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Mini Daily Devotional Archive We
all have our vanity wanting us to tell and show the world how powerful we are.
Yet Christ calls away from our vanity. Few
of the tasks of walking the Christian walk can be done without practice. When we
make a mistake, we must pick ourselves up and start walking anew. What
do you really desire? What do you really want? How much do you really desire?
How much do you really want? Can you possess a lukewarm "sorta,"
"kinda," desire to live a godly life and achieve what God wants for
you? To
never talk to God does not make sense. When
you look back you can see the good and wonderful or the bad and the awful. You
have a choice. ● Christ
always listens to your prayers, your petitions, and the pleas of your heart. We
need to rest our heart in the Lord's love. With
the Lord's help, in His will, the broken fences of our past can be mended, new
relationships built, and old relationships reborn. God
has given you truly incredible gifts. We
are all mistake-ri●en sinners. However, Christ erases all our mistakes if
we repent and accept Him as Lord of our life. ● Christ's
suffering for you was meant to take away your searing pain. Placing
your life in Christ's nail-scarred hands turns you away from bitterness and
anger over past hurts and circumstances. Repentance
is not only a process to confront your own wrongdoing, but also a process to
confront the wrongdoing others have done to you. When
we are honest, we are conquerors over the darkness trying to pull us down. Praising
God is a wonderful part of spiritual life. ● When
you fail, glorify God by coming back with renewed spirit and new determination
to be successful for the Lord. When
you are willing to follow Christ, you no longer feel a desire to seek out human
leadership. In
your daily walk, perhaps you are not permitted to speak about how wonderful the
Lord is, but you can show Him. Only
God's way is the sure way. God
lives within every living cell of our body. The Lord lives within our heart,
mind, and soul. ● Many
doors in life remain closed. The door leading you to Christ is always open. We
all need to put our sinful pride and ego aside. One
of the more difficult things about being human is admitting our mistakes. We
are to use our life to glorify God. In
worldly matters, we need to be smart, wise, and use our resources at hand for
God's glory. ● We
have no way to replace the hurt, pain, and humiliation of our past except with
the love of Christ. Far
more important than surrounding yourself with friends is to be a friend�to be
a friend of faith. We
should be as reverent as Moses. We should understand we stand on holy ground. Many
of the tasks of the Christian walk require years of painful sacrifice. Satan
wants us to shun any daily commitment growing our soul toward Christ. Christ
wants us to embrace any daily commitment growing our soul toward Him. ● Some
persons tragically have no way to measure their life or they try to measure
their life with an open-ended funnel. When
you are angry, even angry at God, talk to Him. Some
power over bad things is better than no power over bad things. We
should treat each other as if we value each other as much as Christ values us. Do
not be hesitant about showing God's grace to the rude and crude for fear they
will laugh at you. Even if they laugh at you, one or two of them may not. ● You
cannot use what you do not know you have. We
are children of God. When
we are found, we are in the Great Shepherds sheepfold. Christ
beseeches us to plead with others around us to listen to the loving voice of our
Lord. Love
demands we always follow Christ so we do not become lost. ● No
matter how old you are, nor the conditions under which you must live, getting
better every day should be one of your top priorities. No
matter what the score might be on the scoreboard, our God reigns�and we win! Christ's
goal for you is for you to be His child, kneeling at the foot of His cross. God
will do great things for you if you do great things for God. When
we think we will never laugh again, there is the tickle of His love showing us
we can laugh, live, and absorb His beauty after all. ● We
often like change when we are young because change is a reflection of the growth
and vitality of our maturation. However, when we get older, change becomes more
difficult to accept. God
does not relish the fact you feel badly about mistakes you have made. God
glories in your honesty. Make
a special effort to come to know all God has given you. Thinking
poorly of yourself is the result of your ego twisted up to hurt you. When
we are lost, we are frightened, angry, and often bitter over our plight.
However, when we are found, we are secure, happy, and we count each day as a
blessing to be God's child. ● In
this life, you remember the hurt, pain, and disappointment, but when the Lord
touches your heart, the pain is erased. The
touch of Jesus upon your heart helps you understand His sacrifice for you and
helps you sacrifice for Him�even in the face of your terrifying fear. We
all need to get along because we are all incredibly valuable to each other. Some
questions for God are questions running deep into His ways, His reasoning, and
His plans for which His answers must remain hi●en from us. Your
actions of healing, reassurance, love, humility, and contrition help break
through barriers of sin in others as well as yourself. ● A
miraculous event occurs when the true love of God fills your pain-filled empty
heart. Each
day you can listen to God call your name or you can listen to Satan's appealing
call to turn away from God. You choose. You
need others and others need you. God
loves the heart of a person who wants to win under His rules and guidelines. Christ's
touch erases the fear and dread put upon you from terrible people or terrible
circumstances. ● Your
world loves a show. However, God is not in show business. The
people in your world need you to encourage them and give them support. The same
kind of support Jesus gives. When
you encourage others, you show the strength of Christ in your life. As
wrong as much of life can be, if we are patient, in the end, God will make all
things right, all things new, and all things as they should be. As
we draw close to God when we are hurting, He fills our hurting heart with a
peace, understanding, and love not found on earth. ● In
everyday life, we do not encounter ghosts or a walking Jesus on the lake.
