Acts 9:15 - But the Lord said, "Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel."
Ananias was so confused by Jesus telling him to go to Saul of Tarsus that he momentarily doubted Him, going so far as to question Jesus to make sure He had the right guy for the job. God didn't strike him down and destroy Ananias for doubting and questioning Him because He understood where it was coming from. If they had a list of who would have been used as one of God's Chosen Instrument's, Saul of Tarsus wouldn't have even been last on the list. He probably would have been left off the list completely.
I know I have doubted and questioned God before. I wasn't always a person of faith. It took a couple of incidents in my life to realize that He was the one in charge, not me. There have still been times where I have asked, "Really? Me?" God isn't mad at me for that. He has too much love for me to be mad about me being human. It doesn't mean that it is good or acceptable to question or doubt Him. God uses the least likely people as His chosen instruments, Saul of Tarsus being one of the biggest examples. But He also is using us for this purpose as well. Just when I start to think I cannot do anymore, or that I am the least qualified, or the last resort, God says, "You are exactly who I need you to be." He builds all of us up according to His perfect will and plan, and uses us as His chosen instruments in the exact way He needs us. This is such an amazing gift from Him.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for making me the way You have. I know that I am exactly who You need and want me to be according to Your perfect plan. I know that I have doubted and questioned in the past, and for that I ask Your forgiveness. I pray that I will be more trusting in You and confident in the abilities You give me to accomplish the tasks You set for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
That's How It Works
1 Peter 1:22 - You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
God loves us with all His heart and demonstrated that sincere love by sending His Son to die on the cross in our place. If that isn't sincere and deep love, then I don't know what is! When we accept His free gift of salvation, we are expected to love each other in the same way, because that's how it works. If we aren't showing a deep and sincere love to ALL, then Jesus died in vain. And that just isn't the case.
Am I showing that sincere and deep love to everyone I encounter? It is definitely a struggle sometimes, because my stubbornness and pride can get in the way a lot more than I would like it to. When I feel myself going down the path of pride, I need to stop and pray and ask God to re-fill me with His Spirit of love. I know that I can overcome my issues with His strength and courage. I know that is what God expects of me, and I will work harder to maintain that Spirit of Love.
Dear Abba Father, I know that I am a sinner and that Your love has set me free from my sinful ways. I pray for Your continued guidance and courage to keep me in a spirit of love with everyone I encounter. I want to be a beacon of light to those I encounter, and I cannot do that if I am allowing pride and selfishness invade my heart and push out Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God loves us with all His heart and demonstrated that sincere love by sending His Son to die on the cross in our place. If that isn't sincere and deep love, then I don't know what is! When we accept His free gift of salvation, we are expected to love each other in the same way, because that's how it works. If we aren't showing a deep and sincere love to ALL, then Jesus died in vain. And that just isn't the case.
Am I showing that sincere and deep love to everyone I encounter? It is definitely a struggle sometimes, because my stubbornness and pride can get in the way a lot more than I would like it to. When I feel myself going down the path of pride, I need to stop and pray and ask God to re-fill me with His Spirit of love. I know that I can overcome my issues with His strength and courage. I know that is what God expects of me, and I will work harder to maintain that Spirit of Love.
Dear Abba Father, I know that I am a sinner and that Your love has set me free from my sinful ways. I pray for Your continued guidance and courage to keep me in a spirit of love with everyone I encounter. I want to be a beacon of light to those I encounter, and I cannot do that if I am allowing pride and selfishness invade my heart and push out Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Obedience
1 Kings 17:15 - So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days.
The woman had already received her instructions from the Lord to feed Elijah, but she didn't obey at first. Elijah had to convince her that everything would be fine. Once she obeyed, she enjoyed more than she had hoped for. It's very easy for us to hold some reservations about trusting God's instructions to us. We have to get past our natural human instinct to question everything and just trust and obey God's will for us.
Do I trust God implicitly, or do I tend to question things? I certainly have a tendency to over-analyze things a lot, and I have questioned quite a bit. God deserves so much credit for His infinite patience, because I'm sure there have been plenty of times where He just wanted to say, "Wayne...shut up for a second and listen." I will get better about this, because I have seen the fruit of my obedience to Him when I was quiet and listened, and I know that I can trust God completely. I just need to shut up and do it more often.
Dear Lord, thank You for having so much patience with me. Sometimes I feel like I am testing the limits of your patience and grace for me, but then I remember that Your love has no end. I trust You to work in my heart so that I can be more obedient to Your still voice, and listen to Your plan for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The woman had already received her instructions from the Lord to feed Elijah, but she didn't obey at first. Elijah had to convince her that everything would be fine. Once she obeyed, she enjoyed more than she had hoped for. It's very easy for us to hold some reservations about trusting God's instructions to us. We have to get past our natural human instinct to question everything and just trust and obey God's will for us.
Do I trust God implicitly, or do I tend to question things? I certainly have a tendency to over-analyze things a lot, and I have questioned quite a bit. God deserves so much credit for His infinite patience, because I'm sure there have been plenty of times where He just wanted to say, "Wayne...shut up for a second and listen." I will get better about this, because I have seen the fruit of my obedience to Him when I was quiet and listened, and I know that I can trust God completely. I just need to shut up and do it more often.
Dear Lord, thank You for having so much patience with me. Sometimes I feel like I am testing the limits of your patience and grace for me, but then I remember that Your love has no end. I trust You to work in my heart so that I can be more obedient to Your still voice, and listen to Your plan for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
The First Resort
Judges 10:16 - Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord. And He was grieved by their misery.
The Israelites were regularly making God their last resort. When times were good, they forgot all about what He had done for them, and what He meant to them. When times went bad, that was a whole different story. In verse 14, God basically tells them to take a long walk off a short pier. But as they continue to plea for His mercy, and because of His unfailing love for them, He rescued them. His heart grieved for their misery like only a loving Father's would.
Am I making god my First Resort when I am having problems that I can't seem to overcome? I think I need some work in this area. The last thing I want is for Jesus to tell me that He never knew me when I go to meet Him. I need to make sure that I am seeking His wisdom and guidance in all things first and foremost. He should never be a last resort.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for this great reminder that I need to be seeking You first in all things. I have proven to myself time and time again that I cannot do this on my own, and I ask for Your wisdom and guidance to help me remember that in all that I do. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The Israelites were regularly making God their last resort. When times were good, they forgot all about what He had done for them, and what He meant to them. When times went bad, that was a whole different story. In verse 14, God basically tells them to take a long walk off a short pier. But as they continue to plea for His mercy, and because of His unfailing love for them, He rescued them. His heart grieved for their misery like only a loving Father's would.
Am I making god my First Resort when I am having problems that I can't seem to overcome? I think I need some work in this area. The last thing I want is for Jesus to tell me that He never knew me when I go to meet Him. I need to make sure that I am seeking His wisdom and guidance in all things first and foremost. He should never be a last resort.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for this great reminder that I need to be seeking You first in all things. I have proven to myself time and time again that I cannot do this on my own, and I ask for Your wisdom and guidance to help me remember that in all that I do. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Forgive Freely
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.
When we approach God in prayer, we need to do so with an open and free heart. Jesus commands us here to free up our heart and to forgive freely. The mark of true leader is someone who will not ask anyone to do something they are not willing or able to do themselves. If we are not willing to forgive, what right do we have to ask for God's forgiveness? Forgiving freely will free up our heart to worship and praise God completely.
