Monday
God Can
Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things (Ecclesiastes 11:5 NLT).
Sometimes I must stop and just say, "I don't have this," or "I don't know how this is ever going to work out," or "I can't." Then I remember – God can!
I'm not always the man He called me to be. I mess up regularly, but God can redeem even those things for His glory.
Brothers and sisters, we are all broken humans. We constantly need the Savior. Trust in God and repent because He is faithful. No matter what you might be dealing with, when you truly repent, He forgives these transgressions. His Word never goes void.
Lord God, if someone is reading this and needs to find the right roadway for life (present life and eternal life), please open their hearts to come to you for help and direction. You tell us to come as we are, but you also tell us you will never leave us as we are. We praise you, Lord God, for you are our King and our Savior and our God. It is in the mighty name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.
Tuesday
All Day Long
That is why I can never stop praising you;
I declare your glory all day long (Psalm 71:8 NLT).
Give all praise to our God who continues to bless us far more than we deserve. Thanks be to God. Let’s keep praising and worshiping Him all day long!
Dear Father, lead us and direct us today so we might understand how blessed we are by you. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Wednesday
Returning Home
(Jesus is talking.)
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20 NLT).
No matter how far we run, how many years we hide, or what we have done, our heavenly Father waits for our return. He has His mighty arms spread wide to embrace us. He loves us more than you can ever imagine. He has never forsaken us or given up on us. We are His valued children.
Isn't it time to come home to God? Isn't it time to turn from your wicked ways and find out what real life is all about? Isn't it time to let God bless you and redeem you? Aren't you tired of running?
Dear Lord, use this message to bring someone home to you. This, Father God, is my prayer today and always. Bring them home. Someone reading this needs to turn around and head back into your mighty arms, Father. Please Lord, bring them home. I pray this in the mighty name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thursday
Read & Study
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness (Colossians 2:7 NLT).
The closer we get to our Lord and spend more time in His Word, the more we understand the need for Him. As we grow deeper in our relationship with God, He reveals more about His Kingdom and His plans for our lives.
I challenge each of you to start a Bible reading schedule. Start with a schedule that works for you. For some, a three-year plan works great. Just start and watch God reveal Himself to you.
Thank you, God, for giving us your written guide to life. Amen.
Friday
Sin
Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20 NLT).
When we call attention to other people's sin, just remember that we are sinners too. All unrepentant sinners will face eternal separation from God.
We must accept Christ as our Savior, confess our sins, and repent. God is the answer and will give us the power to defeat the Devil and his devious temptations.
Lord God, open the eyes of the lost and let them see the sin in their lives. Lord, bring them to repentance and back into your kingdom. We ask and pray in the mighty name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Saturday
Self-Pride
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law (Romans 3:23-24, 27-28 NLT).
Lord, help us to realize that it is all about you. We have nothing to be boastful or prideful about except what you accomplished so that we might be saved from our own destruction. Father God, help us to realize that it is all about Jesus.
Nothing else matters.
Everything else is meaningless without our Savior. Thank you, Lord!
Dear Lord, I boast only in you! Thank you, God, for your Son. We are able to have a relationship with you through His sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection. We are incapable of living a sinless life and following your Law. Yet, by the blood of Jesus Christ, our lives are made clean, and our past transgressions are wiped clean.
Lord, thank you that we are made pure and righteous in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.
Sunday
Not By Our Merits
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return (Philippians 1:9-10 NLT).
What matters is that we should do our best to live and follow Christ. Yes, we will fail many times but by realizing our failures, we can come to Him in confession and repentance. He will honor our prayers for forgiveness, not by our merits but by the blood of Christ that was shed for us.
Thank you, Lord, for being a forgiving and loving God. Amen.
(Editor's Note: "God Has a Gift for You" is the good news that restores the broken relationship we have with God because of our sin.)