However, we do encounter many frightening things keeping us from doing and being
all God wants us to do and be. The
easy path of sin can lead to a darkness for which there is no end. When
we see how much Christ loves us, how can we not love Him back enough to give our
life to Him? Love
has a way of multiplying itself in mysterious ways�overflowing with love�you
must give love away. Love
has a way of letting things happen in God's time. ● When
bad things happen and doors are closed, one Door is always open. Nothing
helps us come closer to God than making an admission of our failure before Him. To
find fault with yourself because of your sin is to make the condition of your
sin problem worse than your problem needs to be. Repentance is the solution. God
does not make demands upon you unless His demands are for your own good. God
creates new things. God has created old things. God is the creator of all
things. ● The
spiritual truth about your life and your world is this�you have an eternity
waiting for you. Your
real reward is in Heaven, not on earth. Trusting
God means you trust Him enough to give Him your life. When
you are lost and cannot find your way home, God is your constant guide and your
compass. Even
when people go astray, as sheep wander off into places they do not belong,
people who go astray are to be loved just as Christ loves us. ● When
you break or violate the rules of God there are always penalties. Knowing
the rules for living our Lord placed within His Word and within your heart is
critical to leading a godly life. The
Lord provides you with the hope to fuel your life. At
the Cross, we find strength to resist Satan and Satan's dark ways. When
anger floods your heart and mind, let the living water of Christ's love fill
your life. ● With
the Lord's help, you can clean up your mistakes. Our
greatest resource in life is God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. Putting
yourself down is a form of distorted selfishness. When
you do what Love demands, no matter what happens in your life, Christ will
always be with you as your treasured friend. There
are no words to describe the infinity and magnitude of our Lord. ● We
must always remember to keep a balance in our life. Although
you may not know it, people depend upon you to show Christ's light and His
truth. The
circumstances of your life can be depressing until you start to think, pray, and
meditate upon Christ and your future with Him. If
you let your heart melt at Christ's touch, you can be His instrument of peace. There
are times of grief when it seems grief will never end. There are also years and
seasons when joy abounds. ● When
we look backward in sadness or grief, we strain our necks. The
consequences of disobedience to God are severe. The
Lord will provide you with the wisdom you need. Jesus
is the Light of the world. When
your mind is attuned to the Holy Spirit, you are truly able to be in control of
your life circumstances. ● All
people, even those who have power and wealth, will die. However, we have
protection from death through Christ who died to give us eternal life. True
Christian love within your heart does not use others to any advantage. Love
sacrifices personal advantage to advance the life of others. You
must do the hard work of building your church and your Christian community. The
simplest smile, the smallest gesture, and the smallest touch can mean so much. Love
is not always consumed with the idea of wrong because love is consumed with
making things right. ● Over
the years, we can lose track of people or we only write to them in our Christmas
cards. Let us not forget them. Let us pray for them each day. Christ
came into the world to erase the awful shame and humiliation you may have
experienced. Christ
came into the world to tell you hard work produces fruit for the Christ
came into the world to get you to learn to do new things in new ways. Christ
came into the world to get you to do old things in new ways. Christmas
is a time to reaffirm your desire to live according to Christ's greatest
commandment�to love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your
might. ● The
pain of your heart is pushed out by Christ's love and compassion. Whether
you work for wages or not, you get paid in the end according to the Lord's
righteous judgment. The
infinite love of Christ can never be fully known or fully understood by us while
we are alive on earth. Living
in total humility on earth begets for you a beautiful applause on the other
shore. When
you think thoughts of love and kindness, peace will reign within you. ● Christ's
birth means your heart can be made new because you can be reborn. Jesus
was born so your selfishness would be replaced by unselfishness, causing your
unhappiness to be replaced by happiness. Jesus
was born to make God's will your will. Jesus
was born to take away your fear of death as you accept Him. In
the warmth of Christ's manger, remember you have not received even a fraction of
your real reward to be found in Heaven. ● Many
times we must be a warrior, but we are not alone because Christ is with us. The
kind of people we bring into our life determines the ease or difficulty of our
life. Perhaps
in your life you know you need to bring the knowledge of Christ to someone but
you are afraid to act. Take courage and act. No
achievement of merit happens without a passion to achieve. No
victory for Christ is ever won without a burning desire to serve Him. ● With
the self-control you have, you can let your mind be touched by the Holy Spirit. Let
us all be busy doing work for the Lord. The
Lord's will is for you to be industrious, to create, and to build according to
His will. Learning
about the Lord and learning about your world should be a daily life-long
endeavor. There
are times when righteous anger is justified, but righteous anger does not mean
anger is just. ● Not
everyone is privileged to see an angel. However, all the people in your life are
privileged to see you, a person who can do angel work. If
you are willing to do so, you can look back and see the Lord's hand in your
life. In
every dark hour, when you need someone, you have Christ. The
fullness of your life depends upon what you do with the blessings God gives you. If
you only commit your life and energy to yourself, you may not surround yourself
with persons will carry you when you need to be carried. ● We
can give Christ an incredible gift by giving Him our spirit of obedience. Our
lives are filled with priorities. Let us keep as a priority the keeping of
Christmas all year round within our heart and soul. Every
day, give Christ the gift of getting better at being His child. We
should value each other as much as we value the birth and resurrection of
Christ. During
the Christmas season, or any season, when you are unselfish, then happiness is
the result. ● We
all stand in Christ's presence. If we are willing, we can be washed clean and
redeemed by His blood. Live
a life of devout godliness. You will be paid in heaven for your hard work of
staying true to the calling of Christ upon your life. If
we do not get to see Christ's return to earth while we are living, we will live
to see His return to earth with a better view from Heaven. When
you talk to God, He listens. No
matter what you have done, no matter what mistakes you have made, no matter
what�you can talk to God�and He listens. ● You
can long to only display Christ's love and compassion to others. When you have
this longing, He will live within your heart and life. Happiness
does not come to you via the mail or by telephone. Happiness is the result of
the kind of person you are. The
love of Christ makes all things new. The love of Christ puts all things into
God's proper order. As
a follower of Christ, do not be surprised when others think ill of you or speak
unkind things about you. Starving
souls display acts of silent desperation often seen as a frown, a deep sigh, or
a verbal disdain of God's love. ● All
of us can glorify God, even when we are exhausted and beaten down. In
the silence of our response to changes in life, we can send our heart and
prayers to God, asking Him to use us in every changing circumstance. In
a world of change and chaos, we have an unchanging and constant God. The
bonding in our relationships a●s great substance to our life. The
persons we take for granted, like our friends and family, can give us contact
with the love we call God. ● The
Lord has a big eraser ready to erase the hurt, pain, humiliation, and
disappointment of your life. We
walk our path of our faith without fully knowing all God is and wants from us.
