Lead My Heart

TODAY’S VERSE
“May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.”
II Thessalonians 3:5

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It will take a life time to even begin to mature in Christ. Although our salvation is immediate, maturing in Christ is a life time process. But we don’t see it that way. We want instant spirituality and here is the real twist, we want it without any spiritual discipline of prayer, meditation and scripture reading. Nor do we want to be busy with ministry. Instead we have our life to lead, with all it’s important tasks and duties. Is it a wonder that we don’t know what Jesus is talking about when He says that He has come to give us an abundant life? This is why Paul prays that the Lord would lead our heart in two different ways. First Paul prays that the Lord would lead you into a full understanding of who God is, and second, a full expression of love toward God that results in patience endurance. What a gift, and it is yours for the asking. Might your prayer be today, Lord lead my heart. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, please lead my heart into a full understanding and expression of your love. Help me today, to be purposeful in knowing you and living for you in all I do. In Jesus Name.
AMEN

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Worthy Of His Calling

TODAY’S VERSE
“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
II Thessalonians 1:11-12

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Did anyone ever ask you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Or have you ever taken a test to help you determine your passions and purpose in life? You could spend your whole life trying to find your purpose, that perfect job or the fulfillment of your childhood dream and never come close to what Paul was praying for the Christians in Thessalonica. What a magnificent prayer. The good news is that you can pray the same thing for your self. He has called you to serve Him and you can pray with Paul, “that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.” Can you imagine that? You see, this is God’s true desire for you, to use His power to help you fulfill every good purpose of yours. The result is that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in your life! So, what good purpose do you have today? What act prompted by your faith will you engage in today? Might He empower you by His grace to do all that He has called you to this day, so that He Himself will be glorified.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank You that You can fulfill every good purpose of mine and every act prompted by my faith! What an exciting thought. Please help me understand what this really means in my life. Help me not to waste this precious life You have given me. Might I live it today for Your glory.
AMEN

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Clothe Me With Joy

TODAY’S VERSE
“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!”
Psalms 30:11-12

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We go through seasons. Good times, bad times, times of sorrow and times of joy. I went through a season of depression and this passage from Psalms brought me comfort many times. I identified with David when he wrote in this same passage, “I cried out to you, O LORD. I begged the Lord for mercy.” I knew that God knew what I was going through so I claimed that He would turn my mourning into joyful dancing. I took solace when David wrote, “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Through time, prayer, and counseling, the Lord did bring me to the other side. What are you mourning? What has broken your heart? What has you depressed or distraught? Bring it to Him today. I would not trifle with your sorrow. I would not minimize your pain. I only come today to offer you hope. Only God can turn your mourning into dancing. That may seem so far from where you are right now, but it is not too far for God. Light slowly penetrates the back of a dark cave. The sound of laughter at camp seems so faint when you are in the back side of the forest. But know this, there is light for you. There will be joy for you in the morning. I pray that God’s grace will fill you with this truth and complete a healing process in you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I don’t even know how to pray for my sorrow. I don’t know how to release the deep pain I feel. I come today crying out for your mercy. I thank you that weeping may last into the night but joy will come in the morning. Holy Spirit, I give you my heart, mend it, bring it back to life with your breath of love. Please begin a process in me to turn my mourning into dancing.
AMEN

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Cry For Mercy

TODAY’S VERSE
“Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.” – “Praise the LORD! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
Psalms 28:2, 7-8

TODAY’S THOUGHT
David knew what it was like to be tormented. He knew the pain that comes with great need. He experienced difficulties that had no escape short of the mercy of an Almighty God. David came to God and cried out for mercy. That was the beginning of today’s passage. Verses later David is praising God. God had heard his cry for mercy. As David faces his situation we see that God becomes his strength and protection. David is comforted and decides to trust God with all his heart. The result is a deep spiritual joy. Notice that God did not take David out of his situation. David still faced his situation but instead of doing it on his own, God provided the strength that he needed. God protected David like a shield. David still had to choose to trust God but it was trust based on the very presence of God in his life. Do you have a story similar to David? Are there times when you need to cry out to God for His mercy? Rest assured He hears you. You too can praise God for He will be your strength. He will be your shield. You can trust Him with your situation. When you do, you too will experience the deep joy that can only come from Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You today asking for Your mercy in my life. I thank You for hearing my cry and offering me Your strength and shield. I accept this promise and put my all my trust in You. Thank You that I will not be disappointed. Fill my heart with a deep joy today so that I too will burst out with thanksgiving. In Jesus name I pray.
AMEN

