Relationship

But one thing is
needful; and Mary
hath chosen that
good part.

Luke 10:42




A devotional time is not a law. but a relationship.
Vital personal contact with the Lord is necessary in
order that you may have a constant inpouring of the
life of Christ and that He may channel it through
you to others.

~Linda Dillow~

The Future

The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you;
He will be with you. He will not fail you
or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:8

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, wondering
what the future holds. Then I remember that
worry and fear are not from You. I praise
You, Lord, for having control of my future.

You have authority over all, so I will not
worry for the future. I will trust in You
with all my heart and I won't depend on my
own understanding. Instead, in all my ways
I'll be in tune with You and Your will to
guide and direct my paths.

Thank You for the future, Lord. I praise
You for going before me and making a way.

~Anita Corrine Donihue~

Encouragement

One of the most powerful things one person can share with another person is encouragement. A word of encouragement can heal someone who is broken and wounded. It can give someone the courage to keep trying.

Our world is full of negative, bitter, uncaring people who can't say anything good about anyone or anything. The people of God should be a radiant contrast to the people of the world. We should find it easy to be positive and uplifting.

Are you an encouragement to those around you? Don't let someone drift into despair from neglect or lack of encouragement. Share your CHRISTian joy by encouraging those around you on a regular basis!

~Author Unknown~


"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today..." (Hebrews 3:13)

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thes. 5:11)

Deliverance

Call upon Me in the
day of trouble;
I shall rescue you,
and you will honor Me.

Psalm 50:15



Admittedly, the Lord doesn't
always deliver us from our
problems in the way we want
Him to. He does it His way,
but in the long run His way
is always best.

~Robert J. Morgan~
from the Red Sea Rules

My Father's World

The earth is the Lord's,
and everything in it.

Psalm 24:1




This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

Words by Maltbie D. Babcock

Pride

Pride is a sign of our own insecurity and
feelings of inferiority. Pride and inferiority
are actually opposite sides of the same coin and
are both sin, a preoccupation with self that
leaves little room for God's spirit of humility.
Pride wil prevent us from seeing others as God
sees them. Pride's goal is to make us independent
of God. What audacity we possess as humans to think
we can live life on our own when, whether we admit
it or not, we are totally depenendent on God and
even our very next breath is a gift from His hand.

~Mary Southerland~

Pride will destroy a person; a proud attitude leads
to ruin. Proverbs 16:18

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgement,
in accordance with the measure of faith God has
given you. Romans 12:3

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10

Our Wealth

I make myself
rich by making
my wants few.

~Thoreau~


Jesus said, "For where your treasure
is, there your heart will be, also."

Matthew 6:21

Beware, don't be greedy for what
you don't have. Real life is not
measured by how much we own.

Luke 12:15

For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh and the
lust of the eyes and the boastful
pride of life, is not from the
Father, but is from the world.

1 John 2:16

Seek

We are able
to have as
much of God
as we want.

~Alexander Maclaren~




For everyone who asks receives;
he who seeks finds.

Luke 11:10

G R A C E

G God's
R Riches
A At
C Christ's
E Expense




Grace is everything Jesus Christ is
and has made available to us simply
as an act of God's love. Everything
we have in Christ is a gift of grace.
Grace covers every sin, every failure,
and every need. God provides it and
it doesn't cost us a thing, because it
cost God everything.

~Kay Arthur~
from "Lord I Give You This Day"

"My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is perfected in weakness."

II Corinthians 12:9

Adequacy

Not that we are adequate in ourselves
to consider anything as coming from
ourselves, but our adequacy is from
God.

II Corinthians 3:5


Our feelings of inadequacy come if
we're trusting in ourselves or in
any other human means. Our adequacy
comes from God alone. When we
remember this truth, we'll recognize
God as our Source, our Sufficiency,
and our Adequacy for any and every
situation.

~ Kay Arthur~
From "Lord I Give You This Day"

Possible

When you are facing
the impossible, you
can count on the
God of the impossible.

~Amy Carmichael~




Is anything too hard for the Lord?
Genesis 18:14

God is able.
Matthew 3:9

There is nothing too hard for You.
Jeremiah 32:17

For with God nothing will be impossible.
Luke 1:37

I know that You can do everything.
Job 42:2

His Promises

We never encounter any situation for
which God has not provided a precious
promise to bear us through it.
Faith, then, is simply finding and
claiming the promises of God in every
situation, and, based on those promises,
making logical asssumptions, being fully
persuaded that God has the power to do
what He has promised.