Yet we walk in love. We
may not be able to see into the future to see how future events will unfold. Yet
if we look far enough, we can see Christ Jesus waiting for us. Persons
in darkness need you. No
matter what kinds of frustrations appear in your life, love erases them. ● Through
Christ, we can be empowered with confidence when we are weak-kneed and ri●en
with anxiety. We
serve a mighty God who requires our humble service, yet this same God who
requires we be humble, also requires we open our heart, mind, and soul to His
power that makes our imagination soar. Our
mighty God comes to us in our hour of greatest pain. He tickles our funny bone.
He infuses us with optimism and hope when we feel all is lost. Whether
we live in a poor rundown neighborhood or a mansion in We
often ignore God and we do not speak to Him enough. However, He always seeks to
speak to us as He tries to pour His truth and wisdom into our heart. ● Every
human being will die. Even Jesus, who was God made into man, physically died.
However, every human being has a chance to live forever because Christ lived,
died, and came back to life for each of us. We
live in such a rapid age we expect a quick fix for anything that goes wrong. We
live in an age of childish impatience. When
Satan brings us down, we may have little heart left to praise God. Although our
praise voice may be quieted, we can still reach up to His nail-scarred hand. When
we are attacked by the darkness of the world, we must carry our burdens to
Christ as we kneel at the foot of His Cross. ● As
persons of faith, we must continually take our life to Christ. When
we admit our failures, we bring joy to Christ's heart. Then we can experience
His joy within us. If
you gave someone a wonderful gift but the person never bothered to open the
package, wouldn't you be a bit upset? In the same way, God has given you many
gifts yet to be opened. In
wisdom, when we need help, it is smart and astute to get the help we need. We
carry His kingdom within us. ● Be
the salt of the earth by giving love, giving understanding, and shining the
light of Christ's truth into the heart of others. God
loves you deeply and with such force only your surrendered soul can take it all
in. When
you give in love, the gift becomes larger than yourself. Angels then sing the
praises of your Savior. When
you silence your mind and quiet your heart, you give Christ a chance to fill you
with His love and grace. Advancing
age can put you on new ground to glorify Him hour by hour. ● It
is just like Jesus, in all His wonderful ways, to give us His gift of
forgiveness while His earthly life was about to be taken from Him. Perhaps
tomorrow will be the day. When
there is no plan for the future there is only a haphazard and accidental result
in living our life. It
makes no difference about what you see when you look backward because looking
backward is not what you are supposed to do. What you are supposed to do is look
forward. When
we cast aside the parts of us separating us from God, He then helps us in ways
we cannot imagine. ● Material
things do not fill the soul. Only Christ can fill your soul. Christ's
love and compassion replaces the pain in your heart. The
choice we make for God or against God determines our decisions, attitudes, and
perceptions. Every
person who walks the earth can shine out like the brightest star in the heavens. Be
still and you can hear God's voice ringing in your heart today. ● If
we think ahead, we can see or project consequences about our actions. Your
love for Christ gives you the ability to work for a lifetime to serve your
Savior. Your love for Christ gives you the ability to serve Him in love with no
expectation of any kind of reward, with no expectation of any kind of visible
results, and with no expectation of any kind of earthly praise. Christ's
love within you does not take advantage of the fallen or broken person. Instead,
His love within you reaches down to help the fallen and broken person recover. Our
mind, heart, and body are attracted to the call of the sinful world. Yet, we can
turn away from the sinful world by turning to Christ. At
the Cross, the love of Christ flows down to us. Under His love we begin to see
everything in His Light and Love. ● When
we have friends and family members who persecute us, we must seek out other
persons in our church or faith community who show His love, caring and
compassion. Even
if we are the only Christian among our friends or family, we must let His light
shine out of life. Our
need for Christian fellowship is important, but our need is not as important as
Christ's need for us to be His witness and to show His Light in a darkened
world. What
we have as Christians, the world and worldly persons cannot fathom. As
a Christian, we can feel the full power of God as His love springs up within us. ● Fear
is not always a bad thing, especially if we have the fear of opposing God's
will. In
your relationships with friends, when you need to take a stand on a moral issue
they oppose�take courage and do the Lord's will. The
area of your life where you need a quick fix is the area of mistakes. Some
self-inflicted wounds are so deep a lifetime of daily turning away may be
required. Even
when we are caught in a tangled web of sin, Christ's nail-scarred hand reaches
down to rescue us out of the terrible mess we are in. ● Strive
to possess a burning desire to live for Christ. Strive to live to achieve
Christ's goals and plans for you. We
do not get as much specific worldly instruction from God as we would like. Our
life is like a puzzle. God wants us to use His love and wisdom to solve the
puzzle. You
may have heard about a person who makes great achievements in one area of life
but who fails miserably in other areas. We are responsible for our whole life,
not just a part of our life. Strive
to control your responses in your relationships. When
you are afraid of relationships ending, the great healing power of Christ's love
can flow through the life of all the people you know as a result of your
prayers. ● Our
Savior waiting for us just across the way will welcome us with open arms in an
outpouring of His love for all eternity. You
can get so busy doing all the busy "stuff" you can lose sight of where
you are. With Christ at your side, you will never get lost. If
you live each day with a fire in your heart to be Christ's humble child, you
will soar with His spiritual eagles. Unless
we clearly define and articulate where it is we are going in our Christian life,
we will end up somewhere else. Great
speeches are made as thousands stand and applaud the words spoken. However, all
the words are just noise without love. ● Our
natural instinct is to take care of ourselves first. Through the power of the
Holy Spirit, we can disregard our natural instinct to put Christ first. Things
can unravel and pile upon us. We can think we have no place to turn. However, we
are mistaken because Christ is always calling us to turn to Him. Generosity
abounds in many lives. We must all strive to be generous. Our
world is steeped in sin and corruption. We must, each and every one of us,
strive to live in righteousness. We
must be honest and confront the sinful yearnings we feel. Then we must repent. ● In
His darkness leading to the Cross, Jesus gives each person His light and love. At
the hour when Jesus needed someone, there was no one. At the hour you need
someone, Jesus is with you. If
you want to win by doing the will of God you have to know His rules and play by
