MONDAY
Power and Grace
For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT).
Our Creator gave us life and then gave us a Savior!
By His grace, we are saved through faith.
Thank You, Lord! Amen.
TUESDAY
Hard Work and Wealth?
So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? (Ecclesiastes 2:22 NLT).
There are many questions:
What do we get that has value for all of our hard work? What do we achieve that really matters?
There is only one answer:
Our relationship with Jesus is the only thing that has lasting value. Without that relationship, nothing else matters.
Dear Lord, open the eyes, minds, and hearts of those who are trying to achieve success in this world. Let them learn that a relationship with Jesus is the only thing of lasting value that is needed. In Christ's mighty name and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
Do You Know Him?
But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength (Acts 9:15-19).
Tragedy breeds a need for God in our lives. I firmly believe that people, when given the right circumstances, can find out how much they need Jesus. But on the other hand, wouldn't it be nice if it didn't take a life-changing event for them to find out what is wrong with their lives? Why does it take a catastrophe to get our priorities set? God and family should be at the top of the list.
Just look at Saul (Apostle Paul) He was a destroyer of anything that had to do with Jesus and "the Way." He persecuted the Christians. Followers of "the Way" were scared to death of him. He would have them jailed, beaten and even killed. But God intervened.
Saul was chosen. He was not different than me or you, as we are God's chosen people, too. If you will let God into your life, He will use you for His glory.
Don't wait for your Damascus road experience. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, right now. It will be the best thing that you have ever done. Let Jesus Christ remove those scales from your eyes. Yes, each of us gets blinded by the love of this world and its offerings, but there is a grand solution. Ask Jesus to show you His light and His glory. Don't wait. It's awesome, just as our King and Savior is AWESOME!
Lord, help the lost to see. In Jesus' mighty and matchless name, Amen.
THURSDAY
Relying on God
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions (Galatians 5:16, 17 NLT).
Life is full of choices, good and bad. When you are dealing with issues, try leaving them in God's capable hands. Ask Him to lead you through the trials and deliver you from the sin, bad choices, and junk in your life.
Is it easy? Not at first. But when you see that God hears our faithful hearts and answers us in His perfect timing, we begin to fully rely on Him.
God gives us free will so we can make our own choices. He never forces Himself on us. We can make our choices which include Him, or not.
Father God, help us to turn our lives over to you and stop pulling away from Your hands. When we give our problems to You, let us leave them there and stop pulling them back, thinking we can do better. Father God, help us to know that You will answer prayer, Yes-No-Not Yet. Help us to wait on you as your timing is perfect. Thank You, Lord and we ask and pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
FRIDAY
Run the Race
You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom (Galatians 5:7-8 NLT).
Your past can pull you back if you let it. Your friends can pull you back. If you let them. Your family can pull you back. If you let them. The world pulls at our lives from every angle. The world will hold you back. If you let it!
Nothing can snatch our life's calling from the will of God. Nothing. Unless we let it!
Father God, give us the strength to fight back and not let our past, friends, family or this dark world, pull us back into sin. Lord God, You gave us a new life when we came to You. Help us, Lord, not to make a 180 degree turn away from You. Help us to see the greatness ahead and forget about the sin we left behind. We pray in the mighty name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
SATURDAY
Selflessness
“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (Philippians 2:3-4 NLT).
Do you want to do something without any selfish motives? I'm thinking of the times that we do things for others with the thought in our minds that they will do something for us.
If we want to truly exhibit a selfless act, do something for someone who could never repay our action. Also, do it without others knowing that we did anything.
Lord God, help us to be more like You today. Help us to see the total selflessness that You exhibited on the cross. We must drop to our knees in praise and worship, for You, Lord, are our King, our Savior, and our God. We pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
SUNDAY
Stumbling Around Life
Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past (Psalm 25:4-6 NLT).
Are you worn out with the life that you are living? Are you just tired? There is a right path for us to take, but when we are blinded by the sin in our lives, it's hard to see through the fog. We live in a world that tells us it's okay to continue living in our sin, but we have a God who tells us that our sin leads directly to destruction. So, how do we live, and live life more abundantly?
God's Word provides us with the roadmap for life. Isn't it time to get on the right path? Isn't it time to lay down the sin that is destroying you? God's plan for you is to prosper you and fill you with His love, mercy and grace. God's plan is not only for our eternity, but it is also for our daily, earthly life. His word is as true today as it was when it was written.
Open, read, and study, the GPS for life, God's Word - the Holy Bible. It is God's Positioning System!
Lord, bring us back to You and Your direction for our lives. Help us lay down our sin and pick up Your cross. Help us to be steadfast in turning away from sin and looking to You for all that we need. Lord, we love You. Help us Lord God. We ask and pray in the mighty name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
