In His Timing

From: Boyd Bailey Ministries

Psalm 38:15 "I wait for You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God." 

God’s answer is not always immediate. Our heavenly Father may not be forthcoming in His answer to prayer. We wait in our pain, and there seems to be no relief. We wait in our confusion, and our circumstances seem to become more complicated. 

Answers from the Almighty may be absent for now, but the faithful wait. We wait for God’s answer because He is the source of our sanity and our security. His goal is to give us everything we need in His timing and in His way. He is not without compassion. He cares immensely by answering our prayers and giving creative solutions to our questions. 

Do not allow your soul to be tossed back and forth while you anxiously await an answer. Use this time of waiting to grow in your understanding of God. His answer is really worth the wait. Don’t run ahead impatiently. He works while we wait. He expands our faith while we wait. Listen intently, discern, and obey. Obedience unleashes answers. Obedience leads to opportunities. Stay faithful and patient. The Almighty will answer.

Overcome Discouragement

From: Billy Graham Devotionals

Psalm 30:5 "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

Discouragement is nothing new. Many of the great Bible characters became discouraged. Moses in the Sinai desert; Elijah when he heard Jezebel was searching for him to take his life; and David when his son Absalom rebelled against him. It is as old as the history of man.

There is often a cause for discouragement. It comes many times when we don’t get our way, when things don’t work out the way we want them to. Discouragement is the opposite of faith. It is Satan’s device to thwart the work of God in your life. Discouragement blinds our eyes to the mercy of God and makes us perceive only the unfavorable circumstances.

I have never met anyone who spent time in daily prayer, and in the study of the Word of God, and was strong in faith, who was ever discouraged for very long.

He Doesn't Disappoint

From: Boyd Bailey Ministries

Isaiah 49:23 "Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in Me will not be disappointed." 

Everyone deals with disappointment—some more than others. These let downs vary in scope: a friend’s forgetfulness, a lost opportunity, a missed deadline, a relative’s financial woes, a boss’s oversight, an injured body or unexpected dental work. 

Yes, disappointment is a fact that forces us to make appointments with Jesus. He doesn’t disappoint.

Appointments with God help us to deal with disappointment. He gives us rest when we are restless. He gives us calm when there is calamity. He gives us peace when there is chaos. He gives us trust when there is distrust. "Cast your care upon the Lord, Who will give you support." (Psalm 55:22) 

A Calling

From: Bryant Wright Ministries

Ephesians 1:18 "May He enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which He has called you..."

We can all think of a bad day at work, but can you think of any time when you were "in the zone" - a moment where you enjoyed your task, you were caught up in your work and lost track of time? What were you doing at that moment? What skills were you using? What was it that caused you to be passionate about the work? 

Understanding the answers to these questions will often help you better understand how to best use your time and talents, and find your "calling." A calling is when we are passionately using our God-given gifts in a way that pleases Him. We are not talking about your personality profile, but about those God-given gifts listed in the Bible like teaching, counseling, generosity, administration, and prayer, among many others. 

Kirk Livingston, CEO of a communications company, sums it up, "When we find ourselves involved with God at work, we also begin to find the work we were meant to do". And that’s how we discover our true calling from God.

God's Will

From: Powerpoint Daily Devotionals - Jack Graham

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

The great pastor, Dr. George W. Truett, used to always say, "The greatest knowledge is knowing the will of God, and the greatest achievement is doing the will of God." What an amazing truth. There's no higher calling in life than knowing and doing the will of God!

Finding and following God’s will is the only way to find real and lasting joy in life. It’s our duty and privilege to delight in Him!

In everything we do, we know we can do no better than what God wills because He always works everything out for the good of those who love Him. So if you want to glorify God, find your satisfaction fully in Him. Seek out His will and put it into practice. Not only will you bring honor to Him, you’ll experience the wonderful reward of placing yourself in the middle of God’s will!