His rules. No
successful church ever survived for long when members only thought of
themselves. In
times of persecution and hardship, the commitment of the members of the faith
keeps Christ's light burning in the world. ● To
build up others in Christ's name, we must commit to helping others achieve their
goals and dreams. Others
may not understand our trials and tribulations. However, we do have a person who
understands everything about us. His name is Jesus. When
you encourage others, you demonstrate to others how Christ encourages you. Patience
is the process of waiting on God long enough to see Him work in situations, in
places, and in lives where there is no earthly hope of ever seeing God. Thanksgiving
is the process of counting our marvelous blessings even when our heart aches
from the traumas and tragedies of life. ● We
often act as if God does not exist, yet He tenderly calls us to do His will in
spite of our rebellion and arrogance. We
do not see God with our eyes, yet He makes His majestic creation visible to us. We
separate ourselves from God, but God never separates Himself from us. Whether
we live in the green grass of When
we place our life into the hands of Christ, we can be uplifted in times of
depression and sadness. ● Take
action against hatred, bigotry, insolence, and the haughtiness of evil by
showing love, mercy, and kindness. Another
way of expressing God's goal for you is to speak about God's will for you. No
one would want to experience a crushing defeat in life, but when we do, we know
we still have His greatest victory. When
you disobey God's rules and go your own direction, the consequences are what we
call, the wrath of God. It
is normal for us to look at the life of others, but we too often do not look
deep enough. ● In
fearful situations, you need to take courage as Jesus instructs you to do. On
the Cross, in His dying moments, Christ proclaimed, "Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do." In our effort to forgive, we must remember
our Lord's plea for us. Christ
asks us to come to Him and be His child. Tragically,
as you put off fixing a mistake, you can begin to rationalize the mistake does
not need fixing. Fix mistakes now. Past
hurts, past problems, past defeats, and past obstacles are to be left in the
past. ● There
are people who control vast amounts of wealth, but whose personal lives are out
of control with sin. Every
ego-filled, power-laden, selfish person who ever walked the earth has died. When
we accept we can never truly have power over death�when we accept we cannot
live forever in our body�we can be humble. When
you are silent in your mind and heart, you begin to open your life to God's
beauty and His magnificence. Age
brings both beauty and ugliness. We can choose the condition of our heart at any
age. ● There
are times when you do not have the resources you need. However, you have a God
who is infinite in resources. Although
each of us wants to believe we would never hurt our Savior, each of us crucified
Him. In
your darkest hour, even when everyone has run away, Jesus will be with
you�never to leave you�never to fail you. We
have worries, problems, and difficulties we cannot easily handle. We also have a
Savior who gives us a strength we would not normally have. In
God's world, when you put others first by building them up, somehow, somewhere,
sometime, you are built up in return. ● When
we come to grips with the truth, we must accept we have little power. Human
lust for power has corrupted souls and destroyed the lives of millions. However,
the humble spirit, your humble spirit, can spread over the earth to uplift
millions. Love
within does not make fun of or ridicule others. Instead, love places a shelter
over those who are made fun of or who are ridiculed. Age
can bring new opportunities to reach out to others with new ways of doing God's
work. The
more you hang tough and stay focused on your goals, the more likely you are to
achieve them. ● We
have no way to take out past hurts of our life. However, when we open our heart
to God He erases and makes all things new. When
persons commit to unselfishly building others, supernatural forces begin to
work. When
we are honest about temptation, Christ will come to help us resist the
temptation. The
world you live in is full of darkness, pain, and suffering. When
we ignore God we must rely only upon our own wisdom. When we ignore God we
exclude the best guidance of all�His guidance. ● When
we are in the adversity of tough times, we should deal with the facts and use
our faith. If
we lie to ourselves, we put ourselves in a helpless position. Being helpless in
lies, we have no power over the way things are. Christ
values you beyond measure. We
all have a vital part to play in the If
we are honest, we must admit the value of others in our life is immeasurable. ● When
the ultimate injustice came in the form of the Cross, Christ spoke few words and
suffered as the Lamb led to the slaughter. God
is remote from us in many of life's decisions. However, He constantly guides us
if we would but listen to His voice. When
things in life look bleak with no hope, no answer, and no way to a better
tomorrow, these are the times when God is most needed. What
a hope and what a promise we have in Jesus! God
creates the moments of your life and the opportunities you have each day. ● If
you make a mistake involving another person, then you must apologize, seek the
other person's forgiveness, and ask the Lord's forgiveness for your mistake. When
you have a bad day and feel really lousy, tell the Lord Jesus about how things
are going with you. When
you are afraid, go to God and talk to Him. Too
often, we are not quiet enough in His presence to let Him speak to our heart and
mind. Through
Christ you can be transformed or made new. ● Our
measuring cup of life runs over because we cannot hold all the love Christ is. When
Christ came to earth, He showed each of us surrendering to the Lord's will is
not easy. However, surrendering can lead each of us to eternal life. Sometimes,
the supernatural nature of God brings fear to the heart of mere mortals like us. The
darkness uses every kind of attack to distract your attention. You
must work hard to be successful in your relationship with Christ and with
others. ● We
have a support person who is on our side who is working for us night and day. Our
God the Father, our God the Son, our God the Holy Spirit underpins us and
uplifts us. We
have a support person who is with us no matter what kind of trouble we face. Your
words surrounded by love are a food others desperately need for their souls. You
must do the hard work of living a righteous life in a world slipping deeper into
sinful ways. ● The
Lord has mysterious ways of taking your hurt away by filling you with His love
and grace. As
you are able to open your heart and life, Christ is able to do His great will of
filling your life. God
requires each of us to use discernment as to whether we should be still or make
war against the enemy. When
you have no godly fear you treat God as a thing, as an item, as an instrument to
be used for your convenience. ● Being
still is difficult for many people. In Christ, you can find infinite stillness
in His love. Even
if you deny you know Christ, Jesus will come to you and ask you three times
"Do you love me?" Selfishness
implodes in upon you. In
your trials, friends and family may be supportive but may not understand you.