This was always a tough one for me personally. I used to be very short-tempered, so it was very easy for me to hold grudges against people. When I was taught the principle of leadership that you never ask someone to do something you are not able or willing to do yourself, I always just applied it the workplace. As I've grown in my faith in Jesus Christ, I have come to realize that it applies to my every day life as well. I have no business asking God to forgive me if I am not willing to forgive others first. I'm always able to do it, but I have to be willing as well.
Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder to keep my heart open and free. Please continue to give me the strength to keep my temper in check and to forgive freely when others hurt me. I know that with Your continued guidance and patience I will succeed at this. I want an open heart that worships you completely, and I know You are able and willing to give me that. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When we approach God in prayer, we need to do so with an open and free heart. Jesus commands us here to free up our heart and to forgive freely. The mark of true leader is someone who will not ask anyone to do something they are not willing or able to do themselves. If we are not willing to forgive, what right do we have to ask for God's forgiveness? Forgiving freely will free up our heart to worship and praise God completely.
This was always a tough one for me personally. I used to be very short-tempered, so it was very easy for me to hold grudges against people. When I was taught the principle of leadership that you never ask someone to do something you are not able or willing to do yourself, I always just applied it the workplace. As I've grown in my faith in Jesus Christ, I have come to realize that it applies to my every day life as well. I have no business asking God to forgive me if I am not willing to forgive others first. I'm always able to do it, but I have to be willing as well.
Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder to keep my heart open and free. Please continue to give me the strength to keep my temper in check and to forgive freely when others hurt me. I know that with Your continued guidance and patience I will succeed at this. I want an open heart that worships you completely, and I know You are able and willing to give me that. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Always Listening
2 Samuel 22:7 - But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry reached His ears.
God is always listening for us. He is forever paying attention to our needs. As long as we are lifting our prayers to Him, He will always be there for us. David knew the score. He knew that he couldn't be delivered from his enemies without God intervening. So he asked for help. That's all it takes. God knows our hearts and He knows our needs, but we have to ask Him. We have to step out in faith and trust He will provide.
This is something I have gotten a lot better at, but there's always room for improvement. I have always had a tendency to internalize things, and try to figure them out in my mind. I have learned that God is ready and more than happy to help when I ask Him for it, and I will continue to improve on this. I have realized that I cannot do this without Him, and I will trust His plan and will for my life.
Dear Lord, thank You for always being there when I need You. Please continue Your work in my heart so that my faith continues to grow stronger every day. I want to be totally surrendered to Your will and purpose, and I know that I can only do that through Your strength and guidance. Thank You so much for everything You have done and continue to do for me and through me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God is always listening for us. He is forever paying attention to our needs. As long as we are lifting our prayers to Him, He will always be there for us. David knew the score. He knew that he couldn't be delivered from his enemies without God intervening. So he asked for help. That's all it takes. God knows our hearts and He knows our needs, but we have to ask Him. We have to step out in faith and trust He will provide.
This is something I have gotten a lot better at, but there's always room for improvement. I have always had a tendency to internalize things, and try to figure them out in my mind. I have learned that God is ready and more than happy to help when I ask Him for it, and I will continue to improve on this. I have realized that I cannot do this without Him, and I will trust His plan and will for my life.
Dear Lord, thank You for always being there when I need You. Please continue Your work in my heart so that my faith continues to grow stronger every day. I want to be totally surrendered to Your will and purpose, and I know that I can only do that through Your strength and guidance. Thank You so much for everything You have done and continue to do for me and through me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
The Right Guide
Exodus 33:15 - Then Moses said, "If You don't personally go with us, don't make us leave this place."
Moses had the right idea here. He trusted the Lord to the point that he knew that God's Chosen People would not make it without Him. Moses would've rather died in the wilderness alone than to go on without God's presence and guidance.
What a great display of faith and total trust. Do I have that? Am I putting my trust in God wholeheartedly to the point that I don't want to move unless God is with me? He has promised to always be with me as long as I stay strong and true in my faith. Sounds like the ball is in my court now...
Dear God, please guide me. I know that You are the Right Guide for every path of life that You put me on. Please continue Your work in my heart so that I am fully trusting and seeking You in everything I do. I cannot make it anywhere without You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Moses had the right idea here. He trusted the Lord to the point that he knew that God's Chosen People would not make it without Him. Moses would've rather died in the wilderness alone than to go on without God's presence and guidance.
What a great display of faith and total trust. Do I have that? Am I putting my trust in God wholeheartedly to the point that I don't want to move unless God is with me? He has promised to always be with me as long as I stay strong and true in my faith. Sounds like the ball is in my court now...
Dear God, please guide me. I know that You are the Right Guide for every path of life that You put me on. Please continue Your work in my heart so that I am fully trusting and seeking You in everything I do. I cannot make it anywhere without You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Know-It-All
Psalm 139:1 - O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
God knows everything about us. He examines our hearts and knows our motives. God knows what we are going to do and say before we do. But why? Is He just showing off that He's a big know-it-all so that He can hold it over our heads in judgment later? Far from it! He knows and remembers everything so that He can guide His Holy Spirit into the parts of our hearts and lives that need the most work. He numbered the hairs on our heads (not much work required there for some of us...), because He loves us. He wants an intimate relationship with us, and He wants to know all the details about us.
This is such a great reality check for me to make sure that I am keeping my heart and mind focused on Him. When we're in a relationship with someone in our life, don't we take the time and effort to learn all about them? Why should I give God any less?! I know that my finite mind is not capable of learning everything about Him, but that doesn't mean I should give it any less effort! On the contrary I need to be giving more effort to studying and learning about Him. Through my intimate relationship with Christ, He will reveal His great and glorious plan for my life.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for caring. Thank You for taking the time to know everything about me. Your beautiful and loving heart for me is amazing, and I pray for Your guidance in keeping my focus on staying intimately close in my relationship with You. I know You are willing to reveal more to me as I get closer to You, and that is what I pray for every day. Thank You for this. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God knows everything about us. He examines our hearts and knows our motives. God knows what we are going to do and say before we do. But why? Is He just showing off that He's a big know-it-all so that He can hold it over our heads in judgment later? Far from it! He knows and remembers everything so that He can guide His Holy Spirit into the parts of our hearts and lives that need the most work. He numbered the hairs on our heads (not much work required there for some of us...), because He loves us. He wants an intimate relationship with us, and He wants to know all the details about us.
This is such a great reality check for me to make sure that I am keeping my heart and mind focused on Him. When we're in a relationship with someone in our life, don't we take the time and effort to learn all about them? Why should I give God any less?! I know that my finite mind is not capable of learning everything about Him, but that doesn't mean I should give it any less effort! On the contrary I need to be giving more effort to studying and learning about Him. Through my intimate relationship with Christ, He will reveal His great and glorious plan for my life.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for caring. Thank You for taking the time to know everything about me. Your beautiful and loving heart for me is amazing, and I pray for Your guidance in keeping my focus on staying intimately close in my relationship with You. I know You are willing to reveal more to me as I get closer to You, and that is what I pray for every day. Thank You for this. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, August 23, 2013
Put To Good Use
Philemon 1:6 - And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.
In this brief letter to Philemon, the Apostle Paul was making a plea for Philemon to receive Onesimus with love and generosity. He gave him a great reminder of all the good (GREAT!) things we have received from Christ, and that our faith calls us to pay it forward in generous love and hospitality to others whenever we have the chance.
Am I paying it forward? Am I putting to good use the amazing and generous love that I have received from my Abba Father?
