Daily Devotion 8/30/11

Romans 8:38-39 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.

Paul had the power of God within his life so much so that when he spoke, that power was felt. Did you notice the wording of that last sentence? Paul’s power, the power within his words, the power of God within his life is still felt all these years later by those who read his letters. We feel this power because this is as God had intended. We experience his power because Paul was a real Christian, one who strived to give his all for the sake of the gospel. Paul was convinced that nothing could separate us from the love of God not even ourselves. If this knowledge does not stir our faith then nothing can. If this understanding does not bring us into a greater desire to serve God, nothing can. Thank you Paul for your faith. Thank you God for Your love.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, I cherish the love You have for me. May it always be my strength to move forward and my power to witness within this world.

Daily Devotion 8/29/11

Proverbs 23:18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

When we place our hope in the hands of the world, we are usually left disappointed, for the world is ruled by greed, self-inflation, and prideful direction. But as we place our hope in the hands of God, we find that our hope can be turned into a reality, something attainable, something sustainable. Is that not what we all really want? Do we not want assurance? Do we not want something real, something that can be reached, or do we prefer to place our hope within the quicksand of life? As today’s verse states: There is surely a hope for each of us and that hope is found in the shed blood of Jesus.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, move into my life powerfully that I might embrace the hope I have in You.

Daily Devotion 8/27/11

Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

The opportunity is set before us, the opportunity to have lives blessed by the presence of God. Isaac, trusting in the provision of God, blessed his sons. He blessed them knowing that God would work within their lives if they were willing to walk the life He desired for them. Isaac understood the importance of trusting God with their future in hopes that they would come to do the same themselves. How often do you trust God with your future? It is the desire of God to play a large role within our lives, but how much of a role He has is up to each of us.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, come into my life abundantly, showing me the direction You would like to take me.

Daily Devotion 8/26/11

Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When was the last time you walked up to someone and asked the following question: Can you please insult me? I imagine the answer is never, for no one likes to be insulted. But what if you were insulted because of your faith? We are taught within the scriptures that beings insulted, ridiculed, persecuted, falsely accused of wrong because of your faith is a good thing. WHAT? How can that be a good thing? When these things happen within our lives, our faith is being recognized in a powerful manner, and for this we will be rewarded. Our faith makes a difference not only within our own lives, but within the lives of those around us. So then where is our reward? There is much confusion today, as many preachers will state that God wants to shower His blessings upon us as we are faithful, but what happened to actually reading and believing what the scriptures say? These verses today tell us that our reward is in Heaven. This is not negating that fact that we shall receive the blessings of God as we walk upon this earth, but the greatest we shall receive is the gift of eternal life in the presence of God, which should be enough. We should not be seeking extras here on earth. We should be living faithfully in anticipation of the opportunity to stand in the presence of God for all eternity.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, bless me as You see fit, for all I desire is to be with You in Heaven. That will be the greatest blessing I shall ever receive.

Daily Devotion 8/25/11

Titus 2:12-13 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, [13] while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Where in the Bible does it state that being a Christian is easy? Where in the Bible does it state that being a Christian brings only positivity into our lives? These falsehoods are conjured up by those seeking to serve their pocketbooks. They teach that God will bring into your life all that you want if you are willing to follow Him. They profess that God will bring you money, riches, or even fame if you were to just claim it as truth. God can bless us more than we can imagine, but the expectation of this is clearly wrong. If God so chooses to bless our lives upon this earth, then we should embrace these wondrous gestures, but to expect them makes our hearts impure. As Christians, we must set out to live the right kind of life not for rewards, but simply because this is what God calls us to do. When we live right for the right reasons, our lives are blessed, for we feel the presence and power of God. When we live right for the right reasons, our lives become a beacon of light within this seemingly dark world.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, help me live in a manner that reflects Your presence within my life, knowing that You have truly blessed me through the shed blood of Jesus.

Daily Devotion 8/24/11

Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.

