Our Vision

From: Through The Bible Daily Devotionals

Matthew 14:31 "Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'"

Every storm in life is a test to see if we will walk through by faith or doubt. Sinking into that lake was the last thing Peter wanted to experience, yet the distraction of the physical caused him to experience what he dreaded most. Even in the midst of doubt, you can call out to the Lord and immediately His hand is there. 

We rarely walk straight across our storms without being distracted. Why do we doubt? Why don't we have more faith in what the Lord can do? It depends on where our vision is fixed. To what are we giving the most attention?

It helps to realize that the Lord has allowed the storm so that our faith might be increased. Whether we pass or fail, when we end up in the boat together and the wind dies down, we end up worshipping Him. We see His might and ability a little more clearly and worship Him for who He is...our Lord and Savior. Amen!

Live To Please God

From: Daily Disciples Devotionals

Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." 

Although God desires to bless us, our desire needs to be that we just want to please Him. That means that everything we do should be done to please the Lord and not man. Do you realize that God is with you all the time. When we become aware of His continual presence, we change. And this change is good because as we align our hearts to please Him, we receive His peace.

God has given us internal monitors that let us know if what we are doing is right or wrong before Him. When we make choices that please Him, we have peace. If we are making wrong choices, the Lord convicts us. We become uncomfortable with a lack of peace. We realize quickly that we are not pleasing God when our words and actions are just wrong. 

Let’s live to bless the Lord. If we become aware of His presence now, we will live a life that brings Him glory, which in turn blesses us.

Rest For The Weary

From: Through The Bible Daily Devotionals

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Has life worn you out? Tired of trying to get it all done? Tired of trying to please God, feed your family, help a friend, and take care of the million little demanding details that life can be full of? Go to Jesus! He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you and learn from Him.

Yokes are usually for a tandem pair of oxen. Yoked to Him, you will learn from Him. He is gentle and humble in heart. No better qualities could you find in a teacher. He won't get on your case because you didn't get it right the first time. He gently instructs and directs. Learning from Him is a place of rest for your soul. That means your thoughts, emotions, and impending decisions can all rest in His perfect instruction.

Yoked together with Jesus you will see that God has it all under control. He teaches us to trust in the Father and act at His leading. When we do that, everything comes out best in the long run. We can trust in His wonderful knowledge about all things and His power to do anything. That makes the "yoke easy and the burden light."

Just One Thing

From: Michael Youssef Ministries

Philippians 3:13-15 "Just one thing: I give no thought to what is behind but push on to what is ahead. My entire attention is on the finish line as I run toward the prize to which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are spiritually mature must have this attitude. If you see it another way, God will clarify the difficulty for you." 

When the apostle Paul was in prison, he took the time to evaluate his own life. Before he became a Christian, he was a Pharisee with prestige, power, and wealth. After he began His ministry for Christ, Paul endured frequent attacks, imprisonments, and hunger as he traveled from town to town. Yet because Paul kept his focus on Christ, he found a joy that gave him a heavenly perspective on life and priorities:

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3:7-8)

As Paul discovered, the things we consider assets in this life can turn out to be our liabilities when they keep us from depending on God. Intelligence, financial security, social network: none of these things will bring us joy—only our relationship with Christ can bring us true and everlasting joy. 

Worry Doesn't Work

From: Bob Gass Ministries

1 Peter 5:7 "Give all your worries to God, because He cares for you."

Dr. Charles Mayo, founder of the famous Mayo Clinic, said, "Worry negatively affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, and the whole nervous system. It profoundly affects your health. I have never known a person who died from overwork, but many who died from worry."

The Bible says, "Give all your worries to God, because He cares for you." By committing each day to the Lord, you are trusting Him to go before you and work things out for the best. It's the only way to live! Worry doesn't work. It's like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do and keep you going, but it won't get you anywhere! Life is too big for any of us to handle alone.

So when worry comes to prey on your mind, attack it with the promises of God. Go ahead, bring your fears to God and watch them shrivel and die: "...God's peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) Amen!

Hello My Friend

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North

Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" 

When I open my Bible, my spirit hears these words: "Hello John, how are you today my friend? Thank you taking the time to visit with Me today."

If you have a relationship with another person, and you want to get to know them better, you have a conversation with them. You listen carefully to what they share with you about themselves. You focus on them.

It is the same with your walk with God. God is speaking to you; but as long as your Bible is closed, you miss out on so much of what God wants to say and do in your life. The Bible can be dry if you approach it academically. But if you approach it with an open heart, listening for the voice of God in your heart, it will be "sweeter than honey to your mouth."

The Word

From: Ambassadors For Christ International - John North

John 1:1,14 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory."

