April 2009
Day 1
Word for today:
As we all know, it takes years to build a reputation, but
unfortunately it can take just a moment to destroy it. A young
college student who never got into trouble or caused any difficulty,
one day in a moment of mischief, threw a match into a waste can and
started a fire that damaged part of the dorm and burned his reputation
beyond recognition. No matter what he has done since then, his name
remains associated with that reckless prank. For many years David
bore the stigma of his sinful, adulterous liaison with Bathsheba. God
forgave him, but his reputation had been stained. In Psalm 38, David
describes the agony of living with the results of his sin. God's word
tells us how we can avoid such pain. In Proverbs He tells us to guard
our heart. In Ephesians He tells us to walk wisely and in I Peter He
says to follow in Jesus' steps. It takes just a moment to destroy our
good name, but most of all our testimony for God. But if we stay
close to Jesus. Ask him to help us to guard our heart, walk wisely and
then follow in Jesus' footsteps, we will come through victoriously.
Bible verse for today:
Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
Proverbs 4:23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all
that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
Ephesians 5: 15 See
then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
1Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his
steps:
Prayer for today:
Help us Dear heavenly
Father,
To guard our heart, walk
wisely and to follow in Your steps.
It is only through You
that we can have a good reputation
and be an affective
testimony of Your love.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 2
Word for today:
I read a story by Arthur Michael Green in which he tells a
story about a man who said that before God dramatically changed his
life, he was "an embryo gangster with a list of crimes which society
could level against him and the sins accused him of their own
accord." Today that man is a military chaplain. Here is his
testimony: "The living Christ has given me what no court, no
psychiatrist, no probation officer could give me -- The consciousness
of sins forgiven and the joy of a loving family and a secure home have
shown me that through the living Christ even one who, like myself, was
once described by a magistrate as a 'social menace' can be more than
just tolerable. That is something of the difference that Jesus Christ
has made and continues to make in me." When we put our trust in Jesus
as our Savior, Jesus said that we are not only forgiven of our
sins, but He will transform us from the inside out through the
renewing activity of the Holy Spirit and He will continue to work in
us to make us more like Christ. I want to be more like Christ, don't
you?
Bible verse for today:
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
2 Corinthians
5:17
Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You dear Lord for
the forgiveness of our sins,
and that You not only
forgave us our sins
but You made us a new
creature
and through our daily walk
with You
we can become more Christ
like.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 3
Word for today:
A young man had been cut from the school basketball team. To
make matters worse his father found out he had stolen some items from
a store. His father talked with him and let him explain what
happened. He tenderly told his son that, God can use disappointments
in our life, to prepare us for bigger ones that are sure to come. He
firmly told his son that he would not tolerate shoplifting and made
him promise that he would never do it again and made him face the
consequences of his actions by returning the stolen goods to the store
manager and confessing what he had done. Jesus is the same with His
Children. Gentle and tender but never compromising the truth. In
Jeremiah 12:5
God told His discouraged prophet Jeremiah that learning to face small
problems would help him to tackle the big ones later, and in
Jeremiah 12:7
God made His rebellious people face the consequences of their sin, but
He still showed His tenderness when He called them
"the dearly beloved of
My soul." No matter if we are facing hardships or facing the
consequences of our own sin, we have a God that will treat us with
truth and tenderness and will forgive us our sin if we just call out
to Him.
Bible verse for today:
Jeremiah 12:15
And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will
return, and have compassion on them,
Prayer for today:
We thank You Dear heavenly
Father,
for being such a tender
and compassionate God.
So many times we fail You,
but You forgive and show
us Your love in return.
What a mighty God we
serve. We love you Lord Jesus,
and it is in Your name we
pray.
Amen
Day 4
Word for today:
In his beautiful book, "I Shall Not Want," Robert Ketchum
tells of a Sunday School teacher who asked her group of children if
anyone could quote the entire 23rd Psalm. A golden-haired,
four-and-a-half-year-old girl was among those who raised their hands.
A bit skeptical, the teacher asked if she could really quote the
entire psalm. The little girl came to the front of the room, faced the
class, made a perky little bow, and said,
"The Lord is my shepherd, that's all I
want." She bowed again and went and sat
down; As they say, out of the mouths of babes, some of the greatest
truths are told. That may well be the greatest interpretation of the
23rd Psalm I have ever heard.
How better could 9 words describe this great chapter? God is our
Shepard and He gives us such great love and understanding. His grace
is sufficient. He comforts us in the time of sadness. He supplies
all our needs. He watches over us and protects us. He never leaves
us and picks us up when we fall and carries us over the ruff places.
