1 Samuel 18:17 - One day Saul said to David: "I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the Lord's battles." For Saul thought, "I'll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself."
What Saul intended for evil, God had intended for good. One of the recurring themes in the Bible (among several), is God turning man's evil plans on their head and using them for good and for His glory. We see it early on in the story of Joseph (Genesis 50:20), here, and of course with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In the book of Acts, Luke tells about a Pharisee named Gamaliel telling the council that if what the Apostles were doing was from God, then nothing could be done to stop them (Acts 5:39). Of course, they were doing God's work by carrying on the ministry of Jesus Christ by attempting to seek and save the lost. What the Pharisees had intended for evil when they demanded that Jesus be crucified, God had all along intended for good and for His glory. God was willing to sacrifice His Son for mankind, because He knew that in the death and resurrection of Jesus, that sin and death would finally be defeated, and that all who believed in their hearts would be saved and redeemed to God. What a gift!
Am I trying to get in God's way, or am I submitting myself to His will? He is always able to turn my wrong plans into good, but that doesn't mean I should make it a challenge for Him. I have no right to tempt or test God. I need to remember to seek His counsel before I act, so that I am doing His will and not my own.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for seeking and saving me. Thank You for taking what others meant for evil, and using it for good and for Your glory. I cannot thank and praise You enough for the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ. Because of You and Your sacrifice, I have the opportunity to be part of the final victory that You have planned for us all who are called according to Your purpose. To You be all the praise, honor, and glory forever. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Be Alert
Colossians 4:2 - Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
When we are praying, we need to keep our mind alert and focused on God so that we can hear Him speaking to us, and keep our hearts humble and thankful.
This can be a tough one sometimes. It is very easy to be distracted by things going on around us when we are praying. It can also be very difficult to keep our hearts focused if we have a lot going on. I have struggled with this a lot recently. But that is exactly what the enemy wants - anything to keep our attention solely focused on our Savior.
For someone like me who has their Quiet Time in the mornings (usually after a cup or two of coffee), sometimes I can be just plain tired despite the coffee's effects. During a recent 40 day fast, I gave up coffee. Now that just added to my struggles to be alert. However, during the last couple of weeks, I was less groggy despite having no coffee. It's easy to dismiss that as my body adjusting to not having it, but I am convinced it was God working in me and telling me that I didn't need the coffee to wake up, I only needed to focus on Him and He would take care of the rest as He always does.
During my recent conflicts at work, I found myself praying even more than usual. Jesus told us to get rid of the log in our eye before we worry about the speck in someone else's (Matthew 7:5). He also told us to forgive others or God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). With the issues I have had with the way my boss has treated me and some other coworkers, it is difficult to do that. However, I have to keep my heart humble and thankful towards God and the first place to start is through forgiveness of others, and let Him work.
I love the way God works.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me what I needed to see during these last 6 weeks. You are always faithful in Your teachings through Your Word and Spirit, and I pray that I will keep my mind and heart alert, focused, and thankful for what You do for me. I pray for those that get distracted and can't seem to focus on You when they need to. My prayer is that they will not let the enemy get a foothold in their hearts and minds, and be humble and thankful for all that You provide. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When we are praying, we need to keep our mind alert and focused on God so that we can hear Him speaking to us, and keep our hearts humble and thankful.
This can be a tough one sometimes. It is very easy to be distracted by things going on around us when we are praying. It can also be very difficult to keep our hearts focused if we have a lot going on. I have struggled with this a lot recently. But that is exactly what the enemy wants - anything to keep our attention solely focused on our Savior.
For someone like me who has their Quiet Time in the mornings (usually after a cup or two of coffee), sometimes I can be just plain tired despite the coffee's effects. During a recent 40 day fast, I gave up coffee. Now that just added to my struggles to be alert. However, during the last couple of weeks, I was less groggy despite having no coffee. It's easy to dismiss that as my body adjusting to not having it, but I am convinced it was God working in me and telling me that I didn't need the coffee to wake up, I only needed to focus on Him and He would take care of the rest as He always does.
