MONDAY
So Many Choices
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT).
Life is full of choices. Do I do what is right or wrong? Do I love or do I hate? Do I trust or do I lack belief? Do I lead or follow? Do I do what I want or what should be done?
Are you tired of walking down an old, dusty, gravel, muddy road? Are you willing to lay down your life, as you know it, and take Jesus' hand? Yes, it's a faithful step, but it is one that you will never regret. Jesus will make your “load” in life much easier to handle. No, He doesn't take away the earthly things that we must endure and walk through, but He makes it much easier to get through them.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT).
Thank You, God, for Your presence in our lives. Father God, thank You for all that you have done in us and through us for Your kingdom. It's not about anything we have done but about what You have done in us. Just how big is our God? He is so big that words can't exclaim His awesomeness! Thanks be to God! Amen.
TUESDAY
Walking or Talking?
For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power (1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT).
Are you walking the walk or just talking the talk?
I think this is a valid question for each of us, today and everyday. We have a tendency to get off track. We are moved and swayed by our surroundings and the people we associate with. If you are a proclaimed follower of Jesus, are you walking the walk? Are you leading a life that would honor Jesus? Are you reaping the benefits of being a man or woman that is “in Christ”. Are you living the freedom that Jesus provides? Are you being a good example to others?
The old saying that holds true, “Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.” - William J. Toms
Are you representing Christ in ALL you do? We all make mistakes, but are you reliving the same mistake(s) over and over and over? Be honest and then come to Jesus in repentance and start today anew.
Thank You, God, for giving us the ability to come back into Your fold by the confession and repentance of our failings of the flesh. We praise You and give thanks in the mighty name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
Don't Be Troubled
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance (Romans 5:1-3 NLT).
Are you struggling with anxiety? Are you letting the little things in life, rule you? Maybe it's a big problem that has overwhelmed you. There is an alternative to the turmoil that you are living with, day in and day out.
The answer to all the questions above is turning to the peace of Jesus. Why are we anxious? We really have nothing to be anxious or be upset about when we have Jesus Christ as our Savior. He will take away all of our fears and anxiety by His presence in our hearts.
Sometimes having faith is hard. Sometimes leaning on Jesus is hard, because of our lack of trust, or perhaps, lack of a relationship with Him. We listen to people who have no faith in God and begin to doubt. We start to believe the world and not God's promise which is if we have faith, believing in Jesus as our Savior, we will be able to walk in His peace. Not only will we have peace, we will have joy in all we do.
Friends, God is alive today. Jesus is working in our lives. Are we to believe Him or are we going to listen to the world? We will have struggles. We will have health issues. We will have family issues. We are broken people, living in a broken world. We must always remember that nothing happens to us that the Lord can't handle when we let Him bless us. What must we do? We must remain faithful, believing in His love, mercy and grace. Trusting that no matter what happens today, God has a plan and it's perfect. It might not be the plan that we have, but trusting in His plan and submitting to Him is the answer for the peace that we all seek.
Lord God, thank You for carrying us when we can't go, picking us up when we fall down and supporting us through this, sometimes, tough life. Lead us today and give us the faith the size of a mustard seed. We love you Lord and trust You today. In the might name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
THURSDAY
Heavy Heart
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).
Sometimes, we get news that we just don't want to hear. Sometimes, God's plan isn't what we want it to be. Sometimes there is a loss that seems impossible to deal with. Sometimes, we have to understand that through trials and loss, God makes us stronger than we can imagine. Sometimes, our faith is rocked and we are tested to the brink of despair. Sometimes, after many years of diligent prayer, we see that God's will was not our will. Sometimes, we just have to cry. Sometimes, we must realize that we are humans and have no control over things that God controls. Sometimes, we just need to trust in our Creator. Sometimes, there aren't words.
BUT GOD IS GOD, ALL OF THE TIME. HE IS NOT A SOMETIMES GOD. Those who have trusted in Him will soar to new heights. Those who know Jesus will never taste the bitterness of death. Those who are walking with Christ on this earth will walk eternally with Him in heaven.
No matter what we go through, we can trust that God is in control and will pull us through the fire. Be strong and trust in Him. He has never failed you and never will. He is God and He loves you. Remain faithful, God will always be faithful to you.
Father God, help us to give all our problems to you. Help us to lay down our burdens at the foot of Your cross. Lord, You tell us that Your yoke is easy to bear, and the burden You give us is light. Help us Lord to fully trust in You. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
FRIDAY
Serving or Being Served?
Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD!
Praise him, you who serve the LORD (Psalm 135:1 NLT).
Are we serving God? If we call ourselves His children, are we really serving Him or are we sitting back expecting God to serve us? Do we look at God like a good luck charm or someone to curse when things don't go our way?
Folks, God is the Creator of all things. God isn't to be "used" for our purposes. Think about it, do we have it backwards?
Put God first, Praise His name, because He loves us so much, that He puts up with our trash.
Lord God, thank You for Your unending love for us. I thank You and praise You in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
SATURDAY
His Will
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:1-4 NLT).
There is nothing too big for our God! Give Him all of your problems, needs and desires. He is able. There is nothing too big or too small that He can't fix. Just remember to pray in His will not ours.
Dear Lord, your will: nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen.
SUNDAY
The Power Is His
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless (Isaiah 40:29 NLT).
We need to know that God's plan is living in us, and through us. We need to know that He will accomplish all that He has laid out for us, if we are obedient.
Also, we need to realize; WE are invincible to Satan's attacks, not by our power or abilities, but only by the power of Jesus Christ. Satan can ruin our families, work, ministry, and our lives if we don’t stay focused on the main thing and that main thing is keeping JESUS, the main thing.
Today focus on Jesus, He is the main thing. When we keep Him first in all that we do, we will be victorious in all aspects of our lives.
Lord God, help us to stay focused on you and live in Your amazing grace each and every day. Amen.
