing it once.  You must be consistent in your behavior and persistently seek the heart of God in order to truly receive God's gift of eternal life with Him.

I know I need work in this area.  I am generally a good person, but I catch myself falling into sin too easily sometimes.

Dear Lord, guide my heart so that I may consistently and persistently seek Your will in all I do and not the pleasures of the flesh.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Encouraging Faith

Romans 1:12 - I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.  In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Paul is talking about how Christians should encourage each other's faith and lift each other up.  He wanted to help the Romans grow in their faith, and he believed that by doing so, it would help grow his faith.

What a great way to live.  When my Christian friends come to me for advice or support, the first thing I always tell them is to be prayerful, and God will answer.  It is so important to me that we life each other up.

Dear Lord, thank You for the opportunity to serve You, and to help encourage others in their faith in You.  I am forever Your humble servant.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Not Our Enemies

2 Thessalonians 3:15 - Don't think of them as enemies, but speak to them as you would to a Christian who needs to be warned.

Paul was preaching the second greatest commandment - Love everyone.  Like Jesus said, don't just love your friends, love your enemies too.  They need to be shown the power of God's mercy more than anyone so that they may be saved.

This is something I have gotten a lot better about, but I still need to work on it.  With God's grace and guidance, I will.

Lord, please continue to give me the courage and wisdom to truly love like Jesus loved.  Show me how to love the ones who wish me ill, so that I may be a better example.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Wisdom

2 Chronicles 1:10 - Give me wisdom and knowledge to rule them properly. For who is able to govern this great nation of Yours?

Solomon could have had anything he wanted, and he asked for wisdom so he could care for God's people properly.  What a great man.  Trule he was his father's son.  And God rewarded him for it.

Wisdom is something I regularly ask for.  Being a leader at my work, I realize I need God's guidance so that I can lead my team effectively.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for Your wonderful blessings on me beyond the wisdom I ask for.  You have provided so much for me, my cup runneth over.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

His Justice

2 Thessalonians 1:5 - But God will use this persecution to show His justice.  For He will make you worthy of His Kingdom, for which you are suffering.

Jesus said we will face trials and tribulations, but not to fear because He has overcome them.  Paul is reiterating that promise to the Thessalonians.  For if we stay true to God and honor Him, He will stay true and honor and protect us.

I know I am not worthy of God's salvation, and no works I do can make me worthy.  I trust in God completely and honor Him, knowing that He will honor me with His love.

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to honor and praise You.  I need You in my life, because I can't do this on my own.  Come into my heart and renew my spirit with Your love.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

My Shelter

Psalm 91:1-2 - Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I am trusting Him.

When we seek shelter in God's love, He will take care of us.  He will not permit harm to come to us, and He will never forsake us.

This has been my life verse for years.  I came across this verse almost 12 years ago, and it just made everything make sense.

Dear Lord, thank You for being my refuge and shelter.  Thank You for giving me the unbreakable safety of Your Love.  I have been so blessed by You in my life.  I shall seek no other besides You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Obeying God's Rules

1 Thessalonians 4:8 - Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

Paul was reminding the Thessalonians to stay pure and not live immoral lives, because by doing so would be rejecting God, and He would be righteous to withhold His gift of the Holy Spirit from them.

I have been so blessed since I turned my life over to God.  I strive to please Him every day in every way.  I know I am not perfect, but I know He loves me anyway, and I am eternally grateful.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving this imperfect and unworthy servant of Yours.  I know I don't deserve Your grace, and I am so blessed to have You in my life.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Great Joy

1 Thessalonians 3:9 - How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy in the presence of God.

Paul was worried that after they left Thessalonica, the people might be tempted to give up their faith in God.  But after hearing that it was as strong as ever, he was elated by God's blessings.

I recently had a friend tell me that they were worried that they might sway me from my walk with Christ.  My reply was, 'nothing or no one could ever sway me from my walk with Him'.  We all need to keep our faith strong during times of trials and temptations.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your strength and courage during the trials and temptations of this world.  My faith is and always will be in You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Forgiveness

1 Chronicles 21:8 - Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly and shouldn't have taken the census.  Please forgive me for doing this foolish thing."

David realized he had sinned greatly against God, and begged for His forgiveness.  Later in the chapter, he begs God to only punish him and not the whole of Israel.  He had such high integrity.

When I sin, and believe me, I do, I need to make sure that I am not only humble when I ask for forgiveness, but that I never try to blame someone else for my transgressions.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your everlasting forgiveness and love that You have given an unworthy servant like me.  I hope I am able to please You forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Perfection

2 Samuel 22:31 - "As for God, His way is perfect.  All the Lord's promises prove true.  He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection."

God will take care of us.  If we believe, have faith, look to Him for answers, and trust those answers, He will never let us down.  His plan for us is perfect, and we must trust in that.

My complete trust and faith is in God.  I need to make sure I am quieting my mind so that I can hear and listen and understand Him better.

Dear Lord, thank You for being perfect.  I am so blessed to have You as an example of total perfection in my life.  My complete trust and faith is in You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Giving My Burdens

Psalm 55:22 - Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you.  He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Give it all to God, and He will take care of you.  Don't pick and choose what you want Him to handle.  He will take care of it all for you, because He loves you and won't allow anything bad to happen.

I have gotten so much better about this in the last couple of years.  But I must be fully reliant on God, so that I may receive His full blessing.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me the wisdom and courage to rely on You completely and without reservation.  All my burdens I give to You.  I trust only in You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

My Trust

Psalm 56: 3-4 - But when I am afraid, I put my trust in You.  O God, I praise Your word.  I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  What can mere mortals do to me?

David's unquestionable and undeniable trust in God to deliver him from evil and into safety is on full display here.  David knew that God was in full command.

I want to be like David.  I need to be more prayerful that I have the same level of trust in God.  I trust God completely, but I need to be careful not to yield to the temptation of trusting in anything else that offers false hope.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me the strength and courage to resist the temptations of this world, and to keep my trust, hope, and faith in You alone.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

From Birth

Psalm 71:6 - Yes, You have been with me from birth; from my mother's womb You have cared for me.  No wonder I am always praising You!

God has always been with us.  Some of us come to realize and understand it much later than others, but David always knew, and always trusted in God for His protection over him.

I have caught myself saying to people, '...since God has been in my life...' but I have come to understand that He has always been there, I just wasn't quiet and listenting.  I am so happy that I am now.

Dear Lord, thank You for always being there for me.  Thank You for Your unending patience and love for me.  All honor and praise be to You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Eternal Life

Matthew 25:46 - "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."

As believers and disciples of Christ, it is our duty to care for and love each other as Christ does.  When we follow His commands, He promises us eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom.