He protects us from the evil one and gives us strength when we are
weak. Truly, He is our Shepherd and that's all I want.
Bible verse for today:
Psalms 23:1-6 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to
lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my
soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a
table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my
head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness
and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in
the house of the LORD for ever.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You Lord that You
are our Good Shepherd.
We thank You for watching
over us Your sheep
and supplying all our
needs and
giving us far more then we
ever deserve.
You are surely all we will
ever need and all I want.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 5
Word for today:
A young man was rebelling against his parents. He blamed
God when he lost his job and his girlfriend, saying that God was not
showing him His love and was being unfair and was not giving him the
help he needed, as He said in His Word that He would do. What he
didn't realize was that, God's word also says that there are
conditions. God loves us unconditionally and wants to show us His
love and help us in the time of need but the condition God gives us is
in, John 15:10
which says, "If
ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;"
When God asked
Solomon, "What shall I give thee?" Solomon asked God for an
understanding heart to judge the people, and that he could discern
between good and bad: Because Solomon did not ask for long life,
riches, or honor, God granted both the riches and honor, however God
put a condition on a long life. God told him that to have a long
life, he had to walk in His way and keep His statutes and
commandments. Solomon did not live a long life because as it says in
1 Kings 11:6 "And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD."
We are God's children by our faith in His Son. He has promised never
to leave us nor forsake us, but if we do not obey Him and keep His
commandments as He says in His word we can expect His loving
discipline. But thank God, when we do fail, we can turn to His
promise that He will forgive us if we confess our sin. God wants us
to have a happy, joyful, long life and he will give us this if we
follow His Word.
Bible verse for today:
1 Kings 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes
and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will
lengthen thy days.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
Thank You for the promises
that You have given us in Your Word.
Help us dear Lord, to
follow Your commandments
and to live our lives
pleasing to You, according to Your Word.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 6
Word for today:
At a Women's Bible Study I attended, the speaker spoke on
being rooted in Christ Jesus and the fruits of the Spirit and that the
only way we can produce good fruit is by being grounded in Him. I had
to think of the big orange tree that we have in our yard. It is nice
and green and produces some of the best oranges you can eat. But as I
look at the tree closely, I can see small dead branches in among the
healthy ones, and I had to think of our Spiritual life being like that
tree. Before we gave our heart to Jesus, we were nothing but a dead
tree, but when we gave our heart to Jesus, He gave us life. Still at
times I can find a small dead branch. A branch of the flesh, the old
self. A branch of anger. A branch of hate. A branch of selfishness
and I could go on and on. Jesus says in His word that every branch
that does not bear fruit He will take away. When we see old dead
branches in the fruit tree, we cut them out, prune them. When we see
dead branches in our spiritual life, we need to ask God to prune it
from us, cut it out, so that He might be grafted in. The only way we
can bear good fruit is to be grounded in Christ Jesus and allow Him to
prune out all the old dead branches that keep us from bearing
the fruits of the Spirit.
Bible verse for today:
John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh
away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may
bring forth more fruit.
Romans 11:19
Thou wilt say
then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me,
and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye
can do nothing.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
When we see those old dead
branches in our Spiritual life
Help us to come to You and
ask You to prune us and
graft in new branches of
Your love and mercy dear Lord,
so we can bear good fruit
and a lot of it.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 7
Word for today:
It is one thing to pray for humility. It is quite another
thing living it. Jesus says many times in His word that we are to be
humble. In Deuteronomy 8:2 Jesus said to the children of
Israel;
"And thou shalt remember
all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the
wilderness, to humble thee," but after 40 years they still had problems with humility.
Jesus says in His word that we are to become as a little child. A
little child looks at everyone the same. They treat everyone as a
friend. They give of themselves. How can we really tell when we are
truly humble? We can't, but I believe when serving others, giving of
our time, lending a helping hand, truly caring for our fellowmen,
putting others before ourselves, we are growing in humility. We
won't know it because we are doing it naturally. It becomes second
nature to us. I believe that, that is what true humility is all
about.
Bible verse for today:
Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little
child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
James 4:10
Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Prayer for today:
Help us Dear heavenly
Father,
to grow in true humility.
Give us a compassion for
others.
Help us to reach out a
helping hand
and put them above our own
needs and desires.
Lord, You do this for us,
help us in return to do it for others.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 8
Word for today:
Today the world's philosophy is, doing all that they possibly
can do and hope that it works, but when they have a rock-bottom
experience and their broken life becomes a big, "can't", where can
they turn? Thank God, we as His children, have a resource in which we
can turn too, to help us. We do not have to rely on doing just the,
"what we can". In Hebrews 11, Paul teaches us the reality of our day
to day dependence on our Lord and Savior when he wrote, that out of
weakness we are made strong through Him. God wants depending on Him
our lifestyle. He wants us to increasingly learn to trust Him and
know in our heart that it is; "easier to do the impossible with God
than the possible without Him". When we feel weak, if we depend on
God and His word instead of ourselves, He will make us strong and with
Him we can do all things.