Why was Jesus referred to as “the Word”? Because He is God speaking to us—God wants you to know Him! Jesus expressed in word and action what God is really like. The whole Bible is about God revealing Himself to people. Even in your own life, God is constantly reaching out to you, inviting you every day to live your life in close relationship with Him.  "Here I stand knocking at the door..." (Revelation 3:20)

That’s why He has given us the Bible, which is also called "the Word". God wants to be totally involved in your life today. He doesn’t just want you to be a “committed Christian”; He wants to walk with you through your day on a relational level.

I encourage you to make your life a pursuit of God! When the Bible talks about "seeking God", this is what it means. It means that you look for any way, any opportunity to get to know God better on the personal level. God is inviting you to a closer walk with Him. He wants to live with you.

Our Helper

From: Our Daily Bread Ministries

Proverbs 3:6 "In all things be mindful of Him and He will direct your paths."

Sometimes followers of Jesus need help to get back on track spiritually. We may intentionally  veer off course because we think we know best, or drift away slowly, failing to notice we’re moving further and further from the walk God wants with us.

God has not left us on our own, however. He has given all believers a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who can speak to us with that "still small voice", or sometimes with the force of a "strong driving wind", getting our attention fast.  When we’re going off course, He sounds the alarm and triggers our conscience. We may ignore the warning, but we do so to our own detriment.

What comfort to know that God is always at work in our lives through the promptings of the Holy Spirit!  With God’s help and guidance, we can continue on a path that is pleasing to Him.

Joy Is A Gift From God

From: Michael Youssef Ministries

Acts 13:52 "The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit."

On the surface, happiness and joy are similar; they are both uplifting and blissful experiences. Yet there are more differences than similarities. Happiness is a self-focused emotion tied directly to getting what we want. Joy is a spiritual result of our focus on God. Happiness is temporary at best; it is subjective to our circumstances and moods. Joy is eternally-based and can be ours even in our deepest valleys. 

Joy is given to us through the Holy Spirit the moment we become submissive to Christ. As Christians, our joy can never be completely destroyed, although there are many pitfalls which can significantly diminish it. Joy is a permanent gift from God, but it is also a gift for which we must take responsibility for nurturing and protecting on a daily basis.

Joy does not mean that we will not experience pain or sadness or frustration when everything seems to go wrong. But unlike happiness, we can find joy in the midst of our suffering. When Christ is at the center of our lives, when His glory is our goal, when we refuse to be intimidated by life's obstacles, and when we live totally for Christ in obedience, we will find a joy that will carry us through the darkest of valleys.

What Really Matters

From: Greg Laurie Ministries

Deuteronomy 6:11–12 "When you have eaten and are full—then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage."

In his book, The Problem of Pain, C. S. Lewis wrote, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." We talk about the problem of pain, but let’s talk about the problem of prosperity. Prosperity brings responsibility, because we are not owners; we are stewards. Everything (Talent and Treasure) God gives to us is a gift, and we will be held responsible for what we do with the gifts that are at our disposal. 

When life gets really hard and adversity hits, we pray—and so we should. But sometimes when life is going reasonably well, we sometimes forget about the priority of prayer. God gave this warning to Israel before they entered the Promised Land and began enjoying all its blessings: "When you have eaten and are full—then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." 

Adversity levels us and keeps us humble, while prosperity tends to make us feel self-sufficient. We often put God in the background when we’re in good health or have ample resources. But when an economy goes south or the doctor has bad news, we turn to God, because we are reminded of what really matters.

"Love Never Fails"

From: Daily Disciples Devotional

1 Corinthians 13:13 "So faith, hope and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

The history of Valentine's Day, along with the saint for whom it is named, is shrouded in mystery. The exact details of what happened to St. Valentine are uncertain.  What is certain is that through a series of events dating back to the middle ages, February 14 became the date to commemorate Valentine’s Day. Roses and chocolates are sold at exorbitant prices and in massive quantities, all in hopes to express our love in that special way. 

The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians is known as the love chapter of the Bible. The apostle Paul writes about true love, what it is and what it is not. It "suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; It does not behave rudely, does not seek its own interests, is not provoked, and thinks no evil." 

Paul puts it very simply in verse 8, "Love never fails." Flowers fade and candies melt, but true love never fades, never dies, never fails. The most special way to express our love is to practice these qualities Paul speaks of as we learn to love beyond ourselves. Let’s pray that we can love as Christ loves us and that we can express that love in ways that bless those around us more than anything else we can give.

Spiritual Antennae

From: Oswald Chambers Ministries

1 Samuel 3:10 "...Speak Lord, for Your servant is listening."

The goal of my spiritual life should be such close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear Him and know that He always hears me (see John 11:42). If I am united with Christ, I hear Him all the time through the devotion of hearing. Any servant of God, or anything created by God, may convey His message to me. What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things. 