Do I demonstrate love and kindness as Jesus has instructed?  I have felt God working in my heart recently and making me better at this.  I know with His guidance I will accomplish anything.

Dear Lord, I ask for You to continue the work You have started in me.  I want to experience love like Jesus has for me.  Help me to be a more loving servant.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Lord's Coming

Matthew 24:42 - "So be prepared, because you don't know what day your Lord is coming."

Jesus will come back to collect His chosen people and establish His Kingdom here on. Earth, and we do not know when that will happen.  It is our responsibility to be ready for Him when we are called to account for ourselves.

Am I ready?  Jesus could very possibly come before I finish writing this.  I need to be sure that I am ready.  With. God's wisdom and guidance, I can be ready.

Dear Lord, I pray for Your wisdom and guidance so that I may honor and glorify You here on earth and the do the same in Heaven.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Humbleness

Matthew 23:12 - "But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

There are two types of people in the world.  Those who are humble and those who are about to be.  God loves and rewards true humility as exemplified by David.

Do I exhibit enough humility towards God?  I hope so.  I know I accomplish nothing without Him and He has great plans for me.

Dear Lord, thank You for the amazing lessons in humility that You have taught me through the story of David.  I pray that I will live up to Your expectations of me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Chosen

Matthew 22:14 - "For many are called, but few are chosen."

This illustration by Jesus was powerful.  We must all be ready for Jesus' return so that we may dine with Him in Heaven.  He has called all of us to be His disciple, but those who aren't ready when He returns will not be chosen for the feast.

If I was called today, would I be chosen?  Is my relationship with God what He wants it to be?  I need to stay focused on His will.

Dear Lord, give me the strength and wisdom to stay focused on You.  I need Your guidance and wisdom above anything this world can provide.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Proper Fruit

Matthew 21:43 - "What I mean is that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit."

If we refuse to believe in Jesus and His salvation for us, God will not allow us into His Kingdom.  God wants us with Him, but if we refuse His invitation, we will not be let in.

I am so blessed to have accepted the invitation of salvation from Jesus.  It was the best thing I ever did for my life.  Every day with God in my life is better than the last.

Dear Lord, thank You for giving an unworthy sinner like me an invitation into Your Kingdom.  I hope and pray that I can show You the praise and glory that You deserve.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Servant

Matthew 20:28 - "For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Jesus came to save us and show us the way into the Kingdom of Heaven.  He did not come to show us what we could not have, but what we would have if we repented our sins and believed in Him.

What a gift.  I have been so blessed to realize Jesus' love for me, and His desire to have me in the Kingdom of Heaven.  He deserves all the praise honor for His gift of salvation.

Dear Lord, thank You for the blessings of Your eternal and unfailing love for me.  I am not worthy of Your salvation, but You have blessed me anyway.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Defending His Honor

Psalm 106:8 - Even so, He saved them - to defend the honor of His name and to demonstrate His mighty power.

Despite Israel's foolish behavior in the wilderness, God protected them.  He resisted destroying them, because He didn't want anyone to think He led them out to just humiliate them.  He showed that it was in His power to forgive as well as destroy, and that forgiveness takes more power than destruction.

What an amazing display of His unfailing love that God demonstrated.  I want to be like this.  Love costs.  It's easier to hate than to love.  But I am willing to pay price to see His favor.

Dear Lord, instill in me that spirit of love and forgiveness that You display so very prominently.  Teach me to love and forgive like Jesus.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Should I?

1 Chronicles 14:10 - So David asked God, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines?  Will You hand them over to me?"  The Lord replied, "Yes, go ahead.  I will give you the victory."

God loves to reward true faith.  David was a great example of this.  He never hesitated to go to the Lord first, and God was certain to reward him.

Do I ask God first?  Being a human, it is natural for me to rely on my own wisdom and understanding when making a decision.  But that doesn't make it right.

Dear Lord, please forgive me for not always seeking Your counsel first.  Please help me to remember to seek You first in all I do.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Rescue

Psalm 68:20 - Our God is a God who saves!  The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

Our faith in God saves us from an eternity spent without Him.  Eternity does not begin when we physically die.  It begins when we accpet Christ as our Savior.

I am so thankful for God's rescue.  I am not sure how I made it so long without Him in my heart, but I know He will be with me always through eternity.

Dear Lord, thank You for my eternity with You.  I know I am unworthy of Your love and grace, but I am eternally grateful for it.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Certain Victory

2 Samuel 5:19 - So David asked the Lord, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines?  Will You hand them over to me?"  The Lord replied, "Yes, go ahead.  I will certainly give you the victory."

David had the best Counselor and Advisor.  He knew he would accomplish nothing without God's help or God's will.  He sought His counsel and advice first and foremost.

I know God is the wisest and that I am only here according to His plan and design.  I need to make sure I am seeking His advice and counsel first.  Only then will I be successful.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your guidance and wisdom as I follow the path You have put before me.  I know that I will accomplish nothing without You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Honor

Matthew 15:8 - "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away."

Jesus was speaking directly about the Pharisees here, but He was also referring to all fair-weather believers.  We must believe and follow and honor God with our hearts and actions.  Just talking about it isn't good enough.

Am I good enough?  I know I have always struggled with this.  Go has worked wonders on me and my heart, and I have gotten better.  But it's not good enough.

Dear Lord, please continue the work You have started in me.  I am clay in Your hands.  Mold me how You want me to be so I may honor You with my heart completely.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

My Refuge

Psalm 142:5 - Then I pray to You, O Lord.  I say, "You are my place of refuge.  You are all I really want in life."

This is great prayer to the Lord.  He is indeed our refuge when we seek safety from sinning.  Not only is He all we should want in our lives, but He is all we will ever need.

Am I seeking God when I need refuge to protect me from sin?  No doubt I do.  But do I seek Him to give Him the honor and praise He deserves for giving me more than just protection?

Dear Lord, thank You for saving me.  Not just from sin, but from myself as well.  I know that I cannot do it without You.  You are all I want, and You are all I will ever need.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Understanding

Matthew 13:12 - "To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge.  But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them."

Jesus was speaking of more than having an open mind.  He was also speaking of having an open heart to God's Word.  That is the best way to have true wisdom from the Lord.

Are my mind and heart open to God's Word and Jesus' teaching?  Do I keep my mouth shut and my eyes, ears, and heart open to God?  Yes.  Do I do it enough?  I can do better.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me the strength to tune this world out and listen only to You and Your guidance for my life.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Family

Matthew 12:50 - "Anyone who does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"

Jesus wasn't denying His earthly family, He was adding to His eternal family.  If we follow and do God's will, we will be Jesus' brothers and sisters in heaven.  I could live with that.