Dear God, please continue Your work in me, so that I don't become complacent and that I share the generous love You have given me freely with others at every opportunity. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Trust
Judges 4: 8-9 - Barak told her, "I will go, but only if you go with me." "Very well," she replied, "I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord's victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.
Barak had trust issues. He had received his instructions from God through Deborah. The Lord promised to give him victory over Sisera, but Barak didn't trust the instructions. He needed something tangible he could see that would help him. He wasn't trusting God's promise of victory.
Am I trusting God? Do I put more stock into what people tell me over what God tells me through His word and through prayer? I pray for God's guidance every day, and I know the result of expecting or trusting in promises of the flesh. I did that long enough to know better. I have studied God's Word enough to know that He will always follow through on His promises. I pray that I never fall into the trap of not trusting Him.
Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder that I need to make sure that I am trusting in Your guidance for my life. I know that You have a fantastic plan and purpose for me, and that You will always follow through on what You promise. I will forever trust in You, Lord, and I ask for your protection and guidance as I live in this world before I enter Your Glorious Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Barak had trust issues. He had received his instructions from God through Deborah. The Lord promised to give him victory over Sisera, but Barak didn't trust the instructions. He needed something tangible he could see that would help him. He wasn't trusting God's promise of victory.
Am I trusting God? Do I put more stock into what people tell me over what God tells me through His word and through prayer? I pray for God's guidance every day, and I know the result of expecting or trusting in promises of the flesh. I did that long enough to know better. I have studied God's Word enough to know that He will always follow through on His promises. I pray that I never fall into the trap of not trusting Him.
Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder that I need to make sure that I am trusting in Your guidance for my life. I know that You have a fantastic plan and purpose for me, and that You will always follow through on what You promise. I will forever trust in You, Lord, and I ask for your protection and guidance as I live in this world before I enter Your Glorious Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Walk The Walk
Luke 11:28 - Jesus replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice."
Faith takes more than just believing. We are not saved by our works, but only by the grace of God. However, our faith is supposed to produce good works. We are blessed even more when we are demonstrating our faith by living it. Not just by believing what the Bible says, but by doing it. God's word gives us so much more than just an idea, it gives us the way we should live our lives - loving and serving Him and our neighbors.
Wait a minute, you mean I gotta do this stuff to?! When I first started to develop a real relationship with my Savior, this was something I asked quite regularly. But it is so worth it. I am far from perfect, and I will certainly fall short (particularly in the part about loving my enemies), but when I have lived the way I am supposed to be, by doing what the Bible says and not just believing it, I have felt such a closeness with God in every aspect of my life. I can feel His presence when I pray, and when I am reading the Bible in the mornings, it feels like He is sitting there next to me pointing out passages to take special note of. I love having that closeness with my Creator, and I wouldn't trade it in for anything. I have to work harder to make sure that I am loving more (especially the part about loving my enemies). I want to experience that closeness all the time.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for this gentle reminder that I need to be walking the walk of my faith, and not just talking the talk. You deserve so much more than just lip service, and I love experiencing the closeness with You when I am walking with You faithfully. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Faith takes more than just believing. We are not saved by our works, but only by the grace of God. However, our faith is supposed to produce good works. We are blessed even more when we are demonstrating our faith by living it. Not just by believing what the Bible says, but by doing it. God's word gives us so much more than just an idea, it gives us the way we should live our lives - loving and serving Him and our neighbors.
Wait a minute, you mean I gotta do this stuff to?! When I first started to develop a real relationship with my Savior, this was something I asked quite regularly. But it is so worth it. I am far from perfect, and I will certainly fall short (particularly in the part about loving my enemies), but when I have lived the way I am supposed to be, by doing what the Bible says and not just believing it, I have felt such a closeness with God in every aspect of my life. I can feel His presence when I pray, and when I am reading the Bible in the mornings, it feels like He is sitting there next to me pointing out passages to take special note of. I love having that closeness with my Creator, and I wouldn't trade it in for anything. I have to work harder to make sure that I am loving more (especially the part about loving my enemies). I want to experience that closeness all the time.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for this gentle reminder that I need to be walking the walk of my faith, and not just talking the talk. You deserve so much more than just lip service, and I love experiencing the closeness with You when I am walking with You faithfully. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
G - R - A - C - E
Romans 8:1 - So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and live our lives for Him and His Kingdom, we are no longer condemned to die. God gives us life eternal with Him by giving us the greatest gift He could ever offer us - GRACE.
Because of God's love and grace, I am a new man. God has given me the ability and opportunity to transform my life and live according to His desire (Romans 12:2). Through His Word and ceaseless prayer I have started to understand His plan for me. He has remained faithful in His promise to me, and I must do the same. Someone asked me once if Jesus wrote me a letter, what would it say. Very simple...G - R - A - C - E.
Dear Abba, thank You for Your truly amazing grace. Giving me what I don't deserve, and could never earn, has been such a blessing to me and my life. I pray that You will use me to be a blessing to others. Give me the wisdom and courage to reach out to others and show them what a life filled with Your unending grace is like. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and live our lives for Him and His Kingdom, we are no longer condemned to die. God gives us life eternal with Him by giving us the greatest gift He could ever offer us - GRACE.
Because of God's love and grace, I am a new man. God has given me the ability and opportunity to transform my life and live according to His desire (Romans 12:2). Through His Word and ceaseless prayer I have started to understand His plan for me. He has remained faithful in His promise to me, and I must do the same. Someone asked me once if Jesus wrote me a letter, what would it say. Very simple...G - R - A - C - E.
Dear Abba, thank You for Your truly amazing grace. Giving me what I don't deserve, and could never earn, has been such a blessing to me and my life. I pray that You will use me to be a blessing to others. Give me the wisdom and courage to reach out to others and show them what a life filled with Your unending grace is like. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, August 19, 2013
Great Rewards
1 Kings 3:9 - Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern Your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of Yours?
I love this passage. Solomon understood that he could not accomplish what he was supposed to without God's help. He knew well enough not to lean on his own understanding but to trust God's guidance for him and His Chosen People. This pleased God, and He rewarded Solomon for it. Solomon knew that the key to governing God's people, was to serve them first. And he served them by asking for God's wisdom to govern them justly. Jesus later confirmed this when He told His disciples that they had to be last in order to be first. That a true leader was first a servant to those he was supposed to lead. God has promised great rewards to those of us that do it right.
Am I seeking God's guidance and wisdom every day so that I can not just be a good leader at work, but a good servant to God's people? I know that I cannot do anything without God's favor, and that is something I should be seeking at all times. Even though Solomon eventually did mess up and make mistakes, that doesn't mean he wasn't a good man. It means he was still human. And so am I. God knows that I will make mistakes, and He loves me and offers me His amazing grace when I ask His forgiveness for them. God's love and grace are my great rewards.
Dear Lord, thank You for being so patient with me. Please continue to give me Your guidance and wisdom every day so I can be the servant leader You want me to be. I know that I cannot lead without first serving, and I trust Your wisdom and plan for me. I am the clay, You are the potter, and I pray for You to mold me into the person You want me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I love this passage. Solomon understood that he could not accomplish what he was supposed to without God's help. He knew well enough not to lean on his own understanding but to trust God's guidance for him and His Chosen People. This pleased God, and He rewarded Solomon for it. Solomon knew that the key to governing God's people, was to serve them first. And he served them by asking for God's wisdom to govern them justly. Jesus later confirmed this when He told His disciples that they had to be last in order to be first. That a true leader was first a servant to those he was supposed to lead. God has promised great rewards to those of us that do it right.
