Monday
My Rainy Day Ramblings
Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended (2 Corinthians 10:15 NLT).
I am wondering what God has in store for me. I would love to know where He is going to lead me next. Then again, I might not want to know. I might not be able to fully understand the complexity of His plan. I might not understand the “why's” of His plan. God has a way of moving me out of my comfort zones.
I've been at sort of a crossroads in my life. I've made some poor choices in direction, and I've made some good choices. I can attribute the poor choices to being of my human desires and mistakes in my judgment. The good choices always point back to God. I'm not unlike any of you that are reading this, as we are all broken and tend veer off the roadway that God has laid down for us to follow.
Don't misinterpret this post, I've not hit the high weeds of the roadway median. I've not left the road of Christ's calling, but I have definitely been distracted by life and things going on around me. In other words, I have not been 100 percent available to God for what He called me to do. My question to myself is, just what has He called me to do?
I am not unlike any of you. I have my indecision and doubts. I have my concerns and fears. I have and will continue to make mistakes. I will probably misread the map and take a wrong turn. But I have a God that will always adjust my GPS to bring me back to His roadway. I must remember to trust in God and be available to His call and His direction for what He wants me to do.
I hope this inspires each of you to search your life, your heart, and the direction that you are headed in to see if you are following God's GPS for the life that He has called you to lead.
I fall back on a prayer that Major League Baseball MVP Bobby Richardson prayed:
Dear Lord, Your will; nothing more; nothing less; nothing else. Amen.
Tuesday
No Room For Satan
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7 NLT).
Now more than ever. Walk humbly with our God. No matter what happens, the devil can't stand where Jesus reigns.
Thank You, Lord. Father God, remind us that we can't, but You certainly can. We pray this in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.
Wednesday
Sin Can Only Win IF We Let It
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts (1 John 1:8-10 NLT).
Sin, itself, is our first step to eternal death. Denying sin is the second step. We are sinners. Each of us is broken and in need of a savior, and that savior is Jesus Christ: our king and our God. Sin cannot rule over Christ. Right is still right and wrong is still wrong. A person can't call a dog a "cat" and make it true. You can't pick out your favorite transgression and call it a “lifestyle” and expect that to hold water against God's word. We should hold everything under the light of God's word and examine what He says about it. I bet my eternity on the fact that God's word is true and our desires are skewed.
If we weren't in need of a savior, there would not have been the need for Jesus to die as a sacrifice for our sin. Without the sacrifice of Christ, we cannot take our sinful selves and enter the presence of God, our Father in Heaven. Thanks be to God for giving us a way to spend eternity with Him.
Dear Lord, I see people claiming that right is wrong and wrong is right. I see people claiming that adultery, homosexuality, pornography, lewdness, drunkenness, transvestism, profanity, abortion, etc. are all okay and that you just want us to be happy.
Lord, you don't want us to just be happy, but to be holy. You also know that to be truly happy we must be in a relationship with You. Father, I pray that you will convict each of us of our “favorite” sin and turn them over to you and your truth. I pray that you will show each of us our sin and how it is destroying our relationship with you. Father, I pray for the salvation of the lost and that they will repent and turn from their sinful ways. Lord, I'm heartbroken at the brokenness of mankind. Father God, bring us back to you. Help us to realize that the only thing that we truly need is you. Save us Lord from ourselves. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thursday
Cycling Through Life
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38, 39 NLT).
God loves us. His children know this love. We will never be separated from His presence.
Do you know Him? Do you know God's love? Do you understand His mercy? Have you accepted His grace? Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? Have you repented of your sin? Have you gotten tired of chasing this world's lies and deceptions? Isn't it time for Jesus to be your guide, your king and your savior?
If you have not accepted Jesus as your savior, isn't it time? Are you just cycling through each month, week, day ... doing the same old things ... regretting the same old sin ... waking up with the same old hangover ... then starting all over in the same old cycle?
Jesus accepts U-Turns. Isn't it time to turn around and grab His hand?
Lord Jesus, let someone reach out to you today and grab your amazing hand of salvation. I pray this in the mighty and matchless name that saves, in your name, Jesus. Amen.
Friday
His Infallible Word
For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth (2 Corinthians 13:8 NLT).
God's word. It's truth. It's infallible. It's perfect. It's inerrant. It's our map to life: this life and everlasting life.
Read it. Study it. Live it. Believe it. There is nothing in this world that is this perfect and true, except God's word. Thanks be to God!
Lord God, bring us to the point that we will live your word, every day. Thank you, Lord, for giving us another day. Help us to live today like the gift that it is. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Saturday
Praying For Direction
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
I will obey your righteous regulations (Psalm 119:105-106 NLT).
Lord, I come humbly before your throne to ask that you guide my path, today and forever. I ask this for myself and for all those that read these words. We have all stumbled and struggle with life, we need you Lord and your direction for our lives. Lord, I ask specifically that you will give me discernment for your will in my life. I also ask, for all those that are reading this, that you will provide them a clear vision of what you would have them to do. Lord, lead us and direct us in your perfect ways.
Father God, I also pray for our nation. Our nation is struggling with sin. We have removed you and your instructions from our lives, our government, and our people. We are struggling as a nation with hate being the main theme for the day. Lord, I lay these requests at the foot of the cross. I give you total control and ask that you meet our needs and your mighty name be glorified. I pray this in the matchless name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Sunday
Gloom, Despair, and Agony On Me
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith (Galatians 6:7-10 NLT).
In this day and age, we are experiencing many deceptions of the devil. The world is turning drastically in the wrong direction. During these times, it is easy to throw up your hands and say, I give. Y'all win. I'm tired of fighting the good fight. Many say, Well, it's just Prophecy being fulfilled, which might be, but does that mean we should throw in the towel? Absolutely not.
Recently, I read that if we “stand for nothing, we will fall for anything”. My friends, that is so true.
In this time of gloom and doom, we must realize that God has placed us here, at this time, to make a difference. We must study the Bible, emulate Jesus and live the good news in our walk so that we can share that great news. The world is lost, but we (Christ followers) have been found. Why give up when we can guide another soul into the arms of Jesus so that they might inherit God's Kingdom? Yes, we grow weary, but we are not to give up. We are to fight the good fight until God calls us home. One day, we might hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together” (Matthew 25:21).
Lord God, thank you for saving us from ourselves. Lead us, Lord, to share the good news with others. Father, may the lost be found. Thank you, Jesus! Amen.