"Open The Eyes Of My Heart Lord"

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North

Ephesians 1:18-19 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."

God wants us to have a deep knowledge of Him and His plan for our life!

He desires that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened. He wants us to know the hope of His calling, to understand what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and to know the surpassing greatness of His power toward us. But how will this spiritual understanding come to us? 

We will come to understand these things as we meditate on God and His word with an open, receptive heart to the Spirit of God. Let us linger with Him now...and often!

The Word Of God

A Walk Through The Bible...Genesis - Revelation

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=635e33c677&view=att&th=13a7e9f8caaee484&attid=0.1&disp=safe&zw

God's Peace

From: Neil Anderson Devotionals

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you."

The peace of God is something you need to appropriate daily in your inner world in the midst of the storms which rage in the external world. There are a lot of things that can disrupt your external world because you can't control all your circumstances and relationships. 

But you can control the inner world of your thoughts by allowing the peace of Christ to rule in your heart on a daily basis. (Colossians 3:15) There may be chaos all around you, but God is bigger than any storm. I keep a little plaque on my desk which reminds me: "Nothing will happen to me today that God and I cannot resolve."

 

The peace of Christ will rule in your heart when you, "let the word of Christ richly dwell within you." (Colossians 3:16) And when you turn to Him in prayer, "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)

Eternal Perspective

From: Through The Bible Daily Devotionals

Colossians 3:2 "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

When we focus on the temporal, our perspective becomes distorted. Only by fixing our minds on the eternal will we have the right perspective and desires. This, too, takes an effort on our part, and is only possible through the power of the Spirit at work in us.

For most of us, this transformation of our thinking will make more of a change in our lives than any other practical step. Before we came to Christ, we formed ruts in our thought patterns that were in opposition to God's will and destructive. We must recognize them for what they are and refuse to go down the old paths.

We must consciously replace those thoughts of the temporal with that of the eternal. The more we set our thoughts there, the easier it becomes as we develop Godly thought patterns.

"Aim at Heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither." - C.S. Lewis

Distractions

From: Power Point Daily Devotionals - Jack Graham

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
 
We live in a world full of distractions. Our lives are filled with so much background noise that we can’t even stop for a moment to think. We’re bombarded with messages to try the newest "this" and the best "that."

But what if you stopped? What if you unplugged from the world for just a short time and opened yourself to hearing from God? Your stress level would go down, and you’d be more attuned to hear what God is trying to teach you. You’d be more efficient at work and grow deeper in your relationship with Christ.

 

Maybe it’s time for you to unplug for a bit. Perhaps it starts with setting aside just 30 minutes where you can get alone, open a Bible, and hear from God. When you start there, you’ll see your stress level decrease and your relationship with God grow stronger each day!

Spiritual Warfare

From: Through The Bible Daily Devotionals

 

Ephesians 6:10-12 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Our passage today is not just about the armor, but about our attitude and understanding, so that we can use the armor properly. Put on the full armor (helmet of salvation, breastplate of justice, shield of faith, belt of truth, foot gear of zeal and Sword of the Spirit - The Word of God)

Realize that it is not a flesh and blood battle. There are spiritual forces at work to get at you. They work through every conceivable worldly desire to keep our thoughts away from God.

Take your stand against Satan's schemes. Realize where the battle is really coming from. Fight with the Word of God (our offensive weapon) and prayer. Keep your shield of faith up, trusting in the Lord to protect you.

The Solid Rock

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North


Matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall."

Satan wants to get your attention away from God’s word. He wants to distract you with busyness, to consume you with fear over the future, to overwhelm you with the stress of your circumstances. But through all those things come the simple clear words of Scripture, reminding us of God’s great life principles and setting our course through the storm.

Build your life on those principles and you will move peacefully through every storm. You'll be confident of God’s involvement in your life, confident to stand on His promises, and confident that He is your mighty Rock.