Am I seeking God's guidance and wisdom every day so that I can not just be a good leader at work, but a good servant to God's people? I know that I cannot do anything without God's favor, and that is something I should be seeking at all times. Even though Solomon eventually did mess up and make mistakes, that doesn't mean he wasn't a good man. It means he was still human. And so am I. God knows that I will make mistakes, and He loves me and offers me His amazing grace when I ask His forgiveness for them. God's love and grace are my great rewards.
Dear Lord, thank You for being so patient with me. Please continue to give me Your guidance and wisdom every day so I can be the servant leader You want me to be. I know that I cannot lead without first serving, and I trust Your wisdom and plan for me. I am the clay, You are the potter, and I pray for You to mold me into the person You want me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
For His Sake
Isaiah 43:25 - "I - yes I alone - will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again."
For His sake and His glory, God has rescued us. He has CHOSEN to forget our sins and never think of them again. But why would He do this for us?! If we are so sinful in nature...and we ARE...why not just start over? Because He is a God of amazing love and GRACE, and He wants to be with us. He wants to hang out with us. God could choose anyone He wants to be friends with, and He has chosen us!
What an amazing God I serve that is giving me what I don't deserve just because He wants to be my friend. Am I taking this gift for granted? If I'm excited to be God's friend as much as He's excited to be mine, am I showing it? Am I living it? God has not JUST forgiven, He has forgotten as well. I need to make sure I'm not hung up on my shortcomings and failures so that I can fully receive and experience God's amazing gift of grace.
Dear Lord. Thank You for forgiving AND forgetting. You are beyond justified to do neither, but You lovingly do both. I pray that I will be a living, walking example of Your love and grace for others to see. I want everyone to experience what I have experienced, and share in the love and promise that I have found in You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Satisfaction
Matthew 5:6 - God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice for they will be satisfied.
God is the source of true justice. And we should be hungry and thirsty for Him. He promises to satisfy our search for Him with life eternal in His Glorious Kingdom.
Am I seeking God's righteousness for the right reasons? Am I doing it because I want to share life eternal with God in Heaven, or because I want to see the wicked punished? I should never want punishment for anyone. If someone is doing wrong, I need to pray for the Holy Spirit to stir in their hearts and convict them of their sin so they will turn their hearts to God, NOT for God to punish them. He didn't punish me when I rightly deserved it. When I sought Him, He opened His arms and welcomed me in. He will do the same for everyone else.
Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder to make sure that I am praying the right way and for the right reasons. True justice is found in You, and I believe that Your true justice will welcome all those in with open arms when they seek You. Thank You for everything. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Great Encourager
Psalm 69:32 - The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God's help be encouraged.
When we bring ourselves before the Lord in true humility with a humble heart, God works for us and this is a reason for great joy. He loves to work for us and encourage us.
Am I humbling my heart before I go to God in prayer? I am sure I could be better about it. There have been times where I just could not get my heart right, and as a result, I could not focus in prayer. One thing I enjoy doing is praying for other people. It really does bring me a great measure of happiness. For it to be really effective, I have to make sure that I am doing it out of love, and not just to make myself feel better. When I am totally focused in my prayer, I feel such comfort from God. He has really let me know that He is working in my life and the lives of those I am praying for. It is such a great feeling. That is some great encouragement.
Dear Lord, thank You so much for being the Great Encourager that You are. The feelings of peace and comfort that I get when I am focused and humble before You in prayer are something that I wouldn't trade for anything. Please help me to stay focused and humble before You in all that I do Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When we bring ourselves before the Lord in true humility with a humble heart, God works for us and this is a reason for great joy. He loves to work for us and encourage us.
Am I humbling my heart before I go to God in prayer? I am sure I could be better about it. There have been times where I just could not get my heart right, and as a result, I could not focus in prayer. One thing I enjoy doing is praying for other people. It really does bring me a great measure of happiness. For it to be really effective, I have to make sure that I am doing it out of love, and not just to make myself feel better. When I am totally focused in my prayer, I feel such comfort from God. He has really let me know that He is working in my life and the lives of those I am praying for. It is such a great feeling. That is some great encouragement.
Dear Lord, thank You so much for being the Great Encourager that You are. The feelings of peace and comfort that I get when I am focused and humble before You in prayer are something that I wouldn't trade for anything. Please help me to stay focused and humble before You in all that I do Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
It's A Relationship
Joshua 22:28 - "If they say this, our descendants can reply, 'Look at this copy of the Lord's altar that our ancestors made. It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices; it is a reminder of the relationship both of us have with the Lord. ' "
It's not a religion, it's a relationship. The tribes of Reuben and Gad were concerned of being cut off from the descendants of the other tribes because of the separation of the Jordan River. They didn't want that separation. They understood and recognized that there was only one true temple of worship (later manifested by Jesus) and they merely built a copy to demonstrate to future generations that they had the same relationship with God that the others did.
Religion is boring. It's very monotonous, and hum-drum. But a relationship with Jesus Christ is exciting! I've been to churches (as I'm sure a lot of us have) where you had to wear suits and ties, sit quietly, sing hymns (at a controlled volume), and generally conduct yourself at hushed tones. Where's the joy and excitement in that?! We should be excited about what we're experiencing in our daily walk with Christ. When we are all excited, and we all get together at service, it should be loud and rambunctious and exuberant and joyful. The music and singing should be loud. Loud enough to reach the heavens! That's what I experience at my church. God's Holy Spirit moves so much in that place, we can't help but be loud and excited about our praise and worship. We get to have an amazing relationship with our Amazing Creator.
Dear Lord, thank You so much for the joy and excitement I get in worshiping You. I am so grateful that I have been allowed to develop my relationship with You. I really am a grateful and unashamed believer in You, and so overjoyed and excited that I also get to call You my Friend. Thank You so much for everything. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
It's not a religion, it's a relationship. The tribes of Reuben and Gad were concerned of being cut off from the descendants of the other tribes because of the separation of the Jordan River. They didn't want that separation. They understood and recognized that there was only one true temple of worship (later manifested by Jesus) and they merely built a copy to demonstrate to future generations that they had the same relationship with God that the others did.
Religion is boring. It's very monotonous, and hum-drum. But a relationship with Jesus Christ is exciting! I've been to churches (as I'm sure a lot of us have) where you had to wear suits and ties, sit quietly, sing hymns (at a controlled volume), and generally conduct yourself at hushed tones. Where's the joy and excitement in that?! We should be excited about what we're experiencing in our daily walk with Christ. When we are all excited, and we all get together at service, it should be loud and rambunctious and exuberant and joyful. The music and singing should be loud. Loud enough to reach the heavens! That's what I experience at my church. God's Holy Spirit moves so much in that place, we can't help but be loud and excited about our praise and worship. We get to have an amazing relationship with our Amazing Creator.
Dear Lord, thank You so much for the joy and excitement I get in worshiping You. I am so grateful that I have been allowed to develop my relationship with You. I really am a grateful and unashamed believer in You, and so overjoyed and excited that I also get to call You my Friend. Thank You so much for everything. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Not Always Right
James 3:17 - But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
The wisdom we receive from God is always pure and perfect. We must humble our hearts and accept the fact that we are not always going to be right. We have to be willing to yield to others' input and opinions, and do it in a gentle and loving way. This doesn't mean we always have to give in to what other people say. It means that when we're not right, we have to accept it and admit it.