During my recent conflicts at work, I found myself praying even more than usual. Jesus told us to get rid of the log in our eye before we worry about the speck in someone else's (Matthew 7:5). He also told us to forgive others or God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). With the issues I have had with the way my boss has treated me and some other coworkers, it is difficult to do that. However, I have to keep my heart humble and thankful towards God and the first place to start is through forgiveness of others, and let Him work.
I love the way God works.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me what I needed to see during these last 6 weeks. You are always faithful in Your teachings through Your Word and Spirit, and I pray that I will keep my mind and heart alert, focused, and thankful for what You do for me. I pray for those that get distracted and can't seem to focus on You when they need to. My prayer is that they will not let the enemy get a foothold in their hearts and minds, and be humble and thankful for all that You provide. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, April 14, 2014
A Right Heart
1 Samuel 15:22 - But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the Lord: Your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams."
Samuel was never afraid to tell it like it is. Of course, being filled with God's Spirit will give you that kind of courage. Samuel points out to Saul that it wasn't the sacrifices that God was interested in, but a heart that was after God. A heart that was willing to not just obey God's will, but to actively seek it with real effort. Not a heart that was trying to wing it and assume it was doing right.
When it comes to our hearts, nothing has changed as far as God is concerned. That's what He wants more than anything, a right heart that is actively seeking and engaging Him. Obviously, we don't make sacrifices to Him as described in the Old Testament (at least I hope not), but we do sacrifice our time, talent, and treasure to Him as He directs/guides us to (at least we should be). But we should never do it grudgingly, we should be doing it because we want to obey Him.
Paul talked about this in 2 Corinthians 9:7 when he quoted Proverbs 22 and said that, "God loves a person who gives cheerfully." This is true. Someone who gives of themselves because they want to is happy about it. They do it not because they feel that they have to, but because they get joy out of it. For me personally, when I'm able to go out of my way and help someone, I definitely get joy out of it. Compared to the way I used to be, the only way to explain that is God's Holy Spirit transforming me (Romans 12:2). I used to hate doing people favors (I can't emphasize the word hate enough here). No matter how small the favor might have been, I did it through gritted teeth. God doesn't want a heart that is given to Him through gritted teeth, but one that is given to Him through a pearly white smile.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to seek You with my heart and that You want my heart more than my time, talent, or treasure. I know that if I continue to give You my heart, I will cheerfully give You everything else. I pray that I will continue to find joy in giving to You and Your people, and that I never do it grudgingly. I know that by the power of Your Holy Spirit moving inside of me, I will always find joy in Your service. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Samuel was never afraid to tell it like it is. Of course, being filled with God's Spirit will give you that kind of courage. Samuel points out to Saul that it wasn't the sacrifices that God was interested in, but a heart that was after God. A heart that was willing to not just obey God's will, but to actively seek it with real effort. Not a heart that was trying to wing it and assume it was doing right.
When it comes to our hearts, nothing has changed as far as God is concerned. That's what He wants more than anything, a right heart that is actively seeking and engaging Him. Obviously, we don't make sacrifices to Him as described in the Old Testament (at least I hope not), but we do sacrifice our time, talent, and treasure to Him as He directs/guides us to (at least we should be). But we should never do it grudgingly, we should be doing it because we want to obey Him.
Paul talked about this in 2 Corinthians 9:7 when he quoted Proverbs 22 and said that, "God loves a person who gives cheerfully." This is true. Someone who gives of themselves because they want to is happy about it. They do it not because they feel that they have to, but because they get joy out of it. For me personally, when I'm able to go out of my way and help someone, I definitely get joy out of it. Compared to the way I used to be, the only way to explain that is God's Holy Spirit transforming me (Romans 12:2). I used to hate doing people favors (I can't emphasize the word hate enough here). No matter how small the favor might have been, I did it through gritted teeth. God doesn't want a heart that is given to Him through gritted teeth, but one that is given to Him through a pearly white smile.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to seek You with my heart and that You want my heart more than my time, talent, or treasure. I know that if I continue to give You my heart, I will cheerfully give You everything else. I pray that I will continue to find joy in giving to You and Your people, and that I never do it grudgingly. I know that by the power of Your Holy Spirit moving inside of me, I will always find joy in Your service. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Rejoice!
Habakkuk 3:18-19 - Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.
No matter what Habakkuk was dealing with, he found his joy by trusting in God for help and deliverance during the hard times they were facing.