Am I following and doing God's will?  I so desperately want to be counted with Jesus' brothers and sisters in heaven.  I need to make sure I am following God's will in my heart.

Dear Lord, I desperately want Your will for my life.  Please speak to me and show me what You want for me and from me.  I am Your humble and eternal servant.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Understanding

Matthew 11:15 - "Anyone who is willing to hear, should listen and understand."

We know there is a difference between hearing and listening.  We tell someone, "You heard me, but you weren't listening."  Listening breeds understanding.  We will never understand God's complete plan for our lives or this world.  But if we have listened, we understand that God loves us and wants only good for us.

I know I used to only hear.  But now, I have listened and now I understand.  I will obey and I will honor and praise God forever.

Dear Lord, thank You for opening my heart to listen and understand Your unfailing love for me.  All praise and glory to You forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Finding It

Matthew 10:39 - "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it."

This earthly life we have is meaningless.  If we aren't living our lives for the Lord, then our lives aren't worth living.  We should be living to honor Him.

One of the hardest things I had to understand in my new life with Jesus, was the meaning of this passage.  I'm pretty confident I get it now.  But am I doing it?

Dear Lord, help me down this path You have put me on.  Help me to have the wisdom and courage to live for You only.  You are all I need forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Thirsty

Psalm 63:1 - O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for You.  My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

David knew that God was the water of life.  He realized that nothing on this earth could satisfy his thirst like God could.  It was as if there was no water on earth at all.

What a tremendous understanding David had.  We should all, myself definitely included, look to God to satisfy our thirst for life, wisdom, and salvation.

Dear God, please come into my heart and satisfy my thirst for You.  Nothing in this world could ever satisfy me like You do.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Believing in Hope

Matthew 8:13 - Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go on home.  What you have believed has happened."  And the young servant was healed that same hour.

Another way to put this quote of Jesus', is to say "Because you have believed, it has happened."  That's the point of verses 11 and 12.  Gentiles will be in the Kingdom of Heaven because of their faith, and many Israelites will not be, because of their lack of faith.

I love that God decreed this.  He gave hope to those that had none.  Including me.  I am so thankful for His salvation.

Dear Lord, thank You for giving me hope when I had none.  I am so blessed to have this relationship with You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Ask, Seek

Matthew 7:8 - "For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And the door is opened to everyone who knocks."

Jesus' instructions on prayer were great.  If you seek the relationship with God, He will be there waiting for you.  You have to look, but you will find Him.

Do I seek God?  Am I asking the right questions?  I seek Him every day in His word and through prayer.  And the only thing I ask for is guidance and wisdom.  I know He hears me.  He will guide me where He wants me to be.

Dear Lord, thank You not just for watching out for me, but for also watching over me.  I know I cannot do this without You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

No Worries

Matthew 6:33 - "Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."

Jesus' instructions here were so beautifully put.  God knows what you need to get through every day, and He will make sure you have it if you are living for Him and make Him your first concern.

Have I made God my first priority?  I believe I have.  He has provided for me in more ways than I can count.  I am eternally grateful to Him, and I will gladly spend my life serving Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing provisions for my life.  I know that I cannot accomplish anything without You, and I am happy to serve You forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Love

Matthew 5:44 - "But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!"

This, to me, is the true definition of love.  As Jesus said, if we only love those who love us, where is the glory?  The true spirit of God's word tells us to love everyone.  Even, and especially, the ones who hate us and perecute us.

I love this passage.  I have gotten so much better about following this command from Jesus.  I have been wronged and treated badly by others, especially recently, but I won't allow myself to get angry and vengeful.  It won't solve anything and that is not what God wants from me.

Dear Lord, I cannot thank You enough for teaching me about the true meaning of love.  This is something I needed to learn so badly.  All praise and glory to You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Safety

Psalms 59:9 - You are my strength, I wait for You to rescue me, for You, O God, are my place of safety.

Let go and let God.  God is our everything.  Our fortress and our rock.  He willl give us what we need to survive, and He will protect us from harm as we fulfill His plan for us.

I can never read enough about David.  Although he wasn't perfect, he was a man of great faith.  He knew to let God handle things and to stay true to Him.  This is how I want to be.

Dear Lord, please continue to support me as I continue my walk with You.  I know You will keep me from harm because of Your gracious and unfailing love.  Amen!

Protection

Psalms 11:1 - I trust in the Lord for protection.  So why do you say to me, "Fly to the mountains for safety!"

David knew where his faith and trust were.  They were in God.  He knew that with God, he was protected.  He didn't understand why the people who told him to flee didn't have the same trust.

I had a friend recently going through some really tough times receive a couple of amazing blessings from God.  She seemed overwhelmed by the good fortune God had bestowed on her.  I reminded her that because she remained faithful during her trials, that God was blessing her.  I said God wasn't just watching over her, He was watching OUT for her as well.

Dear Lord, thank You for protecting us during our trials and continuing to watch over watch out for us all.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

God's Soldier

1 Samuel 17:45 - David shouted in reply, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almight - the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

Goliath had absolutely no fear or reverance for the God of Israle, and David was having none of it.  He let Goliath know that even though Goliath had all those weapons, David had God on his side, and that was the only weapon he needed.

I love this amazing example of faith by David.  I want my faith to be like this, and I want to be able to demonstrate it like this too.  Not for my glory, but for His.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me the faith I have in You and continue to build it and make it stronger for Your glory.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Immediate Obedience

Matthew 1:24 - When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded.  He brought Mary home to be his wife.

This is a great example of Immediate Obedience to God's instructions.  Joseph was upset with Mary.  But when God spoke to him while he was sleeping and told him what to do, he didn't question or ask for clarification.  He just got up and did it.

Am I immediately obedient to God?  I hope I have been.  Only God knows if I have found favor with Him.  I pray that I will never question the Lord's commands.

Dear Lord, give me the wisdom to be immediately obedient to You and Your instructions at all times.  So that I may honor You completely.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Doing Right

2 Corinthians 13:7 - We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong.  We pray this, not to show that our ministry to you has been succesful, but because we want you to do right even if we ourselves seem to have failed.

Paul's prayer here is very powerful.  He wanted them to do right for the glory of God.  Not for the glory of his ministry.  He wanted them to find favor with God because of God leading them down the right path, not because of Paul's teaching.

Do I demand credit when I feel I deserve it?  It is never and should never be about what I want and feel I deserve.  It is always and should always be about glorifying God.

Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me humility.  Thank You for showing me that it is always and should always be about Your power and glory.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:9 - Each time He said, "My gracious favor is all you need.  My power works best in your weakness."  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me.