Life's Storms

From: Bryant Wright Ministries

 

Psalm 107:29 "He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed."

 

Difficulties, pain in relationships, and even tragedies are part of every day life. As a matter of fact, Jesus told His disciples, "Take courage. There are many storms in this life. But take heart, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Wow. Now, that's a scripture to hang your hat on!

Whenever you face a storm, your first urge may be to scream, "Why?" Many challenges occur when we're right in the middle of God's will. We're not doing anything wrong. We're doing what God wants us to do. Certainly, that was the case for the disciples. Jesus told them to get into the boat and row across the Sea of Galilee. They were obeying Jesus when they suddenly found themselves in a horrific storm. It was so bad, they didn't even know if they'd survive. But here is the important message from that event - they did survive. With the help of Jesus, they survived.

Accept the fact that your life will not be a perfectly smooth ride. The road will sometimes have bumps and potholes and sharp turns. All roads do. Look upon these tragedies and difficulties as part of life. Turn to Jesus for guidance and He will be beside you as you ride out your storms.

Christian Joy

From: Every Day Light - Selwyn Hughes

 

Psalm 30:6 "...Weeping may endure for a night; but joy comes in the morning."

 

Joy is a central characteristic of the Christian. The word "joy" (Greek: chara) is a strong and robust word. It means a joy that is exuberant and overflowing.

 

Pleasure or happiness cannot be equated with Christian joy. Pleasure depends on circumstances. It requires a measure of health or wealth or positive feelings. Christian joy is completely independent of circumstances. It is there in the believer even when "strength and health and friends" are gone; when circumstances are not only unkind but savage.

 

Joy is an inevitable part of the Christian life. The springs of Christian joy are deep within. Joy is always present in the heart of a Christian. It may not always be felt or recognized -- but it is always there. And eventually it will break the surface, no matter what our situation or our circumstances.

The Eternal Light

From: Wisdom From The Psalms

 

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

 

Darkness can close in around us quickly in this world today. It seems to be getting darker all the time.

 

However, we are recipients of the light that cannot be put out and will never fade away. The Word of God will guide us through even the darkest times, and He will be close by to comfort us in time of trouble. Rely upon the light of the Lord.

 

Prayer: Light my way, dear God, and keep me from stumbling down the wrong path. Keep me from my own folly. Amen.

Spiritual Maturity

From: New Life Daily Devotionals - Steve Arterburn

 

John 8:31-32 "...If you remain in My word, you will truly be My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

 

Norman Vincent Peale had the following advice for believers of all ages: “Ask God who made you to keep remaking you.” That advice, of course, is perfectly sound, but often ignored.

 

The journey toward spiritual maturity lasts a lifetime. As Christians, we can and should continue to grow in the love and the knowledge of our Savior as long as we live. When we cease to grow, either emotionally or spiritually, we do ourselves a profound disservice.

 

But, if we study God’s Word, if we obey His commandments, and if we live in the center of His will, we will not be “stagnant” believers. We will, instead, be growing Christians . . . and that’s exactly what God wants for our lives.

How To Plan For Success

From: Joe Gibbs Ministries

 

Proverbs 16:3 "Entrust your works to the Lord and your plans will succeed."

 

There are many hundreds of methods out there for maximizing your potential in life, in business, in all kinds of areas. Some are sound, some are not, some are absolutely wonderful. But even the best can't help but be incomplete in spots. And none of us are able to follow them perfectly, even then.

So while we are wise to gather information and set our goals, to make our plans and chart our progress, we will meet days when not everything comes together. We will encounter challenges that weren't covered in the literature. We will feel the need to make adjustments and wonder why we hadn't noticed this sooner.

Though we are certainly responsible for how we handle ourselves, we are not in total charge of where our future is headed. Any success plan that isn't submitted to God is destined for failure. When we trust God to do His work in us, He can take even our missteps and turn them into positive gain. He will fulfill His purpose for you.