What do you mean I'm not always right?! That's a tough pill to swallow. But as is always the case, the Bible is right. I know that I can be, how shall we say...gruff...for lack of a better term. I'm not always open to new thoughts and ideas. But I humbled my heart and opened it to Jesus, and I know how well that has worked for me. I have to accept that I'm not always going to be right (did I just say that out loud???), and with a gentle and loving spirit, yield to others. This will take some work, but I know God put this passage in front of me for a reason this morning. I will work on this and I will get better.
Dear Lord, thank You for this wisdom today (and every day for that matter). This was something I needed to hear and share. I pray for a humble heart so that I can accept and admit when I'm not right, and that I'm willing to admit it and yield to what is right. Not everything that comes from my mouth is going to be right. If it was, then You didn't need to send Your Son to die for me. I know that is not the case, so I will work harder to be more humble and open to others. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The wisdom we receive from God is always pure and perfect. We must humble our hearts and accept the fact that we are not always going to be right. We have to be willing to yield to others' input and opinions, and do it in a gentle and loving way. This doesn't mean we always have to give in to what other people say. It means that when we're not right, we have to accept it and admit it.
What do you mean I'm not always right?! That's a tough pill to swallow. But as is always the case, the Bible is right. I know that I can be, how shall we say...gruff...for lack of a better term. I'm not always open to new thoughts and ideas. But I humbled my heart and opened it to Jesus, and I know how well that has worked for me. I have to accept that I'm not always going to be right (did I just say that out loud???), and with a gentle and loving spirit, yield to others. This will take some work, but I know God put this passage in front of me for a reason this morning. I will work on this and I will get better.
Dear Lord, thank You for this wisdom today (and every day for that matter). This was something I needed to hear and share. I pray for a humble heart so that I can accept and admit when I'm not right, and that I'm willing to admit it and yield to what is right. Not everything that comes from my mouth is going to be right. If it was, then You didn't need to send Your Son to die for me. I know that is not the case, so I will work harder to be more humble and open to others. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Listen
Proverbs 19:20 - Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.
Sometimes we need to just shut up and listen. Which can be a real challenge for some (present company definitely included). We need to be willing to listen to advice from others, and accept the discipline for the mistakes we make. Unless you own the place, you have a boss, and you're not above being disciplined. The first place we need to seek for counsel and advice, is the Might Counselor Himself, Jesus Christ. He will always give us the best advice. If He doesn't answer you right away, there's a reason for it. Maybe He wants you to confer with a colleague. Not because He wants you to lean on human understanding, but maybe as an avenue to open the door and share the Gospel with them. You never know where the door will lead until you open it.
In a leadership role at work, I have to remember that I don't always have the right answers. I better serve the ones I lead when I am willing to humble myself and ask for advice. My boss is fond of saying that you can't have any good ideas unless you have a lot of bad ones first. He and I may not always agree on things, but he has a good point. And when I make mistakes, I have to have the integrity to stand up and accept the consequences for them. If I'm not willing to do these things, I have no right to be in a leadership position.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your wise counsel in all things. I know that I am not capable of figuring things out on my own. I tried that way for a long time before...that's why I'm here with You now. Please continue to give me the guidance and strength and humility to lead today, as I seek to serve those I lead in a way that glorifies You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sometimes we need to just shut up and listen. Which can be a real challenge for some (present company definitely included). We need to be willing to listen to advice from others, and accept the discipline for the mistakes we make. Unless you own the place, you have a boss, and you're not above being disciplined. The first place we need to seek for counsel and advice, is the Might Counselor Himself, Jesus Christ. He will always give us the best advice. If He doesn't answer you right away, there's a reason for it. Maybe He wants you to confer with a colleague. Not because He wants you to lean on human understanding, but maybe as an avenue to open the door and share the Gospel with them. You never know where the door will lead until you open it.
In a leadership role at work, I have to remember that I don't always have the right answers. I better serve the ones I lead when I am willing to humble myself and ask for advice. My boss is fond of saying that you can't have any good ideas unless you have a lot of bad ones first. He and I may not always agree on things, but he has a good point. And when I make mistakes, I have to have the integrity to stand up and accept the consequences for them. If I'm not willing to do these things, I have no right to be in a leadership position.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your wise counsel in all things. I know that I am not capable of figuring things out on my own. I tried that way for a long time before...that's why I'm here with You now. Please continue to give me the guidance and strength and humility to lead today, as I seek to serve those I lead in a way that glorifies You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Gentle Patience
Ephesians 4:2 - Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
This is some great advice that Paul gives us here. Jesus did this for us. He was humble and gentle with us to be sure, but He was also very patient (understatement). More so than we deserved (beauty of grace). Why is that? Because of His love. If we are to be like Christ, we need to model that love and behavior and show it to others. No one is perfect, and we are all going to make mistakes. Don't we want others to make allowance for our faults? Then we need to lead by example as Jesus did, and do it for them.
Well if this one didn't hit me right between the eyes. This is something I have always struggled with. Being a supervisor in my job, I have to find the balance between patience with other's faults because I love them, and looking out for the best interests of my department (and consequently, the business I work for). How do I do that? Forgiveness is a great place to start. 70x7. It's not the easiest thing to do, particularly when I have pressure from bosses above to produce results. I know that I can find that balance through the power and strength of Jesus. He has never let me down, and I trust that He never will.
Dear Lord, thank You for this gentle reminder that I need to work on being more patient and humble with those around me on a regular basis at work. I know I have improved on this, but I know I can be so much better. You have provided the best example of gentle and humble leadership, and I need to work hard to emulate that with those in my charge. Please give me the wisdom, strength, and understanding to be more like You every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
This is some great advice that Paul gives us here. Jesus did this for us. He was humble and gentle with us to be sure, but He was also very patient (understatement). More so than we deserved (beauty of grace). Why is that? Because of His love. If we are to be like Christ, we need to model that love and behavior and show it to others. No one is perfect, and we are all going to make mistakes. Don't we want others to make allowance for our faults? Then we need to lead by example as Jesus did, and do it for them.
Well if this one didn't hit me right between the eyes. This is something I have always struggled with. Being a supervisor in my job, I have to find the balance between patience with other's faults because I love them, and looking out for the best interests of my department (and consequently, the business I work for). How do I do that? Forgiveness is a great place to start. 70x7. It's not the easiest thing to do, particularly when I have pressure from bosses above to produce results. I know that I can find that balance through the power and strength of Jesus. He has never let me down, and I trust that He never will.
Dear Lord, thank You for this gentle reminder that I need to work on being more patient and humble with those around me on a regular basis at work. I know I have improved on this, but I know I can be so much better. You have provided the best example of gentle and humble leadership, and I need to work hard to emulate that with those in my charge. Please give me the wisdom, strength, and understanding to be more like You every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Beyond Sufficient
Psalm 23:1 - The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need.
God provides all that we could ever need. Just as a shepherd provides for his flock. We have to rely on God to take care of us. He has promised to do it, and He always keeps His promises. He begins to provide for us through His grace. His graces is beyond sufficient for us, and so is His love.
Am I trusting in God to be the Shepherd He has promised to be and provide all that I need? He has done so much for me. I know that He will always provide for me because of His unending love, grace, and mercy. He has given me more than I could ever deserve.