Robert J. Morgan from The Red Sea Rules

Not one word has failed of all the good
promises He gave through His servant Moses.

1 Kings 8:56

Love

We love because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19





No human can comprehend God's love for His
children! Our limited experience of human
love hinders us from understanding God's
unconditional love for us. Yet, God's love
is completely different from ours. His love
follows us to the depths of our sinfulness
until He has reclaimed us. What incredible
love He has demonstrated to us!

Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Blackaby
from Experiencing God Day by Day

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight
in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I Corinthians 13:4-7

Floodgates

God's ability to perform is
far beyond our prayers.

~John Henry Jowett~





Test me in this...and see if I will not throw
open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so
much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it.Malachi 3:10

Give all He asks and
take all He promises.

~Samuel Dickey Gordon~

The Rose

It is only a tiny rosebud,
a flower of God's design;
but I cannot unfold the petals
with these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
isn't known to such as I;
God opens the flower so easily,
but in my hands they die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
the flower of God's design,
then how can I have the wisdom
to unfold this life of mine?
So, I'll trust in God for leading
each moment of my day,
I will look to Him for guidance
in each step along the way;
the path that lies before me,
only my Lord knows,
I'll trust God to unfold my life
as He unfolds the rose.

~unknown~

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but
it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

God's Promises

God keeps every promise He makes.
When we walk in intimate fellowship
with Christ, we have the assurance
that every promise God has made in
Scripture is available to us. This
truth should motivate us to search
the Scriptures for each promise in
order to meditate upon its potential
for our life. Walk closely with your
Lord and, in time, you will see Him
bring His promises to fruition in your
life.

~Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby~
from Experiencing God Day by Day

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and
in Him, Amen, to the glory of God through us.

2 Corinthians 1:20

Justice

There are times when doing nothing
demands much greater strength than
taking action. Maintaining composure
is often the best evidence of power.

Those who are unjustly accused and
mistreated without cause, know the
tremendous strength that is necessary
to keep silent and leave revenge to God.

Men may misjudge your aim,
Think they have cause to blame,
Say you are wrong;
Keep on your quiet way,
Christ is the Judge, not they,
Fear not, be strong.

~Margaret Bottome~ From Streams in the Desert


Do not take revenge, my friends.
Romans 12:19

He will be a spirit of justice
to him who sits in judgment.
Isaiah 28:6

Presence

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place
I can feel His mighty power and His grace
I can hear the brush of angels wings
I see glory on each face
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place

Words by Lanny Wolfe




Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.

Psalm 100:2

Forgiveness

He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge
over which he himself must pass!

-- Scott Nicholson


Forgiveness brings peace that
helps you go on with life.




Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, just as God in
Christ also forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Worry

Worry is a useless activity that robs you of the peace of
trusting in His provision. When you recognize God's control
over your life, you are able to let go of the need to manage
things yourself. ~Charles Stanley~ Seeking His Face

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:25-26

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

Arms

When God places a burden upon you,
He places His arms underneath you.
~Charles Spurgeon~

The Eternal God is your Refuge, and
underneath are the Everlasting Arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27

Today

What you do today
matters for eternity.





Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

Tests

We are not promised that we will go
through life trouble-free. Each
problem and difficult circumstance
that we face is actually a test of
sorts...and we have the choice of
dealing with it on our own, relying
on other humans, or turning to the
One who is All-Sufficient. These
trials drive us to His arms and
help us develop a deeper relationship
with the One who knows us best, the
One who created us for His good pleasure,
the One who has a plan and purpose for
our lives.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
and whose trust is the Lord. For He will
be like a tree planted by the water, that
extends its roots by a stream and will not
fear when the heat comes; but its leaves
will be green, and it will not be anxious
in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8

Work

Work with enthusiasm, as though you
were working for the Lord rather
than for people. Ephesians 6:7



All hard work brings a profit
Proverbs 14:23


Whatever may be your task, work at
it heartily (from the soul), as
[something done] for the Lord
and not for men. Colossians 3:23

Trust

For the word of the Lord
holds true, and everything
He does is worthy of our
trust. Psalm 33:4




Those who know your name will
trust in you, for you, LORD,
have never forsaken those who
seek you. Psalm 9:10