Paul asked Christ to eliminate his weakness, because he felt it would make him a better messenger for Christ.  But Jesus corrected him by letting him know that Paul's weaknesses are what made him the better messenger.

Jesus didn't come to save the righteous, He came to save the sinners.  He didn't come to save the strong, He came to save the weak.  Boy did I luck out, because I certainly am a weak sinner in need of saving.

Lord, thank You so much for thinking of me when You were on the cross.  There is no way I could've made it without You, and I am so thankful.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

A Special Nation

1 Samuel 12:22 - The Lord will not abandon His chosen people, for that would dishonor His Great Name.  He made you a special nation for Himself.

Samuel was warning the people to be mindful of their sins and not to worship false gods.  He was reminding them that they were God's special people and if they stayed faithful to God, He would not abandon them.

Do I honor God the way I should?  I hope so.  I would never abandon my faith in Him.  And I know He will never abandon His love for me.

Dear Lord,  even though I don't deserve Your love and blessings, thank You so much for bestowing them on me.  I could not make it without You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Boundaries

2 Corinthians 10:13 - But we will not boast of authority we do not have.  Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God's plan for us, and this plan includes our working there with you.

Paul was very careful to not accept credit or take authority over anything.  Just because God sent Paul to help the Corinthians, he remembered that God was still in charge, not him.  And he was just a humble servant of the Lord's.

Being a supervisor at my job, do I take credit and assume authority that isn't mine?  I strive to be humble before God every day, knowing that He is the One I serve.

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to serve You.  Please give me the strength, courage, and wisdom to continue to be Your humble servant forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Generous Provisions

2 Corinthians 9:8 - And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Here Paul is talking specifically about giving of our treasures to help others in need.  If we give generously with no thought of reward, God will reward us great than we can possibly imagine.

I love God for this.  I love how He says basically, if you do it humbly, I will reward you beyond your greatest imagination.  Only a loving God can do that.

Dear Lord, I am so blessed by Your unfailing love and never-ending mercy.  I don't know how I deserve You, but I am so thankful I have found You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Highest Hopes

2 Corinthians 8:5 - Best of all, they went beyond our highest hopes, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us for whatever directions God might give them.

Here Paul is referring to the churches in Macedonia, but these really are instructions to all Christians today.  We must dedicate ourselves to God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, and trust whereever God guides us.

I am so dedicated to God.  I will follow where He leads me.  And recently, I witnessed a stunning example of what being dedicated to our brothers and sisters in Christ means.  I want to be like that.

Dear Lord, as I renew my dedication to You today, help me be the example that I saw last night so that others will see the great work You are capable of.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Rock

1 Samuel 2:2 - No one is holy like the Lord!  There is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God.

Hannah was so faithful to the Lord.  She was so humble and knew how to give praise to God for bringing her son to her.  God is our Rock to lean on, and there is none greater than Him.

Do I give God the praise and reverence to God that He deserves?  Am I humble enough before Him?  Do I lean on my Rock during times of pain and suffering?  I lean on no other.  Nothing gives me greater joy than my love for Jesus.

Dear Lord, thank You for being my Rock to lean on.  These past few months have been especially trying for me, and You have stood faithfully beside me.  Thank You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Nothing - Everything

2 Corinthians 6:10 - Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.  We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

This is a great way to describe our relationship with Christ.  He fills our hearts with joy, despite the aching of our sin.  He fills our spirits so that we may help others fill theirs with love.  He gives everything we need to be faithful to Him.

I am so happy to have found Jesus Christ.  He has filled my heart and spirit with so much joy and love, that my cup runs over.  I wouldn't trade this relationship for anything in the world.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for this relationship I have with You.  I know I had to seek you for redemption, but I feel like You were always seeking me too.  Thank You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

New People

2 Corinthians 5:17 - What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons.  They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone.  A new life has begun.

Once we accept Christ has died for our sins and bring Him into our hearts and lives, we must turn our back on our old ways.  We must start to live for Him, just like He died for us.

I am happy to turn from my old ways and live for Christ.  My old life only brought me trouble and sadness, but my new life with Christ has nothing but joy and happiness ahead.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for the opportunity of this new life.  I am so thankful and so grateful for Your love and kindness.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Wonderful Ministry

2 Corinthians 4:1 - And so, since God in His mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up.

The wonderful ministry that Paul speaks of, is the sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  It is our duty to share it.  No matter how hard the persecution may be at times, we never give up.

I am happy to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with anyone that will listen...and some that won't.  If I lose friends because of it, then they weren't meant to be there.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful ministry of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  I am so blessed.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Power & Success

2 Corinthians 3:5 - It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves.  Our only power and success come from God.

Everything we are and everything we have, we owe to God.  It is through His love and grace alone that we have anything in this world.  Nothing we do of our own accord will ever last long enough for us to enjoy it.

I try very hard to be thankful to God for His unfailing love and kindness.  I know He is responsible for all the good in my life.  I need to make sure that I keep my focus on His promise.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for everything You have done for me and everything You have given me.  Help me stay strong in my faith in You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Sincerity

2 Corinthians 2:17 - You see, we are not like those hucksters - and there are many of them - who preach just to make money.  We preach God's message with sincerity and with Christ's authority.  And we know that the God who sent us is watching us.

Paul made it clear that preaching the Good News for money was the only reward the people who did it would receive.  The real reward of preaching His Word is the privilege of doing it and the honor of working for Christ's cause.

I only want to glorify God in all that I do.  That is my true reward.  That is all God wants from us.  I just hope that I can show the proper honor and reverance for Christ.

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to serve You.  My reward is in Your service, and I am honored by Your gift of salvation.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Honoring God

Psalms 50:23 - "But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.  If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God."

This is a great Psalm.  In it, God is saying that He doesn't want or need any burnt sacrifices.  He just wants our praise and the sacrifice of our devotion to Him.  But not without reward.  He promises His Salvation in return.

I am happy to stay faithful to God.  It means I will have His salvation and His gift of eternal life.  That's a pretty awesome reward.

Dear Lord, I come before You in absolute faith and devotion to You.  I completely beg for Your forgiveness for my sins and ask for Your mighty healing power.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Courageous

1 Corinthians 16:13 - Be on guard.  Stand true what you believe.  Be courageous.  Be strong.

These were very simple final instructions from Paul.  He was reminding them to be on guard from evil.  From sin.  To stand true in their beliefs and to not let outside influences compromise their faith.

Simple but important instructions.  I have seen a lot of people compromise their faith because of outside influences.  I am certain that I have done it myself before I had a real relationship with God.  It takes strength and courage to stay true, and we can only get that from God.

Dear Lord, I want to thank You for giving me the strength and courage to stand true to my faith in You in the face of temptation.  All praise be to You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

A Great Harvest

1 Corinthians 15:20 - But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead.  He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.