However, Christ does understand you. Christ's
love finds expression through the comfort you possess in every hurt. ● In
every terrible moment, Christ can come in and soothe your hurt and pain. When
Christ comes into your heart He brings His love and care with Him. In
your moments of fear, God is beside you, talking to you, and encouraging you to
trust Him. It
is better to have a fear of God than to possess a callous and rebellious
attitude toward God as so many people have in our day. What
each of us must remember are the Lord's words to "Take courage!" ● As
we are able to open our heart, mind, soul, and life to God, He is able to fill
our emptiness with His love, mercy, grace, and compassion. It
is up to us to lay our heart at Christ's feet and prayerfully ask Him to come
in. When
we invest our trust in Christ then He is faithful and will live within us. Self-sufficiency
and self-reliance are good traits when applied properly in a person's life. Even
in doing the Lord's will, fear and anxiety may strike your heart because Satan
is against you. ● The
Lord will give you the power to build godly strategies to win for Him. You
are called to turn away not just from your sin but also from the effects the sin
of others can put upon you. The
first leader you should go to in all things is Christ. God's
will is for you to give Him the primary role in guiding and directing your life. Christ
supplies you with all your spiritual nourishment. ● God
wants us to make a daily commitment to prayer and meditation so we grow to
glorify Him. In
every endeavor of life, we must have a clear drawing of our dreams and goals for
Christ. With
love, there is always the willingness to wait and see while we trust God to work
out details beyond your control. Love
in your soul delights and rejoices in the success of others, even at the expense
of your own success. Love
burning within your spirit reaches out and touches the broken to help and to
heal. ● Live
above the dirt of the world. In your daily life, the world swirls in the filth
of dirty jokes, pornography, corruption, crime, hatred, bigotry, irreverence,
and lawlessness. Live above the dirt. When
you have made a commitment to carry the love of Christ in your heart, however
weak and small you may become, you are still His light. Thanksgiving
is a spiritual lifestyle lifting your soul towards Heaven. Christ
gives you the necessary wisdom to make common sense decisions. Christ
is at your side telling you how much He loves you even when a disaster strikes. ● We
can eternally trust Christ to always be with us and within us. Life
requires a mixture of many attributes for us to be successful. One of the
greatest attributes is faith. When
Christ is victorious in our life, our pride, ego, vanity, and lust for power are
destroyed. Obedience
to God produces a wonderful peace and joy in our heart. When
we think thoughts of doing hateful and evil things, then violence and war is the
result. Thoughts of peace bring peace and joy. ● You
must not shrug off failed attempts. Christ
expects you to achieve great things for Him. Christ
expects you to give 110% of all you are and all you have in working towards His
destination in your life. There
is a non-secret to a happy life. The non-secret is this�happiness comes to you
because of who you are (a grateful person) and what you do (continually give
thanks). Continuously
strive to serve Christ by giving away His seeds of caring, kindness, and
compassion. His seeds will produce a harvest of happiness within your life. ● God
has a list of things He wants you to do each day. Satan also has a list of
things he wants you to do each day. You choose. If
we look at the world and understand the shape in which the world finds itself
today, we must question whether humans can think ahead. We
are not all-powerful. Only a mad person would think he or she truly has real
power. The
people in the world who live in darkness need you to help them find the Light of
Christ's love. When
you carry your burdens to the Cross, you begin to see your burdens are not so
heavy. ● You
may want to do God's will when doing His will is easy, painless, and enjoyable.
However, will you do His will when doing His will is difficult, painful, or
life-threatening? No
matter who we are or where we are in our life, we must turn away from the
darkness. You
can never learn enough, especially about the wonders and wisdom of God. The
daily grind of life is called a grind because we are ground down by all the day
to day responsibilities, jobs, and endless details of our life. When
you are in the bottom of the pits of life, you can be transformed by letting
yourself be raised to the spiritual heights in the love of God. ● With
God, you can talk about anything. God
will never turn His back on you. When
times of anger come, immerse yourself in the peace of Christ at the foot of His
cross. Love
silences your heart and mouth. Love
humbles you before God and others. ● When
your life and heart are filled with hope, looking forward is easy. The
more you try to keep yourself for yourself, the less of yourself you get to
keep. Giving
away and surrendering up your life to God opens the door of your heart to His
infinite love. We
all suffer injustice. We erase the injustice by forgiving. Love
is not easily angered because the focus of love is not upon oneself. ● Many
times, change in life comes about through tragedy, defeat, or some kind of loss. When
we are with Christ, and He is within us, change may still be fearful, but change
can still be managed. When
you can admit your mistakes, you can admit you need Christ. If
you need your roof repaired you can pray for God to fix your roof. You would
then be asking God to do for you what you can do, or what another human person
can do. Would God intervene? Christ
asks us to be His witnesses to the world and to tell the world how much Christ
loves them. ● We
destroy hatred and bigotry by showing God's love, mercy, and kindness. God's
goal for your life is the same as God's will for your life. When
we suffer a crushing defeat in life we still have Christ's greatest
victory�eternal life. The
wrath of God is caused by going our way rather than His way. When
we look at another person's life we do not see even a tiny fraction of what God
sees. ● When
you walk the path of Christ you get glimpses of your future joy, peace, and
happiness. You see how Christ is always with you and never leaves you alone. We
collapse in a crumpled heap before Christ because of our sin. Then we su●enly
feel His gentle touch of forgiveness in our heart. Out
of our crushing defeat because of our sin, Christ produces His victory within
us. Caution!!!
