Chronicle Your Blessings
Do you ever forget things? Have you ever tried something out of the ordinary, maybe even silly, just to remember something of importance? Some people tie strings around their fingers, some write post-it notes and stick them in plain view, and others go so far as to take memory classes or use self-help tools for memory enhancement. Let’s face it, we all deal with memory lapses at times, and most of us have forgotten at least one thing we wished we had remembered.
Think about how much information goes into our brains on a constant basis. We live in a world filled with constant stimuli with each piece fighting for a place of priority in our thoughts. Our days begin with so much to do that our organizers and calendars need more power. Sometimes I am amazed at just how soon I can forget something, regardless of the tactics, tools or tricks I might use to help me to not forget.
I am thankful that God understand, and He wants to help. The verses above demonstrate how important it was to the Lord that the children of Israel have a physical reminder of His faithfulness to them. The Lord instructed Moses on how to store the manna as a reminder of how He fed them in the wilderness for forty years. Sadly, as the Bible reveals their continuing story to us, these people would soon forget how good God was to them. But God did not want them to forget, and He does not want us to forget either. How do we remember the good things God does for us? There are so many awesome ways that the Lord demonstrates His love and faithfulness towards us such as: answered prayers, answers to prayers never prayed, surprise blessings, and all of those “must be a God-thing” events. How can we remember, especially when we find ourselves in a valley of darkness or a barren wilderness?
One of the best blessings in my life has been the habit of keeping a daily prayer journal. Writing out my prayers, my thoughts and feelings, and my personal evidence of God’s hand in my life has strengthened my faith and trust in Him. I can look back over past journals and read about the amazing times He intervened in my circumstances. A prayer journal becomes our personal testimony of how God has worked in our lives. Let’s commit ourselves to making this activity a habit and to keeping this daily journal as a testimony of how awesome our Lord and Savior is.
I feel in our times of trial we tend to forget all the good that God has done in our lives. We allow fear to fog our memory and if we are not careful we can fall into the depths of despair, depression, sadness and self pity but if we would take the time as today’s devotion recommends and write down our personal testimony of how God has worked in our lives, we will be surprised at how truly blessed we are and I know it will bring you up out of the pit you find yourself in. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Let’s start today by recalling our personal testimonies, not our trials. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony . . .(Revelation 12:11).
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Lamentations 3:22-23
Adopted by a Great God!
Many times, we struggle in our prayer life with the Lord. We understand the issues at hand and even accept the blame and resulting consequence. But we don’t know how to express how we feel about it to the Lord. As a result, we experience depression and frustration, waiting for time to play itself out.
God tells us that He is our ?Abba? Father. He wants us to know that He is our Daddy, desiring to hear from us. He didn’t create us to be robots, but His children who can go to Him. He tells us to draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. Our opinions matter to the Lord regardless of the poor choices we may have made to reach our situation. The Lord loves us and if we include Him in our struggles and frustrations, He works with us to get through the difficulties, sometime miraculously. If we don’t share with Him and draw near, we will miss out on His intervention and in the nearness of His presence to walk through every part of life with Him. Do not fear; you have been adopted by a great God!
When I read this I am reminded of how incredibly blessed we are as children of God. He loves us beyond measure, it’s truly remarkable how unmeasurable His love is for us. He wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives if we will allow Him to be. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) He’s a great great God!!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is John 15:9-17
Seek God First
If you do not spend time with the Lord today, the devil will kill, steal and destroy any fruit of the Spirit. The most important thing that allows us to live a victorious Christian life seems to be the hardest thing to maintain on a consistent basis. We have to understand that the power of the Holy Spirit is released by abiding in the Word. If the devil can keep you from opening the Word, you will be ineffective and have little peace in knowing the will of God. The Lord wants to instruct you and keep you in the way you should go; but you must spend time with Him for Him to be able to lead you.
Repeatedly, the common excuse is that we are too busy. But by spending time with the Lord, He is then allowed in intervene in your life in such a way that gives you more time in your day. It is like tithing. You give and then you get. Time works the same way with the Lord.