Paul is speaking of Jesus' return to reclaim those believers who have died and to take them up to Heaven with Him.  Christ is the first of a great soul harvest.

Will I be part of this great soul harvest?  Have I found favor with God?  I know I am not perfect and I don't deserve His mercy, but I know He loves me regardless.

Dear Lord, I don't want to ask You for anything, because I have no right to be that presumptuous.  I just want to thank You for loving me anyway.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Thriving

Psalms 52:8 - But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.  I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever.

David knew how to thrive.  He knew that without God's love in his life, he could not survive.  Just like an olive tree couldn't survive without proper care.  God's love is our nourishment.

I enjoy my quiet time with God every day.  He is my nourishment, and I cannot live without Him.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for caring for me.  I know that I could not survive with You, and I praise You for Your nourishment daily.  Because of You, I am thriving.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

My Hope

Psalms 39:7 - And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?  My only hope is in You.

David had it right.  Our only hope is in God.  No one else would ever be willing to give up their only son to save us.  As long as we keep our hope in God and His Son Jesus, we will be just fine.

I am so blessed to have found my salvation in Jesus Christ.  It took me a lot longer than I would have preferred, but I won't complain...I have hope!

Dear Lord, thank You for saving me.  Words cannot express my gratitude for Your gift of salvation.  Thank You for giving me hope.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Body

1 Corinthians 12:26 - If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

This is a great metaphor of the church body.  Paul is speaking about unity within the church.  If one member is suffering we should all work together to help them.  It is our duty as Christians.

I have realized that my desire and ability to help others is indeed a gift from God.  This is my calling from Him, and I want nothing more than to use it for His glory.

Dear Lord, please continue to use me to help others.  I desire only Your glory and I pray for the guidance from You to be a positive reinforcement to everyone.  Amen!

Examining

1 Corinthians 11:31 - "But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way."

Paul was reminding them that they should be mindfule of their hearts.  God knows the heart of every man, and if our hearts are not true when we worship God, he will know.

I love communion time.  Even though I have my quiet time with God every day, communion is extra special.  My heart and mind are more focused on my prayer and listening to God.  I have no doubt that this is the Lord doing His work in me.

Dear Lord, help me to stay focused on You.  Not just during communion time, but all time.  You know my heart, and I want You to lead me.  Amen!

Tempted

1 Corinthians 10:13 - ...God is faithful.  He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it.  When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.

Whatever temptations we may face, God already knows about.  He may test us from time to time, but He will always show us a way through without giving in to the temptation because His faithful love endures forever.

I know I have faced many temptations in my life.  Too many to count.  At the time, I didn't understand how I got through them without giving in and making a stupid decision.  Now I know it was through His love and grace alone.

Dear Lord, please contine to guide me through the every day temptations that rise up in front of me.  With Your love and grace I know I will conquer them all.  Amen!

Eternal Prize

1 Corinthians 9:25 - All athletes practice strict self control.  They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

Paul is reminding the Corinthians that controlling their desires to sin is not for a mere earthly prize.  It is for an eternal prize from God in heaven.  But we have to practice strict self control.

Controlling my sin is tough.  Just because I am saved doesn't mean I am sinless, it just means I sin less.  I have to work hard at my self control so that I may stay right in the eyes of God.

Dear Lord, give me the strength and courage to have the self control over my sin, so that I may enjoy my eternal prize in heaven with You forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Love God

1 Corinthians 8:3 - But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.

God loves all of His children.  But the ones that love Him back, and seek that relationship with Him, are cared for and protected by Him in a special way.  Nothing or no one on this earth can do the same thing for us.

I feel so blessed.  God has blessed me in ways that I can't begin to describe.  He has loved and cared for me like no other can.  All honor and praise be to Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for the opportunity to serve and worship You.  Thank You for Your care and protection.  You are everything I have searched for my whole life.  Amen!

Enslaved

1 Corinthians 7:23 - God purchased you at a high price.  Don't be enslaved by the world.

God set us free from a life where we were slaves to our sin.  He paid the highest price possible for it.  We owe it to God to make sure we honor and praise Him for this.

My old life as an unbeliever was so unfulfilled and empty.  All I cared about was doing what made me feel good. But I never quenched that hunger.  God did.  He set me free from my slavery to sin.  God is Freedom.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for my freedom.  I will spend the rest of my life giving You the honor and praise You deserve.  Amen!

Marvelous Power

1 Corinthians 6:14 - And God will rise our bodies from the dead by His marvelous power, just as He raised our Lord from the dead.

Even though our earthly bodies have very little true meaning, Paul tells us to be mindful of destroying them because God cares for them and He will raise us up to Him from the dead like He did with Jesus.

This has been something I have struggled with for most of my life.  I have not been good about taking care of my body as God wants.  I know with His strength, I can and will overcome this as well.

Dear Lord, give me the strength and marvelous power to overcome my biggest sins and weaknesses so that I may continue to honor You as I should.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Sure Salvation

Pslms 69:13 - But I keep right on praying to You, Lord, hoping this is the time You will show me favor.  In Your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with Your sure salvation.

David knew that he was unworthy because of his sins, but he knew that God would protect and save him because of His unfailing love the salvation that God promised.

I know that I am unworthy.  I don't deserve any of God's love and kindness.  None of us do.  But I sleep better at night knowing that it doesn't matter what I may think I know.  It matters that God loves me and I have been saved because of His unfailing love.

Dear Lord, I cannot thank You enough for Your love and Your gift of Your sure salvation.  All praise be to You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Examining

1 Corinthians 4:4 - My conscience is clear, but that isn't what matters.  It is the Lord Himself who will examine me and decide.

Paul wasn't seeking the approval of the Corinthians for his work.  He knew that he done what he was supposed to do, but he knew it was up to God to decide if he had done everything properly.

Do I have a clear conscience?  I know what I have done in my life, and that I am an unworthy sinner.  I may not speak aloud of some things, but God knows my heart, and He knows my heart belongs to Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your forgiveness.  I know that I don't deserve it, and I am rescused from my sin by Your love and grace alone.  Thank You so much.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Courageous

Joshua 1:9 - "I command you - be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid or discouraged.  For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

God is giving Joshua some of the same words of encouragement to Joshua that He gave to Moses.  He was reminding him also to study God's Word every day so that Joshua would be successful in leading Israel into their new land.

Wouldn't it be great if everyone could say, "I talked to God the other day and He said He's got my back."  That's how living a life in service to God is.  He'll have our back.  That's some pretty strong protection.