Satan wants you to dwindle down and become more diminished each day. We
have a Support Person who calls us to always play by the rules. We have a
Support Person who has prepared an exciting, dramatic, and exhilarating future
full of unlimited hope and unlimited joy. ● No
human leader will give you the peace, love, and harmony of soul Christ provides. When
you choose to build up the persons, institutions, and parts of your life in
Christ's name, then you a● to Christ's blessings upon the earth. We
must understand pain has no purpose but to pull us away from God. We must also
understand pain will end when we see Jesus in Heaven or on earth. Every
day we must try to see Christ within our universe. Lift
others up, comfort them, and give your all for them. ● In
Christ we find rest, security, and a friend for eternity. In
Christ we never experience rejection, hurt, or disappointment. In Christ we
experience acceptance, comfort, and exhilaration in victory. When
you are honest, you are more likely to express your need for God and for His
love. As
much as we need to turn the haunting of our mistakes and misfortunes into ashes,
we also need to clean up the mess we make. Too
often, we do not assess what God has given us. We therefore do not fully use His
gifts as He intends for us to do. ● In
the mi●le of your trials, Christ calls you to be His tiny salt crystal
making the world more bearable, kinder, and a little more survivable. In
a world needing compassion, Christ calls you to be His ambassador of compassion. In
a world needing forgiveness, you are Christ's emissary forgiving all wrongs. In
a world needing humility, you are Christ's humble servant. When
we take our eyes off Christ by looking at the world and its attractive sin, we
set ourselves up for a great fall from the Lord. ● Too
often, people pray for the pain of life to be taken away without realizing the
pain is pushed out by what Christ pours in. Christ
does not leave us as orphans when we invite Him in. Everyone
needs help at some point. Christ Jesus is your first resource. We
walk our path of Christian living by faith. We cannot visually see God. We
cannot audibly hear Him. All the while, He sees us and hears our pleas. ● Age
can bring freedom from trying to prove yourself to the world or to others. In
a●ition, as we age we can begin to see God in a more mature way. Christ
may call you to walk into a territory fraught with the possibilities of
humiliation as a result of your faith and faithfulness. How will you answer? No
matter where Christ calls you to go in your life, you must never turn back. The
Christian life sometimes brings with it discouragement. However, Christ is our
encouraging hope. Christ's
healing touch can and will make any heart new again. ● When
you walk Satan's easy path you pay a price. God
does not glory in your failures. We
are all born blind to the love and reality of Christ because we are born
selfish, egotistical, and self-centered. When
we survey the wonders of God's blessings in our life, we find His infinite love
pours out His infinite blessings upon us. Every
moment is a created gift from God. ● To
live life in reality we must be honest in knowing what is happening inside of us
and within our life. When
your past has killed your hope, reconstruct a vision for your future as you
leave the past behind. God
has rules, but tragically, we too often choose to be disobedient and go our own
way. Repent now and follow His way rather than your way. Christ
may need you to walk on paths no one else would want to tread. You
must always be relentless in doing God's bi●ing. ● Bringing
the right kind of people into your life can be a stepping stone to success. Our
natural inclination is to put ourselves first. Christ calls us to put others
first. Christ
is always with us because He knows there are times when we cannot stand and face
the adversary on our own. When
we repent we must turn away from our sin. We must also turn away from what the
sin of others has done to us. The
more you care about others, the more others can follow the example you set for
them. ● When
we truly take all our hurt to Christ hanging on the Cross, our hurt goes away. Many
times, we need to hear a word from God telling us not to be alarmed because fear
is a part of our daily life. Money
cannot help you get closer to God. Giving
God the glory is not easy, but we are called to bear witness to His glory and
grace. Your
infinite God can destroy physical obstacles and vaporize barriers no one else
can touch. ● The
more you follow God's rules, the more peace, love, caring, and compassion you
will receive from Him. When
you disobey God's rules and go your own direction, the potential consequences
are called the wrath of God. The
willing suffering of Christ on the Cross was done so your own present suffering
and trials would be soothed and comforted. God's
will for you and His goal for you are the same. We
tell ourselves we are doing God's will, even when we are doing our own will. ● Even
when we do not always understand the mechanics of what the Lord does or how He
does it, His joy comes to us. When
you speak to others your words send life changing messages to them. People
need your words of love to survive. God
gave you a beauty to shine like the stars of the heavens by sending out words of
love. In
every moment of your life, with the Holy Spirit, you can strive to control your
responses to pain and adversity. ● When
we prevent things from slowly unwinding in our life, we keep track of where we
are, where we are going, and where we have been. What
a wonderful gift God has given us in the form of being able to think ahead. When
we are honest, we are able to face the facts. When we face the facts we have
power over what the facts tell us. Regardless
of your age, each day should be a day committed to learning and growing. God did
not create your mind to acquire information only while you were young. We
do not mean to get lost on purpose. However, finding your way home must be done
on purpose. ● Many
times in life, doors are slammed shut in our face. However one Door is always
open. You
can glorify God even when the darkness of the world wants you to ignore Him,
curse Him, and mock Him. Every
living cell that ever lived, every particle that ever existed, every atom in
every molecule, every electron circling around every nucleus�from the very
beginning, came from the thought of God. Every
part of you came from God. Love
melts down all the selfish underpinnings causing pride to form within you. ● When
we take our hurt to Christ, in willingness to turn all of our life over to Him,
a miraculous event takes place in our heart. Even
when we do not know all we want to know, the Lord is there to help us. In
a world full of sin and darkness, remember to be a friend of faith to others. Warning!!!
