MONDAY
Promises Always Fulfilled
The Lord ’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over (Psalms 12:6 NLT).
What God says, is true, right and perfect. When He promises something, it will happen. It may not happen when we want it to or how we want it to, but it will happen as per His will.
Dear Father, thank You for fulfilling Your promises to an undeserving people. In Christ's name I pray and give thanks. Amen.
TUESDAY
Yes, It Is All About Jesus!
“He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything” (Colossians 1:17-18 NLT).
He is the First, the Last and Everything in between! Thank You Jesus for saving us from ourselves.
Dear Lord, lead us in Your glory and Your ways. In Jesus' name. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
Search and Rescue
But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives (Jude 17-23 NLT).
We are called to be knowledgeable in God's word. But also we are to believe and trust that it is God's inspired, authoritative, infallible and inerrant word. His word tells us the truth about what has been, what is occurring and what is to come. Our job is to read, study and act as we are instructed.
The world operates on a “feel good, do it” approach. That which makes us “feel good” only lasts for a short time, then we are off looking for the next thrill. The cheap thrill is reflective of a broken world and our broken human nature. It is the deception that Satan throws at each of us on a daily basis.
As followers of Christ, we have a much better option. Because of Jesus living in our hearts, we have a fulfilled life on Earth and the promise of an eternity with God. Those who worship the things of this world will not have that opportunity. They are looking for cheap thrills on earth. Those who are pursuing the idols of this world are not thinking about Christ's fulfillment for today nor the glory of forever.
Our responsibility is to conduct “search and rescue” for those that have fallen away or maybe never committed to living a life with Jesus. Are you willing? You are able, because Christ Jesus has given each of us the ability - not our ability but His - by Him working through us.
Today, live a life that reflects Jesus. Yesterday is behind us, it's gone, never to return. Today, you (we) can make a difference in someone's life. Are you (we) ready to do a little search and rescue?
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT).
Dear Lord, lead us today and help us show the world Your love, mercy and grace. Amen.
THURSDAY
Sharing the Relationship
We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too (1 Thessalonians 2:8 NLT).
As Christians, sometimes we forget how important it is not only to share the Gospel with people, but the need to share ourselves.
God wants a relationship with each of His children, so why do we not understand that God also wants us to be in a relationship with each other?
You see, God's perfect plan is all about having a relationship with each of us, through His Son, Jesus Christ.
So my brothers and sisters, don't just share God's glorious Good News with people. Go farther by sharing yourself and your life with them.
Father God, help us to be bold and stand tall on Your word. Help us to proclaim the Gospel from the byways and highways, from the valleys to the mountain tops. Help us Father to never back down from Your truth. In the mighty and matchless name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
FRIDAY
Life's Struggles, Made Easier
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT).
Are you still struggling and fighting with life? Are you still wandering around in the darkness of this world? Many times the glory we can experience in this world is overshadowed by the darkness that we have allowed into our lives. Yes, there are wonderful things in this world, but those wonderful things get even better when you are walking in the light of Christ. Even the rough times of life are so much better when you have Jesus to lean on. What are you waiting for? Open your heart and see His glorious Light!
Dear Lord,, I lift up all people who are struggling with life. I pray that they will accept You and find Your peace and comfort, while they are in their earthly valleys. I ask in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
SATURDAY
He Calms the Storms
Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. We get ourselves in bad situations because of our lack of faith and belief in our Savior. We will often step out in faith for what we feel Jesus is asking us to do, then we get discouraged when things don't go as we expected. Sometimes, we immediately give up our God inspired dreams. We question ourselves on whether it was something that God wanted us to do or was it something that we wanted to do. So we just give up and quit. This seems to be a pattern of our human nature (Matthew 14:28-32 NLT).
As we are floundering in our unbelief and lack of faith, God will show up and show out. Often, His intervention is immediate while at other times, He will make us wait and flounder in our lack of belief, not as punishment, but in order to teach us an important lesson in life.
It's important for us to always remember that God is with us and will never leave us. As it's been said many times, “The will of God will never take you, where the riches of God cannot supply you”. Go into all areas in life, prayerfully and having faith and trust in our God. He will lead, direct and deliver us, in all areas of our lives.
Thank you Jesus for pulling us out of the deep waters of our lives. Thank You Lord for calming the storms and stilling the waves. Amen.
SUNDAY
Life Is Short
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone (James 4:14 NLT).
Now is the time to think about your life and your eternal life. What are you going to do with today's gift of life? What difference will you make? Who will you help? Who will you hurt? It's your choice to be a blessing or to be a curse to others. What will you choose?
Where will you spend eternity? It's your choice. Will you choose Jesus Christ or will you choose to spend eternity in hell? God doesn't send anyone to hell, it's our choice. I pray that you will choose wisely.
Each day of life is a pure gift. We are broken people and live in a broken world. The human body is a broken vessel. It is prone to illness and eventually death. We are not meant to live forever in this world. When we are born, we can be sure that we will die. That is life. I'm not writing this to be pessimistic or to be a "downer". I am writing this to remind each of us that life is pure blessing.
Enjoy today, use it to glorify God and to serve others. Be the person that God designed you to be.
Father God, lead us and direct us to live a life that glorifies You. Help us to understand how precious life is and remind us that life is a true gift. Help each of us to grow closer to You through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I pray this in His mighty and matchless name. Amen.