Dear Lord, thank You for protecting me as I go out into the world every day.  I know that as long as I have You I have nothing to fear from anyone on this earth.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Understanding

1 Corinthians 2:9 - "That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him."

Here, Paul is epreaching about wisdom to the Corinthians.  He is explaining that people who don't believe in God will not understand His plan.  But for true believers, the Holy Spirit will reveal His plan.

Nothing wrong with having that kind of inside information.  But we have to be careful not to brag or be boastful.  We need to share it with others so that they can come to understand as well.

Dear Lord, give me the wisdom and the words to share Your Word so that I may help others to come to know Your splendor as I have.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Tender Mercies

Psalms 40:11 - Lord, don't hold back Your tender mercies from me.  My only hope is in Your unfailing love and faithfulness.

David was such a humble man.  He knew that he was nothing without the Lord's love and mercy.  And he was not too proud to beg God not to deny him.

Has God blessed me with His unfailing love and faithfulness and tender mercies?  He sure has.  Even though I don't deserve them, He still blessed me with them.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me.  When I felt that I was not loveable, You prived me wrong and showed me Your unfailing love.  Thank You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Holy People

Deuteronomy 28:9 - "If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in His ways, the Lord will establish you as His holy people as He solemly promised to do."

Moses was very clear with his instructions to the people here.  All they had to do was to follow the rules God gave them in His covenant with them, and they would be blessed.

We all know that if God says it, it's true.  He wants a relationship with us.  But we have to want it too.  This is where free will comes in to play.  He won't force us, but He will bless us.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me Your blessings as I try hard every day to sin less and to keep my relationship with You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Freedom To Love

Galatians 5:13 - For you have been called to live in freedom - not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.

Going from slaves to our sin, to being slaves of love and kindness.  There is nothing wrong with that at all.  Loving each other is the best thing we can do for each other.

I am happy to serve God in this manner.  If loving everyone as God commands will put me right in His eyes, I am happy to do it.  Besides, hate and bitterness hurts.

Dear Lord, help me to sty true in my faith to You, and show love to everyone You put in front of me.  Let me serve You and them with love.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

God's Children

Galatians 4:7 - Now you are no longer a slave, but God's own child.  And since you are His child, everything He has belongs to you.

When we accept Christ's redemption and salvation and get baptized, we are born anew as children of God.  And God will spoil us with the riches of His unfailing and perfect love.

Now this is what I call an inheritance!  I wasn't born into a wealthy family, but I was born anew into the wealthiest family that has ever or will ever exist.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing inheritance You have offered me.  Help me stay true and faithful to You so that I may enjoy it.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Victory

Deuteronomy 20:4 - For the Lord your God is going with you!  He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory!

God will protect and care for those who put their faith and trust in Him.  He will not let them fall because He loves them.

This is such a great promise of God.  I know He loves me, and He will not let me stumble as long as my faith in Him remains true.  I hope I never let Him down.

Dear Lord, give me the strength to be true to You in faith so that I may enjoy Your gift of life eternal with You and Jesus in heaven.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Meaningful Needs

Galatians 2:21 - "I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless.  For if we could be saved by keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ to die."

We are saved by grace alone through our faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ.

No works can save us.  If it was that easy, everyone would do it.  I pray that I am found in God's grace when my time comes. My belief and faith in Jesus is stronger than it has ever been and will only get stronger.

Dear Lord, thank You for this amazing gift of salvation.  I will treasure it always and never take it for granted.  You are my great Redeemer.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Serve & Obey

Deuteronomy 13:4 - Serve only the Lord your God and fear Him alone.  Obey His commands, listen to His voice, and cling to Him.

These are very simple instructions that Moses gave the people directly from God.  We are to serve and obey God, and He will take care of us.  He promised this.

I am so happy to be in God's service.  It is the best thing I have ever done with my life.

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to serve You.  I cannot imagine a life without You in it, nor do I want to.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Believe

Mark 16:16 - "Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved.  But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned."

Jesus was very clear in His words here.  You must believe and be baptized.  To refuse means eternal condemnation from God.

I know I believe.  And I have been baptized.  I need to improve on my sharing of God's Good News.  I know it is expected of me.

Dear Lord, give me the strength and wisdom to better share Your Good News.  I know this is expected of me, and I only want to please You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Son of God

Mark 15:39 - When the Roman officer who stood facing Him saw how He had died, he exclaimed, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

The Roman officer finally realized what he and the others had done.  It's a shame the didn't too.

I could not imagine what it must have felt like to be that Roman officer.  I don't know if I would be able to live with myself knowing that I had just helped kill God's Son.

Dear Lord, thank You for sending Your only Son to die for my sins and spilling His blood to wash away my iniquities.  All power and glory to You forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Arrival

Mark 13:26 - "Then everyone will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds with great power and glory."

Jesus promises to return and restore His throne on the earth with all of His chosen people.

I long for the day of Christ's return and pray that I will be deemed righteous in God's eyes when that day comes.

Dear Lord, help me stay true to You.  I want to do Your work here on earth.  Please grant me Your grace dear God so that I may serve You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Commandment

Mark 12:30 - "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength."

This is the first and the greatest commandment.  God deserves this.  He his done so much for His people and we should consider it an honor to serve and worship Him.

Do I love God like this?  Yes I do!  I was and would still be nothing without Him.  It is a privilege to be His humble servant for all of my days.

Dear Lord, thank You for this honor You have bestowed on me.  I would be nothing without You in my life, and I only want to serve You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Forgiveness

Mark 11:25 - "But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in Heaven will forgive your sins, too."

It is vital for us to forgive those who have sinned against us.  If we don't love and forgive like we are commanded to, then God will not forgive us.  We don't deserve to be forgiven.

Do I forgive like I am commanded?  It is not something I learned how to do easily.  God's love and grace have taught me remarkable patience and love.

Dear Lord, please continue the work You have started in me.  Please continue to teach me love, patience, and humility so that I can be deemed right in Your eyes.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

To Serve

Mark 10:45 - "For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Jesus made it clear that He came to save us.  He knew that He would have to give His life for ours, and He did not shy away from it.

Have I accepted His gift of salvation?  You bet I have.  This has been the greatest gift I have ever received, and I intend to cherish it and share it.

Dear God, thank You for this precious gift of salvation.  I know that I am unworthy to be Your servant, but You still chose me.  Thank You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Believing

Mark 9:23 - "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked.  "Anything is possible if a person believes."

Like Jesus said, with faith we can move mountains.  This is a great way to explain faith.  Everything is possible with faith.  There is nothing God cannot do.

Is my faith strong enough to move mountains?  I would never doubt or question my faith in God. He has already done so much for my life.