When you make a mistake two or three times, you are likely to keep making the
mistake again and again until the mistake is a part of your life. Fix mistakes
before mistakes become a habit. If
we remain ignorant about what is inside of us, we ignore what is going on in
God's temple. ● With
God, we cannot get help on our terms. With God, we can get help only on His
terms. God's
healing love through the Holy Spirit flows over our life when we are in pain. When
will Christ return? We do not know. Perhaps God must follow universal
conventions or rules He set down at the beginning of time. In
pain, we have a hope greater than the suffering. We
know what God's will is when we are confronted with temptation. What we do next
is crucial to show Christ how much we love Him. ● We
cannot turn away from the dark influence of Satan if we continually feed Satan's
influence to ourselves. You
are the person who can show others Christ's redeeming love and grace filling
every heart with love, hope, happiness, and peace. Love
makes us soft, kind, and gentle. In
God's love, there is no evil. Your
life is like a stone thrown into the center of a pond sending ripples out many
times farther than the initial impact point. ● When
you admit your mistakes, you take wonderful steps toward being Christ's humble
servant. When
you mistakenly put yourself down, you put down a wonderful creation placed upon
the earth by God. We
are all born selfish. However, we get older, and with God's loving hand upon us,
we can learn to unselfishly love and care for others. When
the spirit of Christ's love springs forth in your life, streams of living water
bring you healing, love, and mercy. Love
demands we be mature people. ● Repentance
for some may take the form of a daily battle against the powers, forces, and
evil spirits inhabiting the world. Some
have sinned because of the hurt, degradation, and violation of their heart,
mind, and body by others. Make
doing the Lord's will in all you say, think, and do your highest priority. Then
seeds of love will germinate and produce Christ's happiness in the form of joy
and peace in your soul. We
do not always want to know the truth. This is why Christ brought us His truth. When
you choose to build up rather than destroy, you bring healing where there is
sickness. ● Nearly
every human achievement requires you practice. Love
is outgoing and outward flowing. God's
voice is small and quiet. However, we too often want a quick and loud voice to
give us guidance. If we look within, we can find His small quiet voice. The
power of love is unstoppable. The power of love does not know of any hindrances
to the power. Love
protects so others may come to know God is love. ● Our
battle in life is between running our life our way or letting God lead us to run
our life His way. Without
any question and without any doubt, God specifically wants us to do His will. As
the Lord's worker in His service, we must be a calming and assuring influence in
the life of others. Today,
survey the wonders of God in His creation on the earth. Then, survey the wonders
of His love within. The
glorious day of Christ's return is a day we can all anticipate whether we are
alive on earth or alive with Him in Heaven. ● At
various times, the Lord can work in funny and humorous ways. As
the Lord's blessings begin to pour over us we can exclaim, that indeed, our cup
runneth over. The
fullness of our life depends upon the measure we use to measure His blessings.
If we use no measure, we can seem to have no blessings. The
human race is unique because we can plan and think ahead. We
can dream, envision, and formulate goals for the future. What goals have you
dreamed, envisioned, and formulated in the past? What goals have you dreamed,
envisioned, and formulated for your future? ● We
should all have the same godly fear Moses had. To have godly fear means we
respect the power of God. When
there is trouble in your life, do not hide your faith, but let your trouble be a
reason to commit your life anew to Christ our King. Without
whining or complaining, you must do the hard work of glorifying Christ in all
you say, think, and do. Living
a life of peace and joy, even in suffering, is a matter of making choices about
whom and what is important to you. The
leader of your personal and spiritual life should be your Great Shepherd. ● We
should all have Godly fear. Even
when you violate the rules of God without intention, there is still a penalty. We
can very easily get lost in life. When
you come to realize Christ gave all He was for you, and you then give up all you
are for Him, a transformation takes place within you. God
is not only the electron and the nucleus, He is the space in between. ● In
Christ's glory and grace�we are new persons�we are new persons who know the
victory of His salvation�we are new persons with a new life. God's
rules help us live out our life so His love multiplies in our heart. If
you only have a lukewarm desire to live for Christ it is doubtful you will reach
His mountaintop. If
you are truly doing God's work, no matter what your role might be in His
kingdom, giving up is not an option. Love
does not contain disappointment. Neither can love be held back by
disappointment. ● Although
you may not want to be taken to new ground, with Christ as your Great Shepherd,
He can lead you into new pastures where you will grow anew each day. Your
Christian walk is often a rough road but you have a Guide to help you. If
Christ wants you to venture into dangerous territory, do not be afraid. As
a Christian, pass along encouragement to others, as you find encouragement from
Christ. Giving
thanks is a life giving process of surveying the wonders of God's beautiful
love. ● Every
day is a new opportunity to do all the tasks God calls you to do. We
should all live as if we are standing on Holy Ground�for we are. Be
swept up in Christ's touch of the divine upon your life. Be immersed in Christ's
love each day. Christ
understands everything you will go through in your life today and in the future. Christ
did not come into the world to stir up trouble. Christ came to call you to be
one of His saved children. ● Christ
was born so you will know God never turns a deaf ear to you. Christ
was born so you will know God always understands and He always cares. Christ
was born so you would talk to Him and come close to Him. Christ
was born for you as if you are the only person on earth. Christ
was born so you know you have one true God who loves you more than mere words
can ever express. ● The
hard road of Christ leads to a time of unending joy, unending peace, and
unending happiness. With
Christ living within you, you can face every terrible moment with the same
courage Christ had when He was arrested. Knowing
in advance the suffering He was to endure, Christ came into the world to die for
you to give you eternal life. Christ came into the world to make sure you would
never be deserted as he was deserted in His final hours. When
we truly see the suffering of Christ on the Cross, we experience a crushing
defeat. When we repent of our sins and accept Christ as our Savior we experience
an exhilarating victory. Obeying
the rules God has placed within the order of all things brings us God's
definition of greatness. ● In
Jesus, in God, and in the Holy Spirit we have a friend. In
place of the scars, Christ writes notes upon your heart words of His love, care,
and compassion. Praising
God often takes special effort on your part because the satanic darkness of the
world tries to drag you down. Most
questions we send to God already have an answer in our heart�we just do not
want to admit we know the answer. If
you have a friend, a true friend, you should talk to this person on a regular
basis. ● Being
still and letting the Lord fight for you is best done while you fight off the
darkness for Him. At
the hour when Jesus needed someone, there was no one. At the hour you need
someone, Jesus is with you forever. Christ
knows all about your every thought. No