Bible verse for today:
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength
is made perfect in weakness.
Philippians
4:13
I can do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Prayer for today:
Thank You
Dear heavenly Father,
that we can always depend
on You to be by our side.
That You will always lift
us up and
make us strong when we are
weak.
We know Your grace is
sufficient,
and if we just call out to
You, You will answer.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 9
Word for today:
In 2 Chronicles we read how under the leadership of King
Hezekiah's, the
land of Judah experienced spiritual revival. Idols were smashed, the
temple was restored, and people once again worshiped the Lord.
Hezekiah did what was good and right before the Lord. But then,
right when he was obedient to God, he was suddenly besieged by
Sennacherib, the vicious warrior- king of Assyria. Hezekiah could
have been angered, blamed God. He could have questioned God and said,
"Lord, I have been obedient to You and have done what You asked of me,
and this is what I get"? How many times have we done just that when
things go wrong? Instead, Hezekiah continued to trust God and rallied
the people, saying, that the Lord was with them and would help them to
fight the battles. What a remarkable demonstration of faith. I know
I could use a healthy portion of Hezekiah's spirit at times. There is
something with in us that wishes God would always reward our
faithfulness with prosperity and protection, but God is working far
beyond what we can see and is working to accomplish His purposes in
our lives. Our difficulties are never the final measure of His
blessings and love. Hezekiah modeled true faithfulness. He chose to
obey the Lord without demanding guarantees of a trouble-free life. We
to can be confident of God's presence and power, even in the darkest
hours.
Bible verse for today:
2 Chronicles 32:7-8
Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of
Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more
with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is
the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people
rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You that we can
know that You are always with us.
That You will help us
fight our battles.
Increase our faith dear
Lord that we may always trust in You.
And when the battles come,
help us to
remember You have a
purpose.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 10
Word for today:
To me one of the most surprising questions in the New
Testament asked of Jesus, were asked by people who loved Him deeply,
but when they were afraid or felt things should be different they
asked Him, "Do You care?" In,
Mark 4:38
When the fierce storm came and the disciples feared for their lives,
they woke Jesus and asked Him,
"Master, carest thou not
that we perish?"
and in Luke
10:40
Martha, came from the kitchen to where Mary relaxed at Jesus feet and
asked of Him,
"Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?"
How many times have we asked the Lord this same question? Oh, we may
not say it out loud because we would feel guilty, but we think it in
our heart. The thing about it is, we don't have to say it out loud,
because God already knows what is in our heart. Both the above
questions were asked by those who had seen the power of Jesus and they
expected Jesus to step right in and relieve their anxiety and when
Jesus seemed to be ignoring the situation, an element of exasperation
was added; "Don't You care?" The scripture does not give the tone of
Jesus' voice when He answered them, but I believe His replies were
gentle and caring. "Why
are you so fearful?" "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled
about many things."
When we are feeling overwhelmed and alone and cry out, "Lord, don't
You care?" If we listen closely, we will hear Him call out our name,
"Colleen, Colleen," "Yes, I care. I will calm the sea. I will help
you through the ruff places. Just trust in me.
Bible verse for today:
Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the
sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
When the storms of life
come, when everything seems
to be going wrong, Lord we
know You care.
Help us to put our faith
and trust in You
and give all our burdens
and anxieties to You
for we know You are the
only One that can calm the sea
and see us through to
victory.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 11
Word for today:
How many times have you tried to make a phone call just to
get a busy signal? After many more tries you finally get a recorded
message, followed by music, occasionally interrupted by a voice that
says, "Our lines are still busy. Please hold or hang up and try
again." Finally you get through to get a complicated set of
instructions. After putting in several numbers you finally get the
connection to the party you need, but then you get another
recording stating that they are out of the office or an another line.
What a time consuming runaround with no results in the end. Thank God
that when we have an urgent need to talk with our Lord and call Him
up, we don't get a busy signal, nor are we put on hold. We can be
assured He is right there listening to everything we have to say, and
not only that He is listening, but that He cares. We may not receive
an answer right away, but we know that He hears and that in His time
He will answer. Thank God that there is no such thing as a prayer
runaround.
Bible verse for today:
1Peter
3:12 For the
eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto
their prayers:
Prayer for today:
We thank You Dear heavenly
Father,
that when we call out to
you, we never get a busy signal.