Dear Lord, my faith in You grows stronger every day as I dive deeper into Your Word.  Help me move the mountains in my life.  I know You can.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Good News

Mark 8:35 - "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life."

The path to true and eternal life is found in God's Word.  Spreading His Good News, even at the cost of this mortal life, is the calling for all true believers.

Do I do enough to spread the Good News of God?  I think I need to be better about it.

Dear Lord, please give me the wisdom in spreading Your Word.  Speak through me so I can testify to Your Good News to everyone with an ear to hear.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Never Shaken

Acts 2:25 - King David said this about Him:  'I know the Lord is always with me.  I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.'

King David's faith was amazing.  He knew that God would never abandon him.  He knew that God would always be there to protect him.

I hold tightly to this promise of Jesus.  Jesus said that He would remain in us.  I know that I can conquer any problem in life with Jesus on my side and in my heart.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your eternal promise to remain in me through Your Holy Spirit.  And for giving me the strength, courage, and wisdom to persevere.  All glory be to You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Love

1 Corinthians 13:13 - There are three things that will endure - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.

Love is indeed the greatest.  Jesus once said to love your enemies, because if you only love those who love you, where's the glory?  He came to save us, and He did it using love.

Do I love my enemies as I should?  Do I love as Jesus loved?  I have no animosity towards anyone, and I pray for thos that dislike me, but I can be better about it.

Dear Lord, please give me the courage and strength and wisdom to truly love like Jesus loved.  I know this will bring You great glory.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

From Within

Mark 7:23 - "All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."

Jesus was explaining to His disciples that man-made customs make them unholy to God, because they are not from God and God is jusging their hearts and not their man-made rules.

It is so important to follow God's laws.  God knows what is in our hearts, and He will judge us based on this.  He doesn't care about the man-made customs we follow, because following God's commands are what glorify Him.

Dear Lord, help me to keep Your commands.  Help me stay pure and true to You.  I know that I am a sinner and I am not worthy, but I need Your help.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

My Shield

Psalms 28:7 - The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger.  I trust in Him with all my heart.  He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.  I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

David was a man of great faith.  Absolute trust in God is the only way to go.  God will protect His people that put their absolute trust in Him.

I know that I am a work in progress, but my faith is strong.  Faith brings blessings from God, and it is rewarded by God.  God's protection is absolute.

Dear Lord, the only reward I seek is Your grace and love.  You indeed are my strength and my shield, and my absolute faith is in You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Teaching

Mark 4:25 - "To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given.  But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them."

When we listen to Jesus' teaching, and keep our hearts open to it, we will grow in our knowledge of and friendship with God.  If we turn away, we lose everything we gained.

I look forward to my daily readings and my weekly teachings at church.  I feel like a sponge sometimes trying to absorb every last word.  I can't take in enough.  I love this feeling.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me the wisdom I need to serve You better.  To offer You the proper honor and praise.  This is all I need!  Amen!

God Bless!!!

God's Will

Mark 3:35 - "Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

Through faith and service to God, we are all family.  We are all God's children.

I love this promise from Jesus.  Because of His words, I know that I am His brother; because of my faithfulness to Him.  How lucky are we all to have this?!  How blessed we truly are.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your love.  I am happy to remain faithful to You.  I thank You for Your salvation.  It is the best gift I have ever received.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Wisdom

Psalms 90:12 - Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.

All Moses asks for in this prayer, is how to be better.  How to be smarter so that he can serve God and lead God's chosen people properly.

I love this prayer.  I ask God every day for the wisdom to lead my employees in a way that is pleasing to God and that will glorify Him.  I can only hope that He is pleased with me.

As I take this brief sabbatical Lord, please re-energize me with Your Spirit and Your Wisdom, so that when I return, I will be better in glorifying You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Patience

Psalms 27:14 - Wait patiently for the Lord.  Be brave and courageous.  Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Good things come to those who wait.  Being brave and courageous in our faith in spite of persecution, and waiting patiently on God to rescue us, will yield great things for us.

I have become a very patient man.  My Grandmother used to say that I had the patience of Job.  I don't know how accurate that was, but I am more patient now.  The Lord God waited for me for a lot of years.  I have no problem waiting for Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your everlasting patience with me.  I will wait patiently for You because I know You have great things planned for me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Salvation

Acts 28:28 - "So I want you to realize that this salvation from God is also available to the Gentiles, and they will accept it."

Paul was explaining to the Jewish leaders in Rome that the gift of God's salvation through Jesus Christ was for everyone who wanted it.  And that some would accept it and some would not.

I am so fortunate that God has offered His salvation to me.  He didn't have to.  But He did because He loves me and wants a relationship with me.  I am so blessed through Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your precious gift of salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ.  It is nothing I could ever repay, but I will praise and honor You for the rest of my days.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

The Same

Acts 26:29 - Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains."

Paul was not concerned about what his fate was in the court.  All he wanted and prayed for was his captors and jailers to come to know Christ and be saved.

Paul was an amazing man.  Even during persecution, he prayed for the souls of his persecutors.  I pray that God will give me the strength and guidance to do the same.

Dear Lord, help me to love like Jesus loved.  Help me to pray for the lost souls so that they may come to know You as I have.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Appeals

Acts 25:11 - "If I have done something worthy of death, I don't refuse to die.  But if I am innocent, neither you nor anyone else has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me.  I appeal to Caesar!"

Paul was not afraid to die for what he believed in.  He knew had done nothing wrong, and he demanded a fair trial.

I love Paul's faith.  I love his conviction.  I pray that I have that conviction when I am called to account for myself before the Lord.

Dear Lord, give me the strength to remain strong in my faith and conviction in You, so that I will stand proud before You on that day.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Hope

Acts 24:15-16 - "I have hope in God, just as these men do, that He will raise both the righteous and the ungodly.  (16) Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and everyone else.

Paul, while he was defending himself at trial, made it known that he had nothing to hide and had done nothing wrong.  His hope was in God judging him fairly, not the courts.

If I went to meet God today, would I have a clear conscience?  I like to tell people that I am still a work in progress and I'm striving to receive God's favor.  I still have work to do, but I believe God has me on the right path.

Dear Lord God, please keep me on this straight and narrow path You have placed me on, so I can find favor through Your saving grace.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Peace

Leviticus 26:6 - "I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep without fear.  I will remove the wild animals from your land and protect you from your enemies."

God is promising, through His instructions to Moses, that He will take care of His people and they will have nothing to fear as long as they obey His commands and stay true to Him.

How amazing is God?!  We have nothing to fear as long as we stay true to Him and obey His commands.  I will work harder to make sure I do this.  I want and need His protection.

Dear Lord, I am Your humble servant.  I will obey Your commands and stay true to You forever.  Please continue to protect me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Taking A Stand

Psalm 26:12 - I have taken a stand, and I will publicly praise the Lord.