No one was busier than Jesus. He had many things to do and many lessons to teach in a very short period of time. What did He do? Jesus made it a priority to spend time with the Father. He would rise early, before the dawn, just to pray. There was nothing that was more important than or as pressing as spending time with His Father. If Jesus needed to spend time alone with God, how much more do we need to spend time with Him? If the devil cannot make you bad, he will make you busy. Why? Because all those seemingly valuable things you are doing distracts you from the only thing that really matters for eternity. Even church-oriented events will not bear the fruit you are praying for without His counsel and His blessing.
Seek Him first – first thing in the morning, first before any plans are made and first in your thoughts and prayers. No other task can compare to finding God after seeking Him with your whole heart. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
Making time for God means discipline, commitment and ultimately love. When you love someone you make time for them and the same is true for God. When I read this devotion I was reminded of a couple powerful quotes I’ve read and wanted to share them with you. Don’t let the stress of life keep you from making time for God, because making time for God will get you through the stress. The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you . . . I challenge you today to take the time and ask yourself, how many of the things that occupy our time, money, thoughts and attention have taken the place where God is supposed to be? We must prioritize our relationship with God. Seek God first!
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 6:19-34
Glorify Our Father
The believer is the one who is instructed to glorify the Father. We, as believers, are to remain faithful to continue on regardless of the reaction of the people. We are to remain diligent, to stay sharp and be alive in living for Jesus. We don’t hide who we are or apologize for what we believe. We stand strong and continue. Not only will men see our good works which will bring glory to our heavenly Father, but also we glory in our heavenly Father that we are able to endure in His good works.
There will be times that others will also glorify the Lord because of your good works. Jesus’ ministry caused others to thank God. But we don’t look at others for affirmation to know that the Lord is blessing… we look to God. We need to be faithful to things God has called us to do and leave the results with Him, as we glorify our Father who is in heaven.
When I read this I was reminded of a saying, your life is your message to the world, make it inspiring and remember you may be the only bible some people will ever read. Stand strong in what you believe, be obedient to the calling God has on your life and as this devotion said, leave the results with Him. Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 5:3-16
It’s Just That Simple
The “He” and the “Him” in these verses is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He came to earth to save His people, but many of His own people rejected Him. For those who “received Him,” Jesus gave them inheritance into the kingdom of God. All they had to do was “believe in His name.” There was nothing else to do, not even their best religious works would be good enough to earn salvation. The same is true for us today as we have the Word of God to teach us about Jesus. The Gospel of John was written so that we would believe in Him, a simple message that requires simple faith. But is it really that simple?
The short answer is “yes.” It is just that simple. All anyone has to do to be saved and inherit eternal life with God in heaven is to believe in His Son Jesus and the work He did on the cross. If it is that easy, then why doesn’t everyone believe? Jesus would compare the faith required of us to the faith of a child. He desires for all of us to have childlike faith. Why? Because children just believe. They trust without proof of purchase. They do not carry baggage from years of pain, mistrust and betrayal. They do not know what it means to be skeptical, cynical or illogical. But we do. We get hardened by the world and its imprints on our lives. And, unfortunately, some have been hurt by Christians themselves. Even those of us who are Christians, who believe in Jesus, walk around without any power to change. Where is the victory that overcomes the world? In everyday life, it is not so easy to believe in a God we cannot see or hear or touch. When the world takes our time and attention, we have an even harder time believing beyond what we are dealing with at the moment.
If you feel overwhelmed with life, take a moment and set your eyes on Jesus. Ask Him to help you believe His promise to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Ask Him to help you believe that He has a future and a hope for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) Ask Jesus to fill you with His peace that He promised to leave with you (John 14:27). Stop trying to work it all out for yourself. And if you are having trouble believing, ask the Lord to help you even to believe (Mark 9:23-24). We spend so much time on other things; why not spend some of it with the Lord today?