Dear Lord, thank You for tending Your flock. Thank You for your Amazing Grace that is in abundant supply for all of us. I cannot thank and praise You enough for all that You have meant to me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God provides all that we could ever need. Just as a shepherd provides for his flock. We have to rely on God to take care of us. He has promised to do it, and He always keeps His promises. He begins to provide for us through His grace. His graces is beyond sufficient for us, and so is His love.
Am I trusting in God to be the Shepherd He has promised to be and provide all that I need? He has done so much for me. I know that He will always provide for me because of His unending love, grace, and mercy. He has given me more than I could ever deserve.
Dear Lord, thank You for tending Your flock. Thank You for your Amazing Grace that is in abundant supply for all of us. I cannot thank and praise You enough for all that You have meant to me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
God of Love
Deuteronomy 34:6 - The Lord buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day, no one knows the exact place.
The Lord buried him. I love this. Moses had certainly found favor with God. Even though God had forbidden Moses from entering the Promised Land, God still loved Moses immensely. I am certain that God surely had plenty of things to do, but because of His love for Moses, He took the time to bury His friend Himself. And He did it so well that no one could find where. God does this for us. He loves us so much that He takes time for each and every one of us when we call on Him. That's a God of love.
When I read stuff like this, I get all warm and fuzzy inside. This just makes me feel so good. God loves me so much that He makes time for me whenever I call on Him. But am I taking that time to call on Him? He just wants to chat and hear from me and love me, am I doing my part? I love my intentionally intimate time with God every morning. Every day is better than the last, and I feel so much closer to God. I pray that I never lose this desire, but how could I? He loves me that much!
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me like this. Thank you for the demonstration of Your love in the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ, and thank You for the daily reminders of Your love that I get every day when I open my Bible. Thank You for the opportunity and the privilege to commune with such an amazing God of love that You are. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The Lord buried him. I love this. Moses had certainly found favor with God. Even though God had forbidden Moses from entering the Promised Land, God still loved Moses immensely. I am certain that God surely had plenty of things to do, but because of His love for Moses, He took the time to bury His friend Himself. And He did it so well that no one could find where. God does this for us. He loves us so much that He takes time for each and every one of us when we call on Him. That's a God of love.
When I read stuff like this, I get all warm and fuzzy inside. This just makes me feel so good. God loves me so much that He makes time for me whenever I call on Him. But am I taking that time to call on Him? He just wants to chat and hear from me and love me, am I doing my part? I love my intentionally intimate time with God every morning. Every day is better than the last, and I feel so much closer to God. I pray that I never lose this desire, but how could I? He loves me that much!
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me like this. Thank you for the demonstration of Your love in the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ, and thank You for the daily reminders of Your love that I get every day when I open my Bible. Thank You for the opportunity and the privilege to commune with such an amazing God of love that You are. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, August 9, 2013
Stay Free
Galatians 5:1 - So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again to the law.
This passage is such a great reminder for us not to slip back into our old ways. Christ paid a HUGE price (to say the least) for our freedom, and it is up to us to maintain that freedom. The Bible never says that maintaining the freedom would be easy, but it does say that it is worth it...repeatedly. We work to maintain that freedom through ceaseless prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and studying God's Word (Joshua 1:8). The Bible is Freedom.
This passage has always meant a lot to me. Through the years of my recovery from drug addiction (14 1/2 now), there were a ton of times (conservatively) that I had the desires to go back to what I was doing. Whenever I felt that I wasn't any fun anymore (I sorta still am fun), or that I was missing out on things, I would start to wonder why did I do this? Then I would remember this passage, and I would ask myself, 'why did I do that?!' That old lifestyle simply wasn't worth it. All it promised me was temporary fun, a miserable time afterwards, and probably an early death. Not to mention not enjoying life eternal in God's Heavenly Kingdom. I am so blessed that I never gave in to that temptation. I beat Satan many times, and all by the power of Jesus Christ. That doesn't mean that Satan won't keep trying (gotta give him credit for persistence), but it also means that I WILL keep beating Him, because I have someone stronger on my side that has WAY MORE going for Him, and for ME, than Satan does.
Dear Lord, thank You for the strength I get from You that is renewed every single day. I have been so blessed to have a relationship with You, and I cannot imagine not having it. I never want to go another day in my life without talking to You, and studying about You, and learning about You. In Jesus' precious and Holy name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
This passage is such a great reminder for us not to slip back into our old ways. Christ paid a HUGE price (to say the least) for our freedom, and it is up to us to maintain that freedom. The Bible never says that maintaining the freedom would be easy, but it does say that it is worth it...repeatedly. We work to maintain that freedom through ceaseless prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and studying God's Word (Joshua 1:8). The Bible is Freedom.
This passage has always meant a lot to me. Through the years of my recovery from drug addiction (14 1/2 now), there were a ton of times (conservatively) that I had the desires to go back to what I was doing. Whenever I felt that I wasn't any fun anymore (I sorta still am fun), or that I was missing out on things, I would start to wonder why did I do this? Then I would remember this passage, and I would ask myself, 'why did I do that?!' That old lifestyle simply wasn't worth it. All it promised me was temporary fun, a miserable time afterwards, and probably an early death. Not to mention not enjoying life eternal in God's Heavenly Kingdom. I am so blessed that I never gave in to that temptation. I beat Satan many times, and all by the power of Jesus Christ. That doesn't mean that Satan won't keep trying (gotta give him credit for persistence), but it also means that I WILL keep beating Him, because I have someone stronger on my side that has WAY MORE going for Him, and for ME, than Satan does.
Dear Lord, thank You for the strength I get from You that is renewed every single day. I have been so blessed to have a relationship with You, and I cannot imagine not having it. I never want to go another day in my life without talking to You, and studying about You, and learning about You. In Jesus' precious and Holy name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Be Strong and Courageous
Joshua 1:9 - This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
This passage was God's confirmation to Joshua of the instructions he received from Moses. This is a great message to all believers to be strong and courageous in their faith, and fear nothing because God is always with us and will never abandon us. This is also a great message for leaders. I heard this passage referenced a lot at the Leadership Summit that I attended today. Leader's must lead with courage and keep their faith and trust in the Lord. Leaders have to serve the ones they lead as well. We have been given the BEST example of servant leadership in Jesus, and we should be working to emulate that in all that we do.
As a leader at my job, am I leading with courage? Do I have no fear? I believe that this is something that I definitely need to improve on. Like a lot of people, I work in the secular world. If I overstep my boundaries, I can easily find myself out of a job. But I can't fear that. I have to trust that God will provide. He has promised that He would, and I know He always keeps His promises. I and another supervisor, recently endeavored to do what is right for the people we lead. Our staff hasn't been getting treated very well by our manager, so we went around him and took on a larger leadership responsibility than we normally would need to. This could easily cost us our jobs down the road, but we took that courageous step of faith to do what is right by the people that we lead. Because to lead them, we also have to serve them. We have to maintain our trust in God to provide for us. He has already promised He will, and we are being strong and courageous, as leaders are commanded.
Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to serve You and the people I lead. Please help me to make the right decisions on a daily basis that does right by them and brings You the glory. I ask for Your continued strength during this season at my job that my strength and courage will not waver in the face of opposition, because I trust that I am doing right by Your standards and according to Your will. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
This passage was God's confirmation to Joshua of the instructions he received from Moses. This is a great message to all believers to be strong and courageous in their faith, and fear nothing because God is always with us and will never abandon us. This is also a great message for leaders. I heard this passage referenced a lot at the Leadership Summit that I attended today. Leader's must lead with courage and keep their faith and trust in the Lord. Leaders have to serve the ones they lead as well. We have been given the BEST example of servant leadership in Jesus, and we should be working to emulate that in all that we do.