David let it be known that he was in no way afraid to declare his belief in and love for the Lord God.

Jesus said if you deny Him to your fellow man, He will deny you to His Father.  We cannot allow that to happen.  Jesus is our only way to salvation, and we must publicly declare our praise for Him.

Dear God, help me take my stand and publicly declare my love for You.  Let me never deny You.  Your love is the greatest thing in this world, and the next.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

All His

Psalm 24:1 - The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.  The world and all its people belong to Him.

David knew exactly what the score was.  He knew that we are all God's children, and God loves us like only a father can.  How great is this?!

I myself haven't experienced fatherhood, but I have seen how fathers love their children.  There is nothing like it.  I may not have experienced fatherhood yet, but I have experienced God's love.  There is nothing like it, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me totally and unconditionally.  I'm so blessed to have to come to know You and experience Your unfailing love.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Duty

Acts 20:24 - But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love.

Our sole purpose as believers and disciples of Christ is to spread the Good News of God's kindness and love.  Failure to do this would be failure to meet His ecpectations.

This is something I definitely need to work on and get better with.  I'm never afraid to share when asked, but I don't initiate the conversation.  What is holding me back?!

Dear Lord, please give me the strength, courage and wisdom to be better about sharing Your Good News, so that I will meet your expectations.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Obey

Leviticus 18:5 - If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them.  I am the Lord.

Obeying God's decrees and regulations is the way to experience God's grace.  Jesus spoke of this as well.  We are required to obey.

Do I obey every law of God?  I am not perfect.  I have said before that because I am saved, it does not mean I am sinless.  It means that I sin less.  I am still a work in progress.

Dear Lord, please help me to obey Your laws so that I will find favor in Your heart and experience Your true grace.  I need nothing more than You.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Belonging

Acts 18:10 - "For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me."

Jesus spoke to Paul in this vision to encourage him and to calm his worries.  Paul had experienced a lot of hate when he first arrived in Corinth.

Jesus' words are always encouraging and calming to me.  Whenever I am having a tough day, I always happen to come across something He said, and I feel so much better.  This is not by accident.

Lord Jesus, thank You for being the Great Encourager in my life.  You are always there when I need You.  All praise and glory be to You forever.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Seeking

Acts 17:27 - "His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him - though He is not far from any one of us."

God wants us and expects us to seek Him.  But He is never far from us.  He wants us to be found in Him.  He made our work the easy part, but He had the hard part - sacrificing His only Son for us.

I have found myself in God's love.  I have felt Him move in me more than ever before lately.  But I need to keep seeking Him every day in all that I do.  That is the key.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for moving me like never before.  Continue to give me the wisdom and faith to constantly seek You in all that I do every day.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Holy

Leviticus 10:3 - Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord meant when He said, 'I will show myself holy among those who are near me.  I will be glorified before all the people.'"  And Aaron was silent.

Moses reminded Aaron that we are to follow God's commands or pay the price for it.  Even though Aaron had just lost his sons, he knew Moses was right and said nothing to argue.

Do I follow God's commands?  I know I am a sinner and I am not perfect.  I try hard everyday to follow Him completely and without argument.

Dear Lord, help me to continue down this path You have put me on and continue to give me the strength and wisdom to follow Your commands completely.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Special Favor

Acts 15:11 - "We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the special favor of the Lord Jesus."

Paul is reminding the spostles and the church elders that we are saved by grace alone, and not by good deeds or anything to show our belief.  And that applies to everyone, including the Gentiles.

This holds true today, as it did then, and for all eternity.  God will restore us to His Kingdom through His Grace through our acceptance and faith in His Son Jesus Christ as our Savior.  I'm all in for that!

Dear Lord, thank You for saving me.  Thank You for loving an unloveable wretch like me.  I cannot live without Your love and grace.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Tribulations

Acts 14:22 - ...They encouraged them to continue in their faith, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.

Paul and Barnabas made sure that the new believers understood that living for God was not an easy life because of the persecutions they would face.

Persecution comes with the territory.  If I want to serve God and teach His Word, I have to be prepared for being ridiculed and other tribulations.  Am I?

Dear Lord, give me the strength and wisdom to spread Your Word despite the tribulations I may face while doing so.  I want to serve You, God.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Forgiveness

Acts 13:38 - "Brothers listen!  In this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins."

Barnabas and Saul were explaining to the Gentiles the path to salvation, and how Jesus came to rescue us all from certain death as foretold by the prophets.

How awesome is this?  Who could possible love someone so much that they sen their only child to certain death just to save a bunch of good for nothing's?  God does.  That's a special kind of love, and we are so blessed to have it.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me with a special kind of love that no one else could possible give me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Good News

Acts 12:24 - But God's Good News was spreading rapidly, and there were many new believers.

Despite Herod Agrippa's best efforts to the apostles' works, Christianity was spreading.  He imprisoned and killed them, but it didn't work.  God had other plans.

One of our main goals on this earth is to spread the Good News of God.  To make believers of the unbelievers.  I know I am not perfect, but I hope I can live up to God's plans for me.

Dear Lord, give me the wisdom and the words to spread Your Word to all those that need to hear it.  Let me spread Your Good News.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Cleansing

Psalm 19:12 - How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?  Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

David was a smart man.  He knew that God knows everything that was in our hearts before we did.  He wanted a pure heart, and knew that only God could give it to him.

As much as we all like to think we know what we're going to do, God knows before us.  I know that I'm the type that likes to plan everything out.  I need to be better about putting my trust in God to lead me where He wants me to be.

Dear Lord, guid me.  I am putting my trust in You, because I know You will lead me where I need to be.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Acceptance

Acts 10:15 - The voice spoke again, "If God says something is acceptable, don't say it isn't:"

God is telling Peter through this vision that what He calls clean, you must not call unclean.

It is not for us to decide what is good and pleasing and acceptbale to the Lord.  He will decide for us.  When we are left our own judgements, we get ourselves into trouble.

Thank You Lord for deciding for me.  I made my own decisions for a lot of years, and it got me nowhere, until I made the decision for You, and now I will go everywhere!  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Good Things

Psalm 16:2 - I said to the Lord, "You are my Master!  All the good things I have are from You."

David believed that everything he had he owed to God.  And this is true.  God protected and comforted him through the hardest times of his life.  All because He loved him.

Do I offer the proper praise to God for everything He has done for me in my life?  I sure hope so.  I know that I am nothing without Him.  And He is everything to me.

Dear Lord, thank You for every amazing thing You have done for me in my life.  You have made me the man I am today with Your unfailing love.  Amen!

God Bless!!!