Job had come through a lot, and in doing so he was left with, in the least, one undeniable fact: God’s plan will be carried out, for He can do all things. Often in our lives we come to a place where we feel nothing can help us, nothing can make a difference in our situation, but this is not true. No matter what we are going through, no matter what is or has occurred, God can and will make a difference if we have faith. Trusting in God might not always be easy, believing for His presence within the worst moments of our lives might not always be easy, but if we can hold onto the faith, God will definitely show up and show off. Faith is trust, trust is belief, and belief is knowing, knowing that God will be there exactly when we need Him in accord to His will for our lives. Do you believe these words? If so, then starting to live out their existence within your life.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, give me faith enough to trust, help me trust enough to believe in You, and help me believe enough to know that You will always be there for me.

Daily Devotion 8/23/11

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

At times being faithful is as easy as standing still in a room that has been engulfed by fire. Walking faithfully brings with it challenging times. Walking faithfully brings with it difficult moments. However, those who overcome shall receive the crown of life. This is positive, uplifting information, but is it reasonably distributed, knowing how hard life can be at times? Really, can or will anyone receive the crown of life? Those who are able to overcome have grasped onto the solution to all problems. Those who are able to overcome can do so solely because of Jesus. They have learned that, in moments of difficulty, the best place to go is on your knees. They have come to understand that, in times of distress, the best person to call upon is God. Do you want to persevere under trial? Do you want to walk powerfully in your faith? Then reach for the presence of God.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, fill my life with Your strength in such a way that I can overcome anything and remain faithful.

Daily Devotion 8/22/11

Ezekiel 34:26 I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

Are there moments in your life when you feel like you are on the opposite end of a blessing? Are there moments in your life when you feel like God has decided to pass on by and offer all His blessings to someone else? We feel this way because we have created this illusion in our own lives, in our own minds. God’s desire is to see to the success of His children, but sometimes His children get blindsided by their own decisions and can neither see nor feel the presence of God, let alone feel blessed in any way. We remove the blessing of God’s presence from our lives when we are walking in opposition to His will. Now this is not to say that God will continually hand us great things that bring us to a higher stature or glorious things that make us rich and powerful, but in the least He will bless us with His presence. Shouldn’t that be enough?

Prayer Starter:

Lord, help me reach for Your presence, coming to understand how truly blessed I really am within this world.

Daily Devotion 8/20/11

Hebrews 11:11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.

What is beyond the power of God? What is beyond the capability of God? We often question the power of God when we are faced with difficulties, but we are without reason to do so. We often question the capability of God when we are walking across a rough road, but we are without justification when we do so. Abraham’s faith was rewarded not because he was some type of glorious iconic figure that was deserving, but simply because he strived to follow the path of God that was set before him. Maybe you feel like others have gotten while you have lacked. Maybe you feel that others have excelled while you have remained stationary in life. Maybe you feel this way, but is without cause. God will reward your faith. It might not be instantaneously, but your day will come. In the meantime, all we need to do is serve God, live by faith, walk within His strength, and trust Him for each day. When He is ready, He will reward our faith.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, help me remain faithful in all circumstances, knowing that You have my best interests at heart, knowing that You will do for me in accord with Your will for my life.

Daily Devotion 8/19/11

Acts 12:7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

Many Christians were arrested. James, the brother of John, was killed, and Peter was arrested. Herod knew that the power of God resided within Peter, thus he wanted to put him on display, a public trial, maybe that would stop the moving of God. But what Herod didn’t understand was that nothing can stop God from doing that which He desires. As Peter lie bound between two guards, two more stood watch at the entrance, but that did not last long, for Peter was awakened by an angel of the Lord. This angel, under the direction of God, released and then guided Peter out of the jail and into safety. Peter knew that God had rescued Him. Peter knew that God brought him out of the clutches of Herod. Peter knew it was God who freed him from prison. If we are serving God, God will protect us. If we are working for the Lord with all our hearts, then God will stand at our sides and do all that He can for us, as He did for Peter and countless others. But if we choose to walk our own paths, then we are choosing to walk separated from the presence of God.

Prayer Starter:

Lord, help me believe that You are at my side. Help me reach for You. Help me live for You. Help me trust in You.