Father we know that You
are always there
with Your ears
open waiting for us to call.
We know You always help us
with our problems
if we give them to You and
trust in You.
You have promised us
this in Your Word.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 12
Word for today:
A father was telling the story concerning his 4 year old
daughter. As she was running through the house one day, as fast as
her little legs were propelling her, she suddenly hit the brakes and
wheeled around. With a sense of childish urgency she called out,
"Mom, I love you!" Then she was off and running again. This
certainly could melt a mother's heart. Imagine that same scene but
with different circumstances. Suppose she had just been told for the
third time to come to the table. She stops and says, "Mom, I love
you!" only to spin around and run out the back door. In that setting
her words would not have warmed anyone's heart. Jesus looks for an "I
love You" from His children that is backed up by action. In John 21
when Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love Me?" He was not satisfied with a
casual, "Sure, Lord You know I do!" Jesus responded, in effect, by
saying. "If you love Me, care for those I care for. If you love me,
follow Me." What do we say when Jesus asks us the same question? I
believe He asks us this every day. Do we answer. "Yes, Lord, I love
You." These words will delight our Father's heart if we are an
obedient child.
Bible verse for today:
John 21:15-17 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,
Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto
him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed
my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of
Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that
I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the
third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved
because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said
unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love
thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
Help us to be obedient
children, so when You ask us if we Love You,
and we reply, "Yes, Lord,
I love You," Your heart will be warmed.
Thank You Jesus for loving
us, and it is in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 13
Word for today:
I read a poem that went like this; A little seed lay in the
ground and soon began to sprout; "Now, which of all the flowers
around, shall I." it mused, "come out?" The seed could then be heard saying,
"I don't care to be a rose. It has thorns. I have no desire to be a
lily. It's too colorless. And I certainly wouldn't want to be a
violet. It's too small, and it grows too close to the ground." The
poem concludes with this verse about that faultfinding seed: And so
it criticized each flower, that supercilious seed, until it woke one
summer hour and found itself a weed! Paul warns us in
Romans 12:3
that we are not to think of ourselves too highly. To the church in
Philippi he wrote,
Philippians 2:3
Let nothing
be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves.
When we criticize and find fault with others and do not follow the
instructions Paul gives us in these verses, we are actually passing
judgment on ourselves, for God says in
Matthews 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment
ye judge, ye shall be judged:
A good cure for a critical
spirit is to take an honest look at ourselves and not at others.
Bible verse for today:
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art
that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest
thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
Help us Lord not to be
critical and faultfinding of others.
Help us to look at
ourselves and when we see in us
the things that cause
us to be critical of
others, help us to ask forgiveness and
to ask You for strength to
overcome them.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 14
Word for today:
David Doubilet is a photojournalist, but a different
photojournalist then we normally think of. David was a silent
underwater photographer and could even make an ugly, bug-eyed creature
into a lovely work of art. He received many honors for his work,
but he also was criticized by some environmentalists for not doing
more, "hard-edge" journalism. They wanted him to show dead fish,
dirty beaches, and polluted oceans. However David believes there is a
better way to get people to care about the environment. Instead of
showing the destruction that humans are causing, he chooses to show
the beauty God has created. So many times we as Christians seem to
think that the way we can improve our spiritual environment is to
point out all the evil that is going on in world today, but like David
we can be far more effective witnesses when we are portraits of the
beauty God created in us. Painting a picture of the bleak state of
the world today does not show others a picture of hope, of peace and
of love. We can only improve our spiritual environment by showing
Gods love by loving one another. Nothing is more amazing to the world
than Christians who truly love one another.
Bible verse for today:
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if
ye have love one to another.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
as Your children, help us
to portray the love of God in our hearts
by loving one another as
You have commanded in Your word.
Help us to live our lives
so that when others look at us
they can only see You.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 15
Word for today:
I was reading an article which showed the percentages of
people who have the different blood types. It stated that AB Negative
was the rarest, found in only 0.6% of the population, but it's ending
statement read, "The rarest blood type is the one that's not there
when you need it." As I read that statement, I had to think of a
supply of blood that is one of a kind and is always available to those
who ask for it. The blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The
blood that washes away all our sin and cleanses us white as snow.
It is always available for there is enough for all, even thou there is
only one donor. I am deeply grateful that Jesus was willing to die
and give His blood for me so that forgiveness was available when I
needed it. Aren't you?
Bible verse for today:
1John 1:7 the
blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Prayer for today:
We thank You Jesus for
dying for us
and shedding Your blood so
that
we might have forgiveness
of our sins.