one would want to experience a crushing defeat. In Christ we have the ultimate
victory. At
the end of the Christian journey a most beautiful reward awaits us. ● The
faith of your friends can cause Jesus to act just as He acted two thousand years
ago. You
are standing in front of God all the time. The Lord knows all you do, think, and
feel. Even
when circumstances crumble in your life, the more you know, the more power you
have over your circumstances. We
all fail. However, we must never accept failure as if failure is inevitable or
acceptable. In
receiving help, the most important part is to let yourself be helped. ● After
godly fear, then comes the touch of Jesus with the assurance you have nothing to
fear. The
depths and extent of Christ's infinite love seem hi●en from us because we
cannot fully comprehend the infinite. Everything
we think about has a consequence. If
you will ask, seek, and knock on the door of the Lord's wisdom, you will get
your answer through His word. Salt
a●s to the taste of food. By following Christ, you a● taste to a
tasteless world. ● When
fear grips your heart you become frozen. The touch of Christ thaws out your
heart. The
touch of Jesus upon our heart helps you be His child without fear of Him. In
Christ's love and grace, instead of being lost you are found. You
are set free when you are honest. When
you experience Christ's Light and Love, temptation and attacks by the darkness
dwindle down. ● When
you long to be obedient to Christ's will, you are next to Him. To
receive help from God, you must put your soul, your life, and your heart into a
position where He can work in you and through you. Remain
in Christ. His love and peace will help dispel the anger brought into your life
by the great destroyer. There
is a time for righteous indignation and anger when you see injustice. Real
love in Christ is centered upon others rather than upon ourselves. ● The
Lord gives you enormous courage so you will let Him have His way in your life. Godly
fear always brings respect, awe, and reverence toward God. Even
when your life is burdened down with heavy weights pulling you down to the utter
depths, others can see Christ in you as you continually battle to commit your
life to Him. You
can pour out Christ's living water with your smile and handshake. You
have a point of contact with God. Your point of contact determines the avenue of
your decisions, your attitudes, and your perceptions. ● Christ
called your name so you would show others His love. Christ called your name so
you would beam His love into their heart. Love
can be the substance of your every moment. Love makes every moment worth living. In
living your life of faith, there are many circumstances and events you cannot
control. What you can control is whether you have Christ in every moment. Commitment
produces great fruit in God's kingdom. When
your new life in Christ begins, your old life goes away under His transforming
power. ● When
we accept we have little power, we are then free from the lust for power. The
lives of countless people could remain in darkness if you do not witness for
Christ. Christians
sometimes get discouraged, for we are just a remnant. However, our tiny remnant
can change the world through Christ. When
you long to be Christ's child, He will live within your heart and life. Christ
speaks your name every second you are alive. ● Since
Christ cannot be upon the earth in person, He put you in charge of being His
beacon to others within your world. Today,
do not refrain from holding the hand of the lonely, or refrain from comforting
the grieving. When
we think enough about Christ, when we meditate enough upon Him, and when we pray
enough to Him, we feel an inexpressible and glorious joy. God
keeps some things secret from us to benefit us, to help us grow up, and to help
us mature into the full person He always wants us to be. Christ
knocks at the door of your heart. He wants to come into your life to fix all
that is broken within you. ● For
just a few moments each day, take a little time to sit down next to Jesus. In
the silence of those moments, let Him show you where you have been. For
just a few moments each day, take a little time to sit down next to Jesus. In
the silence of those moments, let Him show you where you are. For
just a few moments each day, take a little time to sit down next to Jesus. In
the silence of those moments, let Him show you where you are going. Our
lives are filled with tasks and "to do" lists leaving us exhausted at
the end of the day. On God's "to do" list for you is a task called
daily growth. God
gave us the ability to use our mind's eye to see a picture of what does not
exist in the present moment. What an incredible gift! ● Each
of us is called to testify about the saving power of Christ in every way
possible. Every
day is a day you can dedicate to Christ's worship, to His love, and to His
redeeming grace. Christ
understands everything you have gone through in your life. The
vision of Jesus coming back to earth on the clouds gives all of us hope. Even
if you turn away from Christ, He constantly calls out to you to turn back to
Him. ● With
love, there is no urgency to hurry up and get things done for earthly approval. With
love in the sinews of your soul, you rest in God's hand. In His love, if things
do not work out as you plan, let Him work things out as He plans. Love
has a way of coming back to you if you do not expect a return. Love
is a task master of godly production producing godly treasures. Love
gives you a way to see how the pieces of the puzzle fit together when chaos
reigns in the heart of those who have not love. ● We
live in a hostile world. Our great defender and protector is Christ our Lord. Have
you ever been deserted? In our life, we all have moments when we are totally
alone. However, we live under a deception if we ever think we are totally alone
because Christ is always with us. In
ultimate maturity we count every burden as a joyful opportunity to serve our
Lord. The
person who has fancy cars, clothes, and houses may be smothered in debt and
buried in misery. God
created a way for each of us to have a new life, a new beginning, a new day, a
new hope, a new dream, and a new way to serve Him. The way is Jesus. ● We
are to show others the result of our faith rather than showing ourselves. When
comfort comes to a lonely person because of your presence in their loneliness,
make sure the lonely person understands your presence is a reflection of Christ. Regardless
of our present circumstances, when we have Christ within us, then His Light and
His Love transforms our gloomy days into sunny ones. Words
fail to change the way things are in your life. Only Christ's love changes
things. You
must carry Christ's love within your heart as you serve Him with relentless
fervor. ● We
must remember the same rules and guidelines for building a productive work life
also apply to building a productive life. The rules apply at home, at play, with
our family, with our friends, and with our Lord. You
may sometimes be tempted to run and hide, for the world does not honor the
Lord's love and truth. However, the Lord is with you when you stand for Him. When
your faith has helped restore the lost person to wholeness, the lost person
needs to understand how Christ has been working in his or her life. No
matter who you are, you carry burdens from your past with you. However, Christ
will help you lift your burdens. In
the life of most people, there are times when things break. However, Christ is
the great restorer and repairman. ● Nothing
happens for Christ without your desire to do His will. You
are the preservative keeping the world from unraveling and falling apart. Without
your beaming out His love, the world would be in even greater darkness. We
are not to draw attention to ourselves. We are to draw attention to the Light of
our Lord who lives within our heart. You
must be relentless in doing God's will. |
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