God’s loving kindness towards us continues to work on our behalf until His plan for our life is complete. I heard it once compared to waking up each morning with a new package of Oreos on your nightstand. Delicious cookies for you to enjoy all day, but also having confidence that there would be a new package waiting for you the next morning. Our Lord’s compassion and mercy is like that…offered to us anew and afresh everyday. Never to run out, never to run dry, always steadfast, always faithful… Great is Your unwavering, unfailing love for us Lord.
Category: Daily Inspirational Devotional
Isaiah 52:7 ” How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, your God reigns.”
The watchmen on the city wall kept their eyes fixed on the horizon for the lone messenger running from battle bringing good news. In your young walk with the Lord did you have a similar person who proclaimed good news to you? They mentored you as you grew in the Lord… instructing, exhorting, encouraging, but always sharing the Good News. Now it’s your turn to be that messenger in someone elses life. Before you say,” I can’t do that”… What has the Lord done for you in your own life?… That’s Good News! What are stories of how the Lord saved you, delivered you, and brought you peace?… That’s Good News! Can you proclaim that your God reigns in the world and in your life?… That’s Good News! See, I knew you were a Messenger of God!
Hebrews 12:1 ” Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everthing that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Many races are sprints…many more are marathons. God gives each one of us unique races to run, but it’s our decision how we run them. Sometimes we see the goal clearly and sprint to the finish…other times we allow fear and indecision to drag us down, making the race a very long, exhausting, marathon. I will give you an excellent example…for probably 15 years the Lord had been speaking to me about sharing His Word with others. For a long time, I was frozen in place by fear, unable to even begin my race. Six months ago today, the Lord kicked me off the starting block, and today, by His grace alone, this Blog is being read in 25 countries around the world. My regret is that I didn’t put aside my fears, and run my race sooner. Has the Lord marked out a race for you that you haven’t started yet? I encourage you today to get rid of all that stops you from running your race, and receiving your prise.
Isaiah 64: 6 ” All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our sins sweep us away.”
Everyone of us are ceremonially unclean before the Lord…like a Leper, we should all be calling out- “Unclean! Unclean!”… Every moral, honorable, or pious thing that we’ve ever done, and that we’re so very proud of, is like a foul obscenity in God’s eyes. Our right standing with Him has nothing at all to do with us, or our works. Those good works will get us no where. Sadly, All those misdeeds- those sins, and their consequences- the results of sin, will slowly wither us up, from the inside out, until we are finally carried off by the tempest of sin…far from God.
Philippians 2: 1-2 ” If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and purpose.”
The Apostle Paul was asking the people to examine their own lives and personal relationship with the Lord… and then to turn that outwards towards others. He was exhorting the Church in Philippi to be joined together as one community of life and love, having the same mindset as they moved forward. Paul was using the example of Christ’s unconditional love, mercy, and compassion towards them as a catalyst to spur them on to imitate Christ within and outside the church walls. Even today, we could benefit from Paul’s appeal…all being like-minded in love and purpose as the Church moves forward into the future.
Psalm 9: 9-10 ” The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
God is that shelter from danger…He is that fortress where we can flee to be safe from attack. If we have a relationship with the Lord, our trust and confidence will be in Him and Him alone…knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that He will never abandon us in the middle of the turmoil. Trust Him to be that citadel of strength and power when worries and distress come into your life…seek Him always as your safe haven.
I John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Walking in the Light…to you, what does that mean? You might say things like life, salvation, or wisdom. The scripture says we should share this light with one another and the atoning sacrifice of the Blood of the Lamb will wash us white as snow. Have you shared your light with someone today? Light is really quite easy to share…a smile, a kind word, a loving gesture all simple but effective ways to let your light shine. Yours may be the only twinkling candle of light someone around you will see today in their dark world. Shine on!
Proverbs 11:16 ” A kindhearted woman gains respect…”
Growing up I had three Great-Aunts who never married…back in the day, they were called Old Maids, or Spinsters… but in my mind, they were spirited, intelligent, independent women way ahead of their time. My Great-Aunt Martha traveled when women usually didn’t travel alone. She raised wild birds, painted her house outlandish colors, and cooked meals for her poodles. She also was a savvy businesswoman who owned farm ground, and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. My other two Great-Aunts… Ollie and Kathryn, were outstanding cooks and bakers, who earned hundreds of ribbons at State Fairs, and even sold a cookie recipe to the Archway Cookie Company. They had a thriving Cottage Industry, selling cookies, candy, and fruitcake. Even at a young age, I marveled at their self-reliance, spunk, and zest for life…all three were highly respected and loved members of the family, who lived their lives to the fullest.
Psalm 19:1 ” The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Before we found this house 8 years ago this month, I had been praying that the Lord would bring me the perfect house for sunrises. I’m an early riser…most mornings I’m up at 5 AM so I can spend time in the Word, and I feel the very best time of the day is at sunrise, when the earth is waking up. God graciously gave us this beautiful house that offers magnificent sunrises coming up over the mountains from the large kitchen windows. There is nothing better than to be reading about God’s Wonder and Glory as you are experiencing it personally. So, whether you are a “sunrise” person, or a “sunset” person… take a moment today to fully take in the Lord’s Majesty and Resplendence as it spreads across the skies in glowing beams of color and light.
Judges 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me. Let me make one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece.’ “
Putting out a “fleece”…maybe you’ve heard the term before. God wanted Gideon to lead the Israelites in defeating the Midianites…and even though the Lord had promised Gideon the victory several times, Gideon still needed tangible signs that this would happen. So this is where the fleece came in…lying on the threshing floor during the night with the dew either on it, or on the ground around it. The Lord used that fleece to build Gideon’s faith and encourage him to move forward into battle. Gideon was not testing God, but rather wanting confirmation of His promises. And now with total confidence in his God, Gideon marched out with his army to defeat the enemy.
Safetypinlove 