We thank You that Your
blood is always available
to whomever calls upon
Your name.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 16
Word for today:
When we think of the word "opportunity" we normally think of
a chance for us to take a significant step ahead in life. An open
door or a favorable moment to seize the chance of a lifetime. But
do we ever stop and think of opportunity from God's perspective?
Pastor Browning Ware once wrote: "Our worst circumstances may be
God's best opportunity to bring new meaning to our lives." J. B.
Phillips said something similar: "Man's extremity is God's
opportunity." The apostle Paul found this principle to be true in his
life when he recalled the time when he and his companions where under
great pressure, far beyond their ability to endure and even thought
they were going to die. Paul said during these troubled times they
learned to put their trust not in themselves "but
in God who raises the dead".
As we look at our life, there are many opportunities for God to teach
us. It may be in times of hurt or great loss and perhaps we feel like
we have come to the end of ourselves and feel like giving up hope.
But as Paul said in 2 Corinthians, our worst circumstance may be God's
best opportunity. If we trust in Him, He will bring new meaning to
our life and give us that chance of a life time.
Bible verse for today:
2 Corinthians 1:9-10
But we had the
sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves,
but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a
death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Prayer for today:
Help us
Dear heavenly Father,
to put our trust in You,
that even when
the circumstance look bad,
it is at these times it
may be God's best opportunity to
bring new meaning to our
life.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 17
Word for today:
According to Genesis 6, Noah lived in a time of terrible
wickedness, yet he kept himself from all the evil around him. The
only way he could keep from doing evil, was because of his close,
personal relationship with the Lord. In vs. 9, it describes him as a
man who "walked with God". When you first meet someone you usually
know very little about them. As you are around them, you gradually
learn to know them more and more. Living with them, through both
sweet and bitter experiences, and growing together. Over the years
you learn who and what they are and they come to mean more to you in a
close and personal way. In the same way, it takes time to get to know
God. We read and hear what the Bible says, but to really know Him, we
have to have a daily close intimate relationship with Him. We must
learn all we can about Him through studying His word and
fellowshipping with Him. Talking with Him in prayer, trusting and
obeying Him and daily relying on the power and guidance of the
indwelling Holy Spirit. That's what it takes to know God.
Bible verse for today:
Jeremiah 9:24
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I
delight, saith the LORD.
Prayer for today:
We thank You Dear heavenly
Father,
That You have made it
possible for us to get to know You
and have an intimate and
personal relationship with You.
It is only through that
relationship
that we can keep from evil
and have life everlasting.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 18
Word for today:
In the early 1940s, the president of
Dallas Seminary, Lewis
Sperry Chafer, gave a very brief banquet speech. His subject: "The
Reasonableness of Fully Surrendering Our Lives to God." Because of
the lateness of the hour, he only gave three reasons. 1. God is
all-wise and knows better than anyone else what is best for my life.
2. He is almighty and has the power to accomplish what is best for
me. 3. God loves me more than anyone else does. Chafer concluded,
'Therefore the most logical thing I can do is surrender my life to
God. What more can I say? What more need I say?' Yes, God is of
these things and more. What more could we need? Paul knew that
prison and hardship awaited him in Jerusalem, but he also knew God
wanted him to go and he surrendered his life to Him. His sorrowing
friends knew that Paul was right and concluded that "The will of the
Lord be done." No matter what happens in our life, we know that when
we do God's will we are in the safest place in all the world. As
Chafer said, "Our God is all-wise, almighty and all-loving." Doesn't
it make sense for us to surrender our life to Him?
Bible verse for today:
Acts 21:13-14 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break
mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at
Jerusalem for the
name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we
ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You Lord that we
are Your children.
We know that You are
all-wise, almighty, and all-loving
and that with You we are
in the safest place in all the world.
Help us to fully surrender
our lives to You and serve only You.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 19
Word for today:
In my life I find myself to be very much a perfectionist. I
can see how this can affect my spiritual life. Henry Rogers, from a
public relations firm, stated that he learned early in his business
career that a 40-percent success rate was considered very good.
Rogers said, "I
used to expect perfection from myself and perfection from those around
me. It didn't work" Once he acknowledged that he shouldn't be
ashamed of a 40-percent success rate he began to succeed even more.
Many times I feel down in my Spiritual life because I made a mistake
or feel I failed. Wise fathers don't expect perfection from their
children and neither does our Heavenly Father expect it from us. As
long as we are on this earth we will make mistakes and commit errors
of judgment. I love the song that goes, "God's still working on me,
to make me what I ought to be." God doesn't expect us to be perfect,
but with His help, He expects us to have this as our goal. Aiming at
perfection reflects who we will be. Demanding perfection shows that
we can't accept failure and we miss the point of who we still are.