It is not that I don’t want to hear God, but I am not devoted in the right areas of my life. I am devoted to things and even to service and my own convictions. God may say whatever He wants, but I just don’t hear Him. My spiritual antennae are not properly tuned in! 

The attitude of a child of God should always be, "Speak Lord, for Your servant is listening." If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things— things which I think I must do. Have you heard God’s voice today?

Prayer

From: Our Daily Bread Ministries

Philippians 4:6 "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God."

After all these years, I still don’t fully understand prayer. It’s something of a mystery to me. But one thing I know: When we’re in desperate need, prayer springs naturally from our lips and from the deepest level of our hearts.

When we’re frightened out of our wits, when we’re pushed beyond our limits, when we’re pulled out of our comfort zones, when our well-being is challenged and endangered, we reflexively and involuntarily resort to prayer. "Help, Lord!" is our natural cry.

Prayer often begins in trouble, and it continues because we’re almost always in trouble at some level. It requires no special preparation, no precise vocabulary, no appropriate posture. It springs from us in the face of necessity and, in time, becomes our habitual response to every issue—good and bad—we face in this life. What a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer!

Changing Circumstances

From: Billy Graham Ministries

Matthew 6:10 "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."

God has a plan for the life of every Christian. Every circumstance, every turn of destiny, is for your good. It is working together for completeness. His plan for you is being perfected. All things working together for your good and for His glory. 

As a young Christian, Ruth, my wife, wanted to be a missionary, as were her father and mother. But God had other plans for her life. Changing circumstances revealed God’s will to her, and she was happy where God had placed her. 

So many of us ask God to change the circumstances to suit our desires, instead of us conforming our wills to His. Don’t let circumstances distress you. Rather, look for the will of God for your life to be revealed in and through those circumstances.

Faith Over Fear

From: Boyd Bailey Ministries

Joshua 1:9 "I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go."

There are many times when we are in transition from fear to faith. It’s in the transition of trust in God that our cares co-mingle with Christ’s care. Your prayers may be clumsy, but you still cling to Christ. Your relationships may be reluctant, but you rely on the Lord. 

Use this transition from fear to faith to grow your mercy and compassion. Indeed, doubting can drive us to God, and it grows us into more patient and humble human beings. It strengthens our trust and makes us hold faster to heaven. Hope trusts in this transition from fear to faith.

Indeed, faith in the Lord facilitates praise and is a product of praise. It is in our praise of God that our fears fade and our faith flourishes. So praise Him, trust Him, and fear nothing!

God's Messengers

From: Bayless Conley Ministries

Isaiah 51:16 "I have put My words in your mouth..."  

Chances are there is someone in your world today who needs to be given a word of encouragement. The key is being sensitive and available. Sometimes we are so embroiled in our own struggles that we don't even give a thought to the fact that there may be someone around us who needs encouragement…a coworker, a friend, a neighbor, your spouse, your child.

I personally think our children need to be given encouragement every day. Children crave affirmation and encouragement.

There is someone who you either have contact with now, or you will have contact with, who needs encouragement. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance. He will teach us how to speak a word in season to the person who is weary. And we are God's messengers.

Focus

From: PowerPoint Daily Devotionals - Jack Graham

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

Life moves at a very fast pace for most of us today. And if we let it get to us, we’ll forget the specific purpose God has given us for our lives and end up being pulled in a hundred different directions.

But if we’ll focus on the gifts we have and the outlet God’s given us to exercise those gifts, that concentrated energy can ignite a fire of the Holy Spirit in our lives and others. "In all things be mindful of Him and He will direct our paths." (Proverbs 3:6)

Don’t allow life to pull you in too many directions. Focus on the ministry God has given you and He’ll use that concentrated energy to start something big!

Called For His Purposes

From: Os Hillman Ministries

Matthew 4:19-20 "'Come, follow Me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed Him."

God calls people into relationship with Himself and to their calling in life. It is for His purposes, not ours. Jesus chose each of his disciples from the workplace instead of the rabbinical schools. They did not choose Jesus, Jesus chose them and it was deemed a great honor in their culture to be chosen by such a rabbi (John 15:16).

Jesus called you into relationship with Himself because His desire is for you to be faithful in your work life, family, and city. He desires that you be a willing participant in His agenda. He has not called you for your purposes, but His.

Sometimes we think it's all about us. It has to be all about Him in order for us to fulfill what is in His heart and mind for His overall plan for His Kingdom. He doesn't need us, but He has chosen to use us. He has chosen you and me as the primary instrument for accomplishing His plan.