What a powerful devotion full of such truth! What I love about today’s devotion when I read it is how much scripture there is to lean on for every situation you face. Whatever you are facing today, go to The Word, seek His face and you will find the answers you are searching for. Spend time with God today, don’t make Him an after thought make Him the center of your life. The best gifts we can give ourselves is time with God.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalm 23
Pressing On
As I walked past an outside wall of the office building where I work, I was amazed to see a beautiful flower growing up through a crack between concrete slabs covering the ground. Despite its deprived circumstance, the plant had found a foothold, rooted itself in the dry crevice, and was flourishing. Later, I noticed that an air-conditioning unit located directly above the plant dropped water on it throughout the day. While its surroundings were hostile, the plant received the help it needed from the water above.
Growing in the Christian life can sometimes be difficult, but when we persevere with Christ, barriers are surmountable. Our circumstances may be unfavorable and discouragement may seem like an obstacle. Yet if we press on in our relationship with the Lord, we can flourish like that lone plant. This was the experience of the apostle Paul. Despite the severe hardships and challenges he faced (2 Corinthians 11:23–27), he wouldn’t give up. “I . . . take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me,” he wrote. “ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling” (Philippians 3:12, 14).
Paul realized he could do all things through the Lord who strengthened him (4:13), and so can we as we press on with the help of One who gives us strength.
This is a day that You have made, Father. Thank You that You’ll be near me in whatever I face today.
As I gathered my thoughts and paused for some time to post the daily devotion, despite the fact that it’s already so late in the day and some are already in bed, I wrestled with even posting anything but when I came across this devotion I felt I needed to share it, even at this time in the day. I pray it reaches hearts that need reaching and it uplifts and encourages someone today who maybe had a long exhausting day and paused to read this, to then be uplifted despite what the day had to offer them because although it is reaching the end of the day for some we must always rest our heads on our pillow with confidence that no matter how the day transpired, this is the day that The Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it. He is your strength! Press on!
I pray you’ve had a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Philippians 3:7-14
Master Your Anger
And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:6-7)
The classic story of Cain and Abel unfolds in Genesis chapter four. Two brothers (from the real first family) each presented the Lord with their offerings. Cain offered the Lord fruit and Abel offered a first-born from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s. Cain became angry and jealous of his brother’s favor with the Lord. Today’s verses give us insight as to how the Lord responded to Cain’s anger. In essence, He warned Cain to be careful because sin was lying in wait for him. The Lord was giving Cain a choice to let it go, try again and be accepted, or to give in and allow sin to control him. Cain chose the latter option, which resulted in him killing his brother Abel and running from the Lord for the rest of his life. Sin did come to control him as the Lord warned!
Has anger ever led you to do things you would later regret? Has jealousy or envy stirred you to the point of sinning against someone close to you? These sins will eventually lead to destruction, unless we stop them from taking control of us. We must all take notice of the Lord’s advice and beware of the sin that lies at our door. Sin leads to death if left to its own desires. If we allow sin to rule over us, then our actions will result in serious consequences. The Lord gives us this warning as a reminder that we “should rule over it.” As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit who will make us aware of these dangers and will lead us away from dangerous temptations. He will help us to “rule over sin.”
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Galatians 5:19-21
Back to the Beginning
Sometimes I need to go back to the beginning of the Bible to get a new perspective on things. The book of Genesis is a wonderful book filled with all kinds of new beginnings. From the creation of the universe to the beginnings of civilization, I am always blessed when I start reading Genesis. Let’s look at the first four verses to see how they can give us a fresh and new perspective for today.
I love the first four words: “In the beginning God….” That says it all. Sometimes I just need to be reminded that God has always existed. It is hard to comprehend the concept that before “the beginning,” there was God, but it is a truth that we can embrace with love and respect. He is God and there is none other. “God,” as used in this passage, is the Hebrew word “Elohim,” which is plural (meaning more than one). Elohim refers to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, existing since the beginning of creation. It brings great comfort in being reminded that God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present, from beginning to end (Alpha and Omega), while taking care of us in the middle too.