God's word says that we will only be perfect, just like Christ, when
He returns.
Bible verse for today:
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
Help us to realize that
You don’t expect us to be perfect.
Help us Lord to allow You
to work in our life towards perfection.
We know that one day we
will be perfect,
when we see You face to
face.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 20
Word for today:
Missionary Benjamin Weir was held hostage in
Lebanon and imprisoned
under miserable conditions for 16 months. After he was released some
reporters were interviewing him and they asked him how he spent his
time and how he dealt with boredom and despair. His answer stunned
them when he said, "Counting my blessings." "Blessings?" they
responded. "Yes,: he explained. "Some days I got to take a shower.
Sometimes there were vegetables in my food. And I could always be
thankful for the love of my family." I can understand why the
reporters were astonished. Unfortunately many times we take for
granted the commonplace blessings that God gives us to make life
pleasant and comfortable. The supplying of our daily needs, food and
shelter, companionship of friends and family, even at times the
wonderful mercies of God's redeeming grace. When Paul and Silas were
beaten and thrown into prison, they still sang hymns of praise to
God. Like Benjamin Weir and Paul and Silas, may we learn to count our
blessings and give praise and thanksgiving to God no matter what our
circumstances. We have many reasons to rejoice.
Bible verse for today:
Acts 16:25
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:
1Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You for the many
blessings that You are constantly
giving us every moment of
the day.
Help us to be aware of
even the smallest blessings
and give You the praise
and thanks You so rightfully deserve.
Most of all we thank You
for Your love, mercy and grace.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 21
Word for today:
We have all met children and even some adults that are afraid
of the dark. When we walk into a dark room the first thing we do is
reach over and turn on the light so we will not be in the dark. When
we gave our heart to Jesus, God's Word tells us that Jesus now lives
within us and He is the light, so therefore His light is in us. Even
though we have the light of Jesus within us, we have to do our part so
that His light can shine through us. In Psalms 119:105, it says
that God's word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path.
How can His word light our path unless we turn the light on by
studying and knowing His word? John 8:12, says Jesus is the light
and if we walk with Him we shall have the light of life. Walking with
Jesus makes our light so bright that others can also see the way.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:16 that we are to
Let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works,
and glorify our Father which is in heaven. We need to switch the
switch of God's word on so it burns bright in our heart so we can see
the path God would have us take and so we can show others the way.
Bible verse for today:
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light
of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life.
John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth
on me should not abide in darkness.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
Thank You for the light
that You have given us through Your Son.
Thank You for Your Holy
word, which is a light unto our path.
Help us Lord in return to
let Your light shine through us
that others may see our
good works and glorify Your name.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 22
Word for today:
When I first came to FL I loved to water-ski. The hardest
part was getting up out of the water. It seemed the water did
everything it could to keep me down. My muscles would strain as I
hung onto the rope, but even with the resistance of the water
eventually as I took advantage of the boat's power, I would be lifted
up and would be skimming over the surface of the same water that held
me back at first. In our Christian experience we go through deep
waters of trial and like when water-skiing we must learn to take
advantage of God's power. As we hang onto the promises of God, at
first there is a great struggle with the weight of our own weakness
which seems unbearable, but as we hang onto God's supernatural power,
like the water that lifts the skis, God will help lift us up and we
will have victory over our trails. Paul says in 2 Corinthians, that
we have this treasure, that our power may be of God and not of us. If
we learn this spiritual truth and view the deep waters of trial as an
opportunity to realize the supernatural power of our Almighty God, He
will lift us up and then carry us over those same waters.
Bible verse for today:
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of
the power may be of God, and not of us.
We are
troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the
life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Prayer for today:
Thank You Dear heavenly
Father,
That as we go through deep
waters of trial
if we hang onto Your
promises, your supernatural power,
like the water that lifts
the skis, will lift us up and give us victory.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 23
Word for today:
Each of us are unique. In areas where you are strong, I may
be weak. In areas where I am strong you may be weak. We all have
areas in our lives where we have struggles. Many times we
overlook these weak areas and focus on our strongest points because
one of the hardest things for us to do is admit that we have
them. The only way we can overcome these areas is to be honest
with ourselves and admit that, yes indeed we do. It is in these
areas that satin attacks us the most and not one of us is immune
to his attacks. He knows where it is easiest to make us fall. Jesus, the only man to
live a sinless life had to pray and ask His Father to help Him remain
strong. How much more must we pray and read and study God's Word to
stay strong and have victory over the evil one? We need to be honest
enough with ourselves and admit we have a problem in our life, and
then we need to ask God to help us get victory over the problem. God
is there, simply waiting for us to call out His name. He is there to
give us His strength to help us get victory over these weak areas in
our life. He is just waiting for us to ask Him. Every day we allow
our weaknesses to exist, the enemy gets a stronger hold on our life to
separate us from God. Never forget that satan's goal is to kill,
steal, and destroy... It is only through giving it to Jesus and using
His strength that we can become strong and have victory.