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Wait On The Lord

TODAY’S VERSE
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”
Psalms 27:14

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Is it no surprise that “wait” is only four letters. Doesn’t it often seem like a curse word? We would rather hear God say, “Yes, that is a great idea!” or “Certainly, anything else I can get you?” We want instant gratification. We want what we want often with little consideration for any other variables and become impatient if we do not get it. Or what about the times when we have waited and waited. We pray, seek God’s face and still there is no answer. The last thing we want to be told at a time like that is to, “wait”. Yet David and Isaiah both insist that part of our Spiritual journey is learning to wait. David knew first hand how hard it was to wait on God. He was named King by God but had to run and sleep in caves, running from the armies of Saul. David was brave and courageous over and over again and waited on God to work things out. He encourages us to do the same. Isaiah inspires us to wait on God. He shares how, in time, we will renew our strength, we will eventually run and not be weary, we will walk and not faint. What a picture. Life is often hard; we have struggles on all sides. It may seem like God doesn’t care, perhaps not even there, but be encouraged today. You are not alone. God knows your situation. Pray, trust, hope and wait. God will renew your strength.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, waiting is so hard sometimes. I confess I get so impatient. Forgive me and help me to focus on your love and to put my trust in you. Help me to wait patiently and not to worry. Lord, I claim the promise that you will renew my strength as I wait on you.
AMEN

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Walk The Talk

TODAY’S VERSE
“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”
I John 3:17-18

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
John 13:34

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is harder to “walk our talk” than to “talk our walk.” We can say all we want about how loving we are, but the real proof is in our actions. If God’s love is a motivating force in our life, then helping others is going to be a natural by-product. Christians have lost much of their witness because we have not helped the poor and needy to the best of our ability. Sure our budgets are tight, but then look at what we spend our money on. Expensive cars, homes, furnishings, hobbies, entertainment and food all take their toll on our annual budget. Downsizing will allow us to have discretionary income that we can help others with. We are God’s ambassadors. If we are going to represent Him in this world, then we need to be able to be compassionate toward those that He brings across our path. John says it best, “let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” Ask God to bring someone across your path today that you can help.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, you have blessed me with so much. Help me to be wise with the resources you have given me so I can be compassionate to those that you bring across my path. Even today Lord, show me someone that I can be compassionate toward. Might there be no doubt that your love dwells in me.
AMEN

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Right On The Inside

TODAY’S VERSE
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”
Psalms 19:14

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is so easy to fall into a habit of deceit. It is easy to say what people want to hear. We use half truths, never saying what is really on our mind. It is easy to “promise” with all sincerity and yet never take the steps necessary to follow-through. We cover one missed deadline with another. We say, “tomorrow” but tomorrow never comes. I find this happens the most when I am trying to be a people pleaser and the words coming out of my mouth don’t match the thoughts going on in my heart. If we are going to be honest with others; if we are going to “do” what we say; if we are going to stop covering one lie with another, then we are going to have to change the way we think. We will have to ask God to take over our mind, emotions and will. He will have to be the master of all we think and do. The great news is we can start today. Today we can come to God and start to meditate on what He wants us to do. We can bring Him all our emotions and thoughts. We can be honest with Him and then let Him be honest with us. As we do, He will begin to affect our behavior. Today ask God to invade your mind and guide your meditation. Pray with David, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”
 
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, you know what goes on in my mind. You know my meditations, thoughts and emotions. You know how far off base I can get. You know how I can become so unspiritual in my thought life. Help me Lord! Correct my thinking. Help me Lord be the person you want on the inside. I pray today that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be pleasing to you.
AMEN