The next amazing part of these verses describes how God separated the light from the darkness. The earth was dark and had no form or substance. But God is light and in Him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). God saw the darkness and knew that the whole earth needed His light. Thus, God brought forth His light for us. When we feel as though darkness surrounds us, we look upon Jesus and He is still bringing forth His light for us today. These verses remind us that God understands darkness and never intended for us to live in it. He created the light, separated the light from darkness, and said, “it was good.”
When man sinned, darkness entered into our hearts and the light of God went out. God sent His Son, Jesus, to bring light into the world so that all who believe in Him might be saved from the eternal darkness. For those of us today who have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are filled with His eternal presence through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Everywhere we go, we shine His light. Isn’t it great to go back to the beginning?
When I read this I couldn’t help but think, what a way to start the new year out, from the beginning. What a great perspective. May we take every day we are given and shine His light. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105).
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Happy New Year!!
Today’s Reading is 2 Corinthians 5:17
What on Earth?
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
When Andrew Cheatle lost his cell phone at the beach, he thought it was gone forever. About a week later, however, fisherman Glen Kerley called him. He had pulled Cheatle’s phone, still functional after it dried, out of a 25-pound cod.
Life is full of odd stories, and we find more than a few of them in the Bible. One day tax collectors came to Peter demanding to know, “Doth not your master pay tribute?” (Matt. 17:24). Jesus turned the situation into a teaching moment. He wanted Peter to understand His role as king. Taxes weren’t collected from the children of the king, and the Lord made it clear that neither He nor His children owed any temple tax (vv. 25–26).
Yet Jesus wanted to be careful not to “cause offense” (v. 27), so He told Peter to go fishing. (This is the odd part of the story.) Peter found a coin in the mouth of the first fish he caught.
What on earth is Jesus doing here? A better question is, “What in God’s kingdom is Jesus doing?” He is the rightful King—even when many do not recognize Him as such. When we accept His role as Lord in our lives, we become His children.
Life will still throw its various demands at us, but Jesus will provide for us. As former pastor David Pompo put it, “When we’re fishing for our Father, we can depend on Him for all we need.”
Lord, teach us to bask in the wonderful realization that You provide everything we need. Amen.
When I read this I couldn’t help but think, what a mighty God we serve. He’s always looking out for us and providing for us just in time. Don’t loose faith, be faithful and He will see you through. We are children of The King! In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:6).
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 17:24-27
Everyday Moments
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13)
I piled groceries in my car and carefully exited my parking spot. Suddenly a man darted across the pavement just in front of me, not noticing my approach. I slammed on my brakes, just missing him. Startled, he looked up and met my gaze. In that moment, I knew I had a choice: respond with rolled-eye frustration or offer a smiling forgiveness. I smiled.
Relief flickered across his face, raising the edges of his own lips in gratefulness.
Proverbs 15:13 says, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” Is the writer directing us to cheery grins in the face of every interruption, disappointment, and inconvenience life brings? Surely not! There are times for genuine mourning, despair, and even anger at injustice. But in our everyday moments, a smile can offer relief, hope, and the grace needed to continue.
Perhaps the point of the proverb is that a smile naturally results from the condition of our inner beings. A “merry heart” is at peace, content, and yielded to God’s best. With such a heart, happy from the inside out, we can respond to surprising circumstances with a genuine smile, inviting others to embrace the hope and peace they too can experience with God.
Dear Father, today as I cross paths with others around me, make my heart happy that I may share with them the hope only You can offer.
When I read this it blessed me. It reminded me of a saying I once read a while back. Us your smile to change the world, don’t let the world change your smile. With God in our lives we have hope and peace, why not reflect that in a simple, yet powerful gesture to those we come in contact with, a smile. Even in moments when the last thing someone may deserve is a smile, smile anyways. You never know the impact a smile can make in someone’s life. Most smiles are started by another smile. Everyday moments make an impact, what kind of impact will you choose to make today?
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Proverbs 15:13-15