Verse 17 in this chapter talks about those hard times that God's chosen people were going through. For a farming economy these things could be down right devastating.
But that's the beauty of it...they weren't! Habakkuk was no perfect man, but when he took the time to see the goodness in God and trusted in Him to help His people through their trials, he was able to rejoice in the God of his salvation. Like Paul talked about learning to be content with whatever he had, and trusting in the strength of Christ for everything (Philippians 4:11-13), Habakkuk trusted God in the same way. As Paul boasted in his weakness so that Christ's strength could work better (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), Habakkuk knew that his strength was from God. God would always provide what was needed for His people.
Am I trusting God for everything? Am I content in my weakness so that Christ's strength can work better through me? Am I rejoicing in everything God has done for me?
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me the joy I have in You. Thank You for being my strength. I pray that I will rejoice in every situation, for I know that You are at work in my life. I pray for those that are struggling to rejoice because they can't see You at work in their lives. My prayer is that they will take a minute to step back and reflect on everything, and see Your glory at work. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
No matter what Habakkuk was dealing with, he found his joy by trusting in God for help and deliverance during the hard times they were facing.
Verse 17 in this chapter talks about those hard times that God's chosen people were going through. For a farming economy these things could be down right devastating.
But that's the beauty of it...they weren't! Habakkuk was no perfect man, but when he took the time to see the goodness in God and trusted in Him to help His people through their trials, he was able to rejoice in the God of his salvation. Like Paul talked about learning to be content with whatever he had, and trusting in the strength of Christ for everything (Philippians 4:11-13), Habakkuk trusted God in the same way. As Paul boasted in his weakness so that Christ's strength could work better (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), Habakkuk knew that his strength was from God. God would always provide what was needed for His people.
Am I trusting God for everything? Am I content in my weakness so that Christ's strength can work better through me? Am I rejoicing in everything God has done for me?
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me the joy I have in You. Thank You for being my strength. I pray that I will rejoice in every situation, for I know that You are at work in my life. I pray for those that are struggling to rejoice because they can't see You at work in their lives. My prayer is that they will take a minute to step back and reflect on everything, and see Your glory at work. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, April 11, 2014
Staying Focused
James 1:8 - Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
When dealing with trials and temptations, we need to keep our focus on Him. Allowing our thoughts to be pulled in different directions makes us unstable, and will only make matters worse.
During the recent trials I have been dealing with at work, it has been difficult for me to stay focused. In the last two days, this verse has come up twice during different devotional readings, as well as Philippians 3:13, where Paul reminds us to stay focused on what lies ahead, and forgetting about what happened. When this happens, I know God is trying to get my attention.
He's telling me that I'm focusing on the wrong things. I haven't completely lost my eternal perspective on things, but I am being double-minded, and that is certainly not going to help. When I have problems at work with my boss, or anywhere else and with anyone else for that matter, I need to remember what Peter told us in 1 Peter 3:9 that I should not repay evil for evil and not retaliate with insults when I am insulted, but pay them back with a blessing.
This can be HARD! Recently my boss was making some brash comments about her plans for our department, and I was rather taken aback at her boldness. So before I said anything stupid (it's a gift sometimes), I walked away and said that I would be praying for her. Later she said she felt I was being negative about her plans. REALLY!? Praying for someone is negative?! I didn't even have anything to say about that (I'm rarely speechless).
I need to maintain that kind of focus during these times. It's easy to fall into my old ways of doing things and trust in my way of handling things. But I've already shown myself that my way doesn't work for the best. If it did, then Jesus didn't need to die for me (and He did!), and I wouldn't be writing this. But keeping my focus and my trust on Him is what I need to do. When I get flustered at situations, I need to take a walk and pray about it, and for the other person. Talking to God during these times really does clear the mind and maintain the focus.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for speaking to me through Your Word. I love learning from You every way I can, because Your wisdom is infinite and always fits every situation I face. I have been blessed by Your amazing teaching. Father, I lift up those who are struggling to maintain their focus on You. Like being unequally yoked in marriage, I pray that they will return their focus on You to avoid being double-minded. I pray that they will see that You have everything all worked out for their good, and You are just waiting to show them when they ask. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When dealing with trials and temptations, we need to keep our focus on Him. Allowing our thoughts to be pulled in different directions makes us unstable, and will only make matters worse.