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Living With Purpose

TODAY’S VERSE
“I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.
Genesis 45:4-8

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Joseph had a dream that God had a purpose for him to fulfill. In it his family was bowing down to him. It was a purpose apparently with significance. His brothers were jealous of Joseph and in a rage, sold him to slavery. He worked as a slave, went to prison, but everywhere he went, God favored him.  He believed that God had a purpose for him and this deep belief carried him through each day. Finally, at the end of the story, there was a famine. God led Joseph to store up grain for the famine and so when others were starving, Egypt was able to survive. Hearing that there was grain in Egypt, his brothers went to buy some. It was here that they were reunited with Joseph. When Joseph revealed himself, they were horrified. Joseph shared with them the key to his success, to his survival, to his extraordinary life. He believed that God was in charge and had a purpose for him. He said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”  Victor Frankl in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” shared about the ability of some people to survive the Concentration Camps of Nazi Germany when others did not. He concluded that those that seemed to have a purpose, a calling, a dream about their life had the will to live that helped them survive such severe atrocities. What about you? Come to God. He knows you. He loves you. He has a purpose for your life.  Make Him ruler of your existence and live for Him today. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank you that you have a divine purpose for my life. I have been called to serve you and ask you to guide me in the way I should go. Help me trust you today. Help me to have the faith that Joseph did in trusting you when the times were good and when they were bad.
AMEN

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Light Your Corner of the World

TODAY’S VERSE
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Matthew 5:14

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I love synergy. That is the result of different entities working together to create a bigger response than they could by themselves. Have you ever been to a “candle light sing”, when at the end of the service one candle is lit and one by one each candle in the auditorium sends forth its illumination? What a beautiful site. How amazing that one little candle can be part of such brightness. This is the effect Jesus had in mind when He said that we were the “light of the world”. He was leaving this world and with the power of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives we would each shine our own light. Together we would become the light of the world. Dallas Willard in his book “Hearing God” writes, “Those who receive the grace of God’s saving companionship in His word are by that very fact also fitted to show humankind how to live.  Collectively the ‘called out’ people of God, the church is empowered to stand up for wandering humanity to see. When faced with starvation, crime, economic disasters and difficulties, disease, loneliness, alienation and war, the church should be, because it alone could be, the certified authority on how to live to which the world looks for answers.” We are called to be the light where we are. Today, come to Him, bring Him your candle; let Him light it for you and then light up your corner of the world. I’ll light mine. If everyone reading this devotional would let Christ light their light, someone is bound to be effected. There are people all around us dying to come out of the darkness.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, speak to me, ignite my heart and then help me shine that light today. Help me share the light that I have with those hurting in utter darkness so they too can live in the light of your love and glory.
AMEN

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He Is Right Beside You

TODAY’S VERSE
“I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.”
Psalms 16:8

TODAY’S THOUGHT
As a child I was afraid of going down to the basement by myself. It was dark and creepy. Yet that is where my mom stored the canned vegetables. And everyday after school my mother would ask me to go and get a can and bring it upstairs. Once, after my brother turned off all the lights on me, I was really frightened. My father, who arrived home as I was expressing my panic and fear, asked what the trouble was. I explained to him my concern about the basement. He took me downstairs and had mom turn out the lights. I grabbed his hand and relaxed as I realized he was actually holding mine. He walked with me through the basement explaining to me that there was nothing to worry about. What a difference his presence made. What a relief to know that this giant of a man was beside me and that I had nothing to fear. David knew about darkness. He was a lonely shepherd, out many nights taking care of the sheep. But he knew the secret to overcoming the fear of the dark. He wrote, “I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.”
Today you can have that same assurance. Acknowledge His presence. Spend time with Him and allow Him to guide you throughout this day. He truly is right beside you. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank you that you are with me. Help me today to be keenly aware of your presence. Guide me, direct me and make me conscious that you are always at my side.
AMEN

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