Bible verse for today:
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Prayer for today:
We thank You Dear heavenly
Father,
that You are always there
waiting for us to call out to You.
We thank You that when we
do You will give us Your strength
to fight and overcome the
evil one.
Help us Lord to look at
our life and find the weak areas
and be honest with
ourselves that they are there and then
help us to hand them over
to You.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 24
Word for today:
We as the children of God are never out of the watchful care
of our Heavenly Father. When life seems to much for us and we are
surrounded by problems that we cannot handle, we do not need to fear
because as it says in
Psalms 46:1
"God is our refuge and
strength." In his
book Where in the World is God? Richard Harding tells of a British
liner headed to America during the dangerous days of World War II.
The captain had orders which stated, "Keep straight on this course.
Do not turn aside for any reason. If you need help, radio a message
in code." A few days out to sea. the lookout spotted an enemy ship.
The captain dispatched a coded message: "Enemy sighted! What shall I
do?" Back came the reply, "Keep straight ahead. Help is standing
by." The captain obeyed orders and kept on course. Soon after
arriving safely at the harbor, the passengers and crew were surprised
to see a great British man-of-war steam into harbor. That battleship,
though out of sight, had followed them from England to America,
prepared to help if necessary. We cannot see God and even at times we
cannot feel His presence, but when life seems more then we can bear
and we feel uncertain amid the dangers around us, in our most pressing
hour, God is standing by to help and He will see us safely through to
the other shore.
Bible verse for today:
GNT
Psalms 121:5-8 The LORD will guard you; He is by your side to protect
you. The sun
will not hurt you during the day, nor the moon during the night. The
LORD will protect you from all danger; He will keep you safe. He
will protect you as you come and go now and forever.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
we thank You that we do
not need to be afraid,
for we can be assured
that You are by our side
to protect us
and lead us through
safely.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 25
Word for today:
How do we know what is right and what is wrong? Some times
we are not sure which way to go or what to believe. Many gift's and
word's are from God, but some have been twisted by satan. How do we
tell which is which? If satan only appeared as evil, then we would
have no trouble choosing. Our choice would be clear. That is not his
way. He appears as an angel of light and is deceptive beyond our
comprehension. Satan can make it
sound so good, with the soul purpose to lead us into some kind of
peril somewhere down the road.
This is where our relationship with
God and the Bible comes into play. Without God's word, we are like a
ship without a rudder and in constant danger of hitting the rocks that
are unseen in the water. When we go to God and ask His guidance He
will give us the answer. When He says NO.......it is always because
the end of that particular road is going to hurt us badly. If we have
peace in our heart we know it is from God. If we still have
doubt, it is usually a satan counterfeit.
The question is " from which source
does it come". Going to God is the only sure way of knowing.
Bible verse for today:
Romans 8:27-28 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is
the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints
according to the will of God. And we know that
all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You dear Lord
that we can come to you
when we have doubt in our
heart
and You will show us the
way and what is right or wrong.
We know that You do all
things for our good and
we praise and worship Your
Holy name.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 26
Word for today:
I was reading about when Jesus was hanging on the cross and
about the 2 thieves that were also there with Him. We all know the
story of how one refused Him but the other said to Jesus,
Luke 23:42
Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, and Jesus' reply to him,
Luke 23:43
And Jesus said unto him,
Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. Just
think about it! Here was a thief, a convicted criminal who couldn't
get off that cross to do anything to make himself good , or even a
little bit better. He couldn't promise Jesus that he would do
anything for him, because there was nothing he could do. He wasn't
going to get off that cross alive and he knew it. He couldn't go to
church, dedicate his life to God, read the bible, help others, not sin
anymore, or try to just live right, but somewhere deep inside himself
he knew Jesus wasn't guilty and he recognized Jesus and knew He could
save him, so he simply asked and was received. Like the thief we
cannot gain heaven by our works, but like him if we receive Jesus,
believe in Him and trust in Him, He will see us through and one day we
will be with Him in paradise.
Bible verse for today:
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You Lord that we
do not have to work
for our salvation but You
give it freely
to those who believe in
You.