During the recent trials I have been dealing with at work, it has been difficult for me to stay focused. In the last two days, this verse has come up twice during different devotional readings, as well as Philippians 3:13, where Paul reminds us to stay focused on what lies ahead, and forgetting about what happened. When this happens, I know God is trying to get my attention.
He's telling me that I'm focusing on the wrong things. I haven't completely lost my eternal perspective on things, but I am being double-minded, and that is certainly not going to help. When I have problems at work with my boss, or anywhere else and with anyone else for that matter, I need to remember what Peter told us in 1 Peter 3:9 that I should not repay evil for evil and not retaliate with insults when I am insulted, but pay them back with a blessing.
This can be HARD! Recently my boss was making some brash comments about her plans for our department, and I was rather taken aback at her boldness. So before I said anything stupid (it's a gift sometimes), I walked away and said that I would be praying for her. Later she said she felt I was being negative about her plans. REALLY!? Praying for someone is negative?! I didn't even have anything to say about that (I'm rarely speechless).
I need to maintain that kind of focus during these times. It's easy to fall into my old ways of doing things and trust in my way of handling things. But I've already shown myself that my way doesn't work for the best. If it did, then Jesus didn't need to die for me (and He did!), and I wouldn't be writing this. But keeping my focus and my trust on Him is what I need to do. When I get flustered at situations, I need to take a walk and pray about it, and for the other person. Talking to God during these times really does clear the mind and maintain the focus.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for speaking to me through Your Word. I love learning from You every way I can, because Your wisdom is infinite and always fits every situation I face. I have been blessed by Your amazing teaching. Father, I lift up those who are struggling to maintain their focus on You. Like being unequally yoked in marriage, I pray that they will return their focus on You to avoid being double-minded. I pray that they will see that You have everything all worked out for their good, and You are just waiting to show them when they ask. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Hate the Sin
Psalm 97:10 - You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of His godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
God has commanded us to hate the wickedness and evil that turns our hearts away from Him. He will always protect those who seek His righteousness over sinful pleasures.
But that doesn't mean we are supposed to reject the sinner. God loves us all, and we are all sinners. So we have no right to reject the sinners, because then we'd be rejecting ourselves. Not only that, we would be saying that it is our business to judge who is worthy of having a relationship with God. And that's just dangerous ground to be treading on.
Instead of rejecting the sinner, we need to love those who sin without knowing Christ. We need to share the Word of God with them. And not just scripture, but our lives as well. We have to do it with no fear of rejection. Paul talked regularly about being bold (2 Corinthians 3:12). He also talked about not having any fear (2 Timothy 1:7). We should never be afraid to share His Word with others. We should never be afraid to live our lives the way God is telling us to.
I have a friend that doesn't know Christ. He was raised Catholic, and never developed a relationship with Jesus Christ. He has said before that he knows he's a sinner, but he doesn't really care. I told him, God doesn't expect you to be perfect. He knows you're going to sin, because we all fall short. But you're not supposed to be indifferent about it and enjoy the ride down. I regularly pray for him, but beyond doing that and demonstrating God's love (as best I can) in the way I live, that's really all I can do for him. I can't reject him because he's a proud sinner, that's not my business to do. My business is to love boldly without fear.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to reject the sin and not the sinner. And for reminding me to love the sinner boldly without fear, for You have given us all a spirit of power and love (we're still working on the self-discipline one). I pray that I will boldly share Your Word with others, both in Scripture and in how I live, so they can see the love You have for them, and how You protect the lives of those who seek Your righteousness. For those who don't know You, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will work in their hearts, so that they will confess and repent of their sins, and seek You and Your will in all they do. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God has commanded us to hate the wickedness and evil that turns our hearts away from Him. He will always protect those who seek His righteousness over sinful pleasures.
But that doesn't mean we are supposed to reject the sinner. God loves us all, and we are all sinners. So we have no right to reject the sinners, because then we'd be rejecting ourselves. Not only that, we would be saying that it is our business to judge who is worthy of having a relationship with God. And that's just dangerous ground to be treading on.