As a leader at my job, am I leading with courage? Do I have no fear? I believe that this is something that I definitely need to improve on. Like a lot of people, I work in the secular world. If I overstep my boundaries, I can easily find myself out of a job. But I can't fear that. I have to trust that God will provide. He has promised that He would, and I know He always keeps His promises. I and another supervisor, recently endeavored to do what is right for the people we lead. Our staff hasn't been getting treated very well by our manager, so we went around him and took on a larger leadership responsibility than we normally would need to. This could easily cost us our jobs down the road, but we took that courageous step of faith to do what is right by the people that we lead. Because to lead them, we also have to serve them. We have to maintain our trust in God to provide for us. He has already promised He will, and we are being strong and courageous, as leaders are commanded.
Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to serve You and the people I lead. Please help me to make the right decisions on a daily basis that does right by them and brings You the glory. I ask for Your continued strength during this season at my job that my strength and courage will not waver in the face of opposition, because I trust that I am doing right by Your standards and according to Your will. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Strengthening
Isaiah 38:17 - Yes this anguish was good for me, You have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins.
The hard times we go through (and we ALL go through them) are good for us. It may not seem that way in the moment, but they are. They teach us to lean on the Lord for help more than we already do. We can all say that we trust God, but the true measure of our faith is when we trust Him completely during the hard times. When we completely surrender our will to Him, He has promised (and He will!) to rescue us and forgive us, and restore our strength. God is forever faithful to us, and we need to be to Him as well.
As my faith has grown stronger over the last couple of years, I have learned to trust the Lord to get me through the hard times. It was always so easy to say, "Well where is He now that I need Him the most?" and, "Well I guess I have to figure this out for myself." That simply isn't the case. He isn't a God of JUST the good times. He has promised to take care of us during ALL times, and I need to make sure that I am remaining faithful to Him and trusting Him to get me through the downs as well as the ups.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for taking care of me when I needed You most. I know I haven't always been quick to call on You when I am struggling, but I am working on it and getting better about it. I pray that You will see my faithfulness grow, and forgive me of all of my shortcomings. Help me to continue to understand that the hard times are good for me, and necessary, to remind me to rely on You for everything. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The hard times we go through (and we ALL go through them) are good for us. It may not seem that way in the moment, but they are. They teach us to lean on the Lord for help more than we already do. We can all say that we trust God, but the true measure of our faith is when we trust Him completely during the hard times. When we completely surrender our will to Him, He has promised (and He will!) to rescue us and forgive us, and restore our strength. God is forever faithful to us, and we need to be to Him as well.
As my faith has grown stronger over the last couple of years, I have learned to trust the Lord to get me through the hard times. It was always so easy to say, "Well where is He now that I need Him the most?" and, "Well I guess I have to figure this out for myself." That simply isn't the case. He isn't a God of JUST the good times. He has promised to take care of us during ALL times, and I need to make sure that I am remaining faithful to Him and trusting Him to get me through the downs as well as the ups.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for taking care of me when I needed You most. I know I haven't always been quick to call on You when I am struggling, but I am working on it and getting better about it. I pray that You will see my faithfulness grow, and forgive me of all of my shortcomings. Help me to continue to understand that the hard times are good for me, and necessary, to remind me to rely on You for everything. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Rewarded Patience
Psalm 30:11 - You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.
David sings of his patience being rewarded by the Lord. David endured trials and tribulations but turned to the Lord for help, and God rewarded Him for his patient endurance. God rescued him in His time, and David waited patiently for Him. God has always promised to reward those who patiently endure (James 1:12), and bless those who mourn (Matthew 5:4).
Have I waited patiently during my trials? I have gotten much better about patiently waiting for God to come to my rescue, and when He has (every chance I've given Him), I have been blessed beyond words. I have seen my faithful patience richly rewarded by God, and I know that the more I patiently trust Him, the more He will bless me with His abundant grace.
Dear Lord, thank You for blessing me. I know I haven't always been the most patient person, but as I have gotten better about it, You have rewarded me for it, because You are a loving and faithful God that I can always trust to stick to Your promises. I will work harder to be more patient, so that I can enjoy the full reward of Your blessings on my life. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
David sings of his patience being rewarded by the Lord. David endured trials and tribulations but turned to the Lord for help, and God rewarded Him for his patient endurance. God rescued him in His time, and David waited patiently for Him. God has always promised to reward those who patiently endure (James 1:12), and bless those who mourn (Matthew 5:4).
Have I waited patiently during my trials? I have gotten much better about patiently waiting for God to come to my rescue, and when He has (every chance I've given Him), I have been blessed beyond words. I have seen my faithful patience richly rewarded by God, and I know that the more I patiently trust Him, the more He will bless me with His abundant grace.
Dear Lord, thank You for blessing me. I know I haven't always been the most patient person, but as I have gotten better about it, You have rewarded me for it, because You are a loving and faithful God that I can always trust to stick to Your promises. I will work harder to be more patient, so that I can enjoy the full reward of Your blessings on my life. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, August 5, 2013
Kind and Open
Proverbs 3:34 - The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.
What does it mean to be gracious? To me it means kind and open-hearted. God promises to be kind and open-hearted to us when we are humble, because He wants us to do the same for others. A good leader (which God certainly is), will lead by example, and never expect a subordinate to do anything that he or she isn't willing or capable of doing him or herself. God wants us to follow His example of graciousness.
Am I kind and open-hearted to others? I have no right to mock the mockers, because the discipline is God's territory, and Jesus has commanded me to love and pray for them. However, I need to make sure that I am being kind and open-hearted to everyone. Everyone, whether they realize and accept it or not, needs God's love, and often their first experience with it is through other believers in Christ. I must maintain a humble heart and show loving kindness to all of God's children.
Dear Lord, I ask You to continue Your work on my heart to make me a beacon of graciousness to all. Show me how to be kind and open-hearted to everyone I encounter, so that those who don't know You will get their first glimpse of what Your love is about. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
What does it mean to be gracious? To me it means kind and open-hearted. God promises to be kind and open-hearted to us when we are humble, because He wants us to do the same for others. A good leader (which God certainly is), will lead by example, and never expect a subordinate to do anything that he or she isn't willing or capable of doing him or herself. God wants us to follow His example of graciousness.
Am I kind and open-hearted to others? I have no right to mock the mockers, because the discipline is God's territory, and Jesus has commanded me to love and pray for them. However, I need to make sure that I am being kind and open-hearted to everyone. Everyone, whether they realize and accept it or not, needs God's love, and often their first experience with it is through other believers in Christ. I must maintain a humble heart and show loving kindness to all of God's children.
Dear Lord, I ask You to continue Your work on my heart to make me a beacon of graciousness to all. Show me how to be kind and open-hearted to everyone I encounter, so that those who don't know You will get their first glimpse of what Your love is about. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Stay Sharp
Ecclesiastes 10:10 - Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.
We have to keep our gifts from God sharp. How do we do that? By staying in His Word every day for starters. True knowledge and wisdom are found in the Bible, and we have been told to be in this Book of Instruction day and night (Joshua 1:8) so that we can prosper and succeed in everything we do. God didn't give us these gifts so we can just sit and admire them. He wants us to use them. He wants us to keep our gifts and skills sharp so we, and others, can prosper and succeed with them.
