Monday
The Endless Battle
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NLT).
We all have battles to face in our lives. Some battles seem endless. Some are skirmishes, but some are sieges. No matter the battle, go into that fight knowing that God is with you.
Lord God, we can put our faith in You. Father God, You are with us always. You will never leave us nor forsake us. We are Your children, Father, and You will correct us, scold us, and reprimand us when it is needed. We know that Your discipline is always done for a purpose ... for our good and with love. Help us to fall into your arms for strength when the battle becomes intense and lead us by Your amazing grace. We love you, Lord God, so help us to love You more every day. We ask and pray in the might name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Tuesday
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 in faith or do I lack a heart of 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.
Wednesday
It Begins With Trust
The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living (Psalm 19:7-8 NLT).
Step 1 - Trust God's instructions.
Step 2 – Trust His decrees.
Step 3 – Trust His commands.
Step 4 – Trust His clarity.
Step 5 – Trust in His Word as being the truth.
With our trust in the fact that God is who He is, we now see how much we need Jesus. We see our inability to be in the presence of God without a Mediator. We see how broken we are and how much we need Jesus to cover our brokenness. We see a God that lifts our Savior from death to life. We see our God as He is, creator and loving Father. We see our God as righteous. We see our God as sovereign.
Lord God, thank You for being who You are: God of all! In the mighty name of Jesus, we praise You Father. Amen.
Thursday
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 every day. 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.
Friday
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 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 is in control of. Sometimes, we just need to trust in our Creator. Sometimes, there aren't words. Sometimes...
BUT GOD IS GOD, ALL OF THE TIME. HE IS NOT A SOMETIMES GOD. Those that have trusted in Him will soar to new heights. Those that know Jesus will never taste the bitterness of death. Those that 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 He will pull us through the fire. Be strong and trust in Him. He has never failed you and He will never fail you. He is God and He loves you. Remain faithful, for 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.
Saturday
Faith
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8 NLT).
Looking at the word "faith", it's the BIG little word that makes people stumble in accepting the "Free Gift" of Salvation.
Oswald Chambers wrote, "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading. It is a life of faith, not of intellect and reason, but a life of knowing Who makes us go."
It's not about me or you, it's about God. It's about what Jesus did on the Cross, it's about the stone being rolled away, it's about what God is offering us. It's about the faith that we put our trust in Him. Thanks be to God!
Father God, help us to have the faith as small as a mustard seed, so that You will have Your way with us. We pray for Your way and not our way in life. It is in Jesus' mighty name we pray. Amen.
SUNDAY
Freedom, Is It Worth The Fight?
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person (John 2:13-25 NLT).
The fight for freedom is what Jesus came for, albeit, His freedom is eternal. The freedom we are fighting for is earthly. You bet we fight, just like Jesus fought the money changers (John 2:13-25). Jesus was fighting for His Father's house and the sanctity of it. We are fighting for our nation. Sometimes it's a real challenge to love our neighbor, but we must realize it's the evil and misdirection in their lives that's the problem, not the person. They are dealing with a depraved mind. We must hate the sin that is destroying them and our nation, all the while learning how to love them as God does.
It's a tough walk but one we are equipped to handle by being followers of Christ Jesus.
Lord God, help us to understand the best way to deal with our enemies. Lead us and direct us in Your boldness and help us to balance our stance on delivering Your truth into this lost and dying world. Lord God, we are sinners, each and every one of us, help us to see we are in need of Your amazing salvation. We need You, Lord Jesus. It's in Your mighty name we pray. Amen.