Instead of rejecting the sinner, we need to love those who sin without knowing Christ. We need to share the Word of God with them. And not just scripture, but our lives as well. We have to do it with no fear of rejection. Paul talked regularly about being bold (2 Corinthians 3:12). He also talked about not having any fear (2 Timothy 1:7). We should never be afraid to share His Word with others. We should never be afraid to live our lives the way God is telling us to.
I have a friend that doesn't know Christ. He was raised Catholic, and never developed a relationship with Jesus Christ. He has said before that he knows he's a sinner, but he doesn't really care. I told him, God doesn't expect you to be perfect. He knows you're going to sin, because we all fall short. But you're not supposed to be indifferent about it and enjoy the ride down. I regularly pray for him, but beyond doing that and demonstrating God's love (as best I can) in the way I live, that's really all I can do for him. I can't reject him because he's a proud sinner, that's not my business to do. My business is to love boldly without fear.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to reject the sin and not the sinner. And for reminding me to love the sinner boldly without fear, for You have given us all a spirit of power and love (we're still working on the self-discipline one). I pray that I will boldly share Your Word with others, both in Scripture and in how I live, so they can see the love You have for them, and how You protect the lives of those who seek Your righteousness. For those who don't know You, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will work in their hearts, so that they will confess and repent of their sins, and seek You and Your will in all they do. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Boldly
Ephesians 6:20 - I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for Him, as I should.
Paul's passion for sharing God's Word is amazing. He is in prison, and yet isn't asking for prayers for his release or deliverance from the abuse he is surely suffering. Instead, he asks for prayers that he continues to boldly share the Gospel with anyone and everyone.
I love seeing this kind of passion. It really is encouraging to see it displayed. How often do we boldly share the Gospel message of Christ's love and redemption? Not nearly as often as we should, and I am certainly guilty of it.
At work, we tend to focus on our tasks at hand. We shy away from sharing the Good News because we don't want to offend anyone or get in any kind of trouble. Paul was in prison! I'd say he was in some kind of trouble. But he boldly preached the message anyway!
Paul talked about it in Philippians as well (Phil. 1:12-14). He realized he had a captive audience (pun intended) of both guards and prisoners, and that everything that was happening was helping to spread the Good News. Paul certainly wasn't worried about offending anyone or getting in any kind of trouble(he was in prison!).
Am I boldly sharing my faith? Am I using the opportunities given to me by God to be His ambassador and share the Good News of Jesus Christ?
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that whatever trials I may be facing, they pale in comparison to the problems that others may have, and that I need to take every opportunity to share the Gospel with everyone I can, regardless of any consequences. The benefits of Your Eternal Kingdom far outweigh anything that man can do to me. I pray for those that are shying away from boldly speaking about You. My prayer is that they will remember that everything is about You, and that they will be reaping eternal benefits from the seeds of love they sow. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Paul's passion for sharing God's Word is amazing. He is in prison, and yet isn't asking for prayers for his release or deliverance from the abuse he is surely suffering. Instead, he asks for prayers that he continues to boldly share the Gospel with anyone and everyone.
I love seeing this kind of passion. It really is encouraging to see it displayed. How often do we boldly share the Gospel message of Christ's love and redemption? Not nearly as often as we should, and I am certainly guilty of it.
At work, we tend to focus on our tasks at hand. We shy away from sharing the Good News because we don't want to offend anyone or get in any kind of trouble. Paul was in prison! I'd say he was in some kind of trouble. But he boldly preached the message anyway!
Paul talked about it in Philippians as well (Phil. 1:12-14). He realized he had a captive audience (pun intended) of both guards and prisoners, and that everything that was happening was helping to spread the Good News. Paul certainly wasn't worried about offending anyone or getting in any kind of trouble(he was in prison!).
Am I boldly sharing my faith? Am I using the opportunities given to me by God to be His ambassador and share the Good News of Jesus Christ?
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that whatever trials I may be facing, they pale in comparison to the problems that others may have, and that I need to take every opportunity to share the Gospel with everyone I can, regardless of any consequences. The benefits of Your Eternal Kingdom far outweigh anything that man can do to me. I pray for those that are shying away from boldly speaking about You. My prayer is that they will remember that everything is about You, and that they will be reaping eternal benefits from the seeds of love they sow. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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