And Lord as You give
freely, help us to give of ourselves
to do Your work and tell
others of
Your great love and plan
of salvation.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 27
Word for today:
Verse 6 of Hebrews 11, says that without faith it is
impossible to please God. God says, that if we have faith the size
of a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds, we can move
mountains. Why do we have the tendency to turn that around and feel,
if we don't have faith the size of a mountain, we can't move a mustard
seed? In Hebrew 11:1, it tells us what faith is.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do
not see. The
Amplified translation says, Perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to our senses.
We as human beings have a tendency to want to actually see evidence of
something to believe it is real, but God is saying that, even though
we do not see it or it has not come to pass at this moment, we need
to believe in our heart that it is real/true and it will come to
pass/happen. If you continue to read in the 11th chapter of Hebrews
it lists many of the great men and women who by faith, faced many
things and became conquers through their faith. When anyone mentions
faith to me, my mind immediately goes to Abraham, who was willing to
sacrifice his own son, because God told him to. What faith. When his
son looked up at him and said, "Behold the fire and the wood: but
where is the lamb for a burnt offering"? Abraham's reply was, "My
God will provide". Here is having the faith the size of the mountain,
but God says all we need, is faith the size of a tiny mustard seed and
it will come to pass.
Bible verse for today:
Hebrew 11:1
(Amplified) NOW
FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the
things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and
the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is
not revealed to the senses].
Hebrews 11:6
But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
We thank You dear Lord
that we can have
the assurance that what
You say in Your word
is true and will come to
pass as you say it will.
Increase our faith dear
Lord that we will always believe in You.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 28
Word for today:
I read a story about a man who was slowly losing his memory.
After the doctor's examination, the doctor said that an operation on
his brain might reverse his condition and restore his memory.
However, the surgery would be so delicate that a nerve might be
severed, causing total blindness. The surgeon asked him, "What would
you rather have, your sight or your memory?" The man pondered for a
few moments and then replied, "My sight, because I would rather see
where I am going than remember where I have been." Paul in
Philippians 3 had this same choice to make spiritually. He could
stay in his past with its success and its shame, or he could see his
future, keeping his eyes on Jesus and gaining Christ's approval. This
is what God is working to develop in our lives. We will not forget
our past, but we don't have to live in it. We need to keep our eyes
on Jesus and press towards the mark, seeking new heights as we walk
daily with our Lord.
Bible verse for today:
Philippians 3:13
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto
those things which are before,
Philippians
3:14 I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
Help us dear Lord to not
live in the past,
but help us to keep our
eyes on You
and with You pressing
onward in the purpose You have for our life,
so that one day we will
see You face to face.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 29
Word for today:
We all like to conquer whatever we pursue and come out as
winners. In Romans 8 we read that we as the children of God are more
then conquerors. The apostle Paul begins by showing God's grace in
that He sent His Son to die for our sin. He continued by telling us
how we as believers have the help of the Holy Spirit to give us
victory over the power of sin. He concludes by showing us Christ's
unfailing Love. Many times we may feel alone and defeated but no
matter the situation or circumstances, we are more then conquerors
through Christ, because nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Because of Christ and His unfailing love for us, we are winners.
Bible verse for today:
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all
the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in
all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved
us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father, We
thank You dear Lord
that nothing can separate
us from Your love.
No matter what
tribulations in this life we may face
You are right there by our
side and with You
we will come through more
then conquerors.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
Day 30
Word for today:
Have you ever cooked a new dish following a recipe, but
decided to change the ingredients just a little by adding or
omitting something thinking it would taste better, and it came out
horrible? Some recipes are a no-fail recipe, that is, if you follow
the directions exactly. In 2 Peter 1:3 the apostle Peter gave us
the recipe for effective Christian living. The two main ingredients
that God provides, is His divine power and His precious promises.
Then Peter lists in verses 5 through 7 the ingredients that we need to
add. virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness,
brotherly kindness, and love. As we thoroughly blend God's divine
power and His precious promises with the ingredients that His word
says we are to add, we will be fruitful and more like Christ, but if
we omit these vital ingredients we will be unfruitful and stumble in
our walk with God. Don't change God's ingredients and then blame His
recipe when things go wrong. If we follow His instructions
diligently, His recipe will bring us spiritual success.
Bible verse for today:
2 Peter 1:4-8 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And
beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to
virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance
patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be
in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer for today:
Dear heavenly Father,
Help us dear Lord to
follow Your recipe
for spiritual success
diligently.
When we try to change the
ingredients Dear God,
help us to remember that
we will only fail.
It is only through
following Your recipe exactly
that we can be fruitful in
our Christian walk.
Thank You Jesus, and it is
in Your name we pray.
Amen
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