Am I keeping my skills and gifts sharp? Am I using them so that I and others are able to prosper and succeed from them? I am closing in on 500 days straight in God's Word, so I have gotten off to a good start, but I have to be careful not get complacent and prideful, because that is all the opening that the devil needs to try and gain a foothold and steer me off course.
Dear Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given me. Thank You for the opportunity to prosper and succeed, and to help others do the same. I pray for Your continued guidance and strength to keep the devil out, and to keep me strong in my faith. Thank You for Your love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Cornerstone
1 Corinthians 3:11 - For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ.
The cornerstone of our faith is found only in Jesus Christ. Nothing can or ever will surpass His supremacy in our lives. We must surrender our will to His, and base everything we do on His guidance. He has promised to faithfully provide for us everything we need for a productive and fruitful life. I'm sure that most of us have seen the t-shirts and bracelets that say WWJD - What Would Jesus Do. Jesus would do the will of His Father in Heaven. And so should we.
One of the Pastor's at my church issued what I feel was a unique challenge recently. He asked, "Would you do it if God was standing there with you?" This really gave me such a great reality check. Like a lot of us, I am known to say things that would not be pleasing to God (to say the least). In fact, sometimes I can say things that would probably make a sailor blush. There is no way I can justify acting like this. I can sit here all day and say, 'well as long as I ask for His forgiveness and truly repent, I'll be ok'. This is the wrong attitude to have. I have to act as if God is standing there with me, because in reality He is! God is everywhere all the time. I know that my sins will be forgiven, however that DOES NOT give me a license to sin.
Dear Lord, I beg your forgiveness for all the ways that I have fallen short of Your glory and righteousness. I know that I am a sinner, and I do not deserve Your forgiveness and mercy. Thank You for loving me and forgiving me anyway. Thank You for being the merciful and loving God that You are. I ask for Your help to be the better person that You and I know I can be. I can only do this with Your help and strength. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The cornerstone of our faith is found only in Jesus Christ. Nothing can or ever will surpass His supremacy in our lives. We must surrender our will to His, and base everything we do on His guidance. He has promised to faithfully provide for us everything we need for a productive and fruitful life. I'm sure that most of us have seen the t-shirts and bracelets that say WWJD - What Would Jesus Do. Jesus would do the will of His Father in Heaven. And so should we.
One of the Pastor's at my church issued what I feel was a unique challenge recently. He asked, "Would you do it if God was standing there with you?" This really gave me such a great reality check. Like a lot of us, I am known to say things that would not be pleasing to God (to say the least). In fact, sometimes I can say things that would probably make a sailor blush. There is no way I can justify acting like this. I can sit here all day and say, 'well as long as I ask for His forgiveness and truly repent, I'll be ok'. This is the wrong attitude to have. I have to act as if God is standing there with me, because in reality He is! God is everywhere all the time. I know that my sins will be forgiven, however that DOES NOT give me a license to sin.
Dear Lord, I beg your forgiveness for all the ways that I have fallen short of Your glory and righteousness. I know that I am a sinner, and I do not deserve Your forgiveness and mercy. Thank You for loving me and forgiving me anyway. Thank You for being the merciful and loving God that You are. I ask for Your help to be the better person that You and I know I can be. I can only do this with Your help and strength. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Too Much To Count
Psalm 40:5 - O Lord my God, You have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.
How does God love us? It is impossible to count the ways. A lot of people tend to focus on God's discipline of His people in a negative way, but He only disciplines us because He loves us. Like any Father would do for his child, because he wants them to be better people. We could never count how many ways God loves us. It would be impossible for our finite minds. He gave His only Son as a sacrifice for us, and that's the one way we should be focusing on, because there is no greater love than a man (Jesus) willing to sacrifice Himself for the ones He loves.
Do I love God enough? I don't know that any of us could really answer that question. There is no real way to measure it, other than our faith, trust, and obedience to Him. God knows my heart, and He knows where I stand. I pray every day that my faith will never waiver when I am attacked by Satan. I trust in God to give me exactly what I need to resist the devil. I am absolutely confident that God will never fail to provide for me, and I love Him unconditionally.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your discipline. Thank You for making me a better person because You love me. I have certainly given You plenty of reasons to throw up Your hands and give up on me, but You never have. I know that You love me, and have forgiven my transgressions. I pray that I can show my unconditional love for You as well. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
How does God love us? It is impossible to count the ways. A lot of people tend to focus on God's discipline of His people in a negative way, but He only disciplines us because He loves us. Like any Father would do for his child, because he wants them to be better people. We could never count how many ways God loves us. It would be impossible for our finite minds. He gave His only Son as a sacrifice for us, and that's the one way we should be focusing on, because there is no greater love than a man (Jesus) willing to sacrifice Himself for the ones He loves.
Do I love God enough? I don't know that any of us could really answer that question. There is no real way to measure it, other than our faith, trust, and obedience to Him. God knows my heart, and He knows where I stand. I pray every day that my faith will never waiver when I am attacked by Satan. I trust in God to give me exactly what I need to resist the devil. I am absolutely confident that God will never fail to provide for me, and I love Him unconditionally.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your discipline. Thank You for making me a better person because You love me. I have certainly given You plenty of reasons to throw up Your hands and give up on me, but You never have. I know that You love me, and have forgiven my transgressions. I pray that I can show my unconditional love for You as well. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
A Wanted Sacrifice
Psalm 51:17 - The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
When we are truly humble and repentant, God will accept the sacrifice of our lives and hearts to His will. It isn't that God wants us to be in such a bad place that we finally realize we need Him (although that is what happens to a lot of us). He just wants us to realize that we were already there. We were already broken before our bad choices and decisions put us in a bad spot. When our hearts truly desire Him is when He wants us the most.
Has my heart been truly humble and repentant? Yes it is. Like many people, I have done some really bad things, and made some really bad choices. I don't regret those choices, because they led me to realize that I needed God in my life. I feel bad sometimes about the people I may have hurt along the way, and I pray that they have forgiven me. Most importantly, I pray for God's forgiveness and thank Him for His acceptance of a formerly broken man. He picked up the pieces and put them back together to form the man He has always desired for me to be. I pray that I can serve Him in such a way that gives Him the glory He deserves for fixing this wayward child.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for fixing me. I know that I am still a work in progress, and will make mistakes from time to time, however You have healed my heart. You have given me victory over my hurts, habits, and hang-ups, and I know that I can truly accomplish anything through Your power. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When we are truly humble and repentant, God will accept the sacrifice of our lives and hearts to His will. It isn't that God wants us to be in such a bad place that we finally realize we need Him (although that is what happens to a lot of us). He just wants us to realize that we were already there. We were already broken before our bad choices and decisions put us in a bad spot. When our hearts truly desire Him is when He wants us the most.
Has my heart been truly humble and repentant? Yes it is. Like many people, I have done some really bad things, and made some really bad choices. I don't regret those choices, because they led me to realize that I needed God in my life. I feel bad sometimes about the people I may have hurt along the way, and I pray that they have forgiven me. Most importantly, I pray for God's forgiveness and thank Him for His acceptance of a formerly broken man. He picked up the pieces and put them back together to form the man He has always desired for me to be. I pray that I can serve Him in such a way that gives Him the glory He deserves for fixing this wayward child.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for fixing me. I know that I am still a work in progress, and will make mistakes from time to time, however You have healed my heart. You have given me victory over my hurts, habits, and hang-ups, and I know that I can truly accomplish anything through Your power. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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