Take Heart

TODAY’S VERSE
I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.
Psalms 34:2 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We all have choices to make. We have all had times when we have come up against seemingly helpless situations. It is what we do with that helplessness that counts. Dr. Martin Seligman coined the phrase “Learned Helplessness” when referring to one of the primary reasons for depression. He said that when we get discouraged over and over again, we start to “learn” to feel helpless. We give up hope. Thankfully, David gives us another choice. He said that all those who are helpless should “take heart.” This means to take a pause and check deep within yourself and find hope. Find that mustard seed of faith in God and believe that He cares and will see you through.
Interestingly enough, later in his life, Seligman coined the phrase, “Learned Optimism.” He concluded that if we can learn to be helpless, we can learn to be optimistic. Perhaps he read the Psalms. The truth is we have a choice. Today, when things seem to be overwhelming if you find yourself getting discouraged, take heart, trust in God, and have faith. He will see you through.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me today to trust You. Help me overcome any discouragement by taking heart and putting my hope in You.
AMEN

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Spiritual wisdom

TODAY’S VERSE
I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
Ephesians 1:16-17 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There are many things we could ask for in life, but I think Paul listed two of the most important. He was praying for the Ephesians Church that God would give them “spiritual wisdom and insight.” Imagine what you could do if you had it? With Spiritual wisdom and insight, you could better discern God’s will. The Holy Spirit could speak to you about your behavior, thoughts, and feelings, helping you make needed adjustments and changes. What about the deeper truths about God and His word? Spiritual wisdom and insight is the key to unlocking God’s treasury of knowledge. There is so much to know and experience in the spiritual realm. Today ask God to give you spiritual wisdom and insight. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and lead you day by day.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, how I need Your wisdom, how I need Your insight. Lead me today to Your truth. Guide me, direct me, help me grow in my knowledge of You.
AMEN

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Comfort

TODAY’S VERSE
I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
Psalms 40:17 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Every once in a while, we need comfort, don’t we? The news is worst than we thought; the pain is overwhelming; the pressure is tough; the fearful thoughts are relentless. What are we to do? The Psalmist remembered God. We should remember God too. He is our help and deliverer. Even if we are poor and needy, God’s hand can still extend to our aid. Paul writes, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” Come to Him today and let Him comfort you. He knows your need. He will be your help and deliverer.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You, poor and needy. Help me today. Comfort me with your grace, love and mercy.
AMEN

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Self control

TODAY’S VERSE
So think clearly and exercise self-control.- Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.
I Peter 1:13-14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is easy to fall prey to our own desires and lusts. I know if I am not careful, I will spend time doing things that are not in my best interest. Peter is encouraging us to live a better way. Now that we know Christ we don’t have to slip back into our old habits. We can count on God to help us with new desires. As we read the scriptures, spend time with God in prayer, and keep our conscience clear, He will renew our mind. He will help us “think clearly and exercise self-control”. It is this thinking clearly, this deliberately focused attention on God and His power, His strength, His love for us, that helps us align our thinking with His. It is this deliberate focus and yielding to the indwelling Holy Spirit that helps us exercise the self-control that is crucial to living our lives the way He wants us to. Today, let’s think clearly. Let’s focus on God and His will for our life, then we will exercise our self-control in living this day for Him. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me think clearly today. Help me exercise the self-control that You desire for me. I don’t want to slip back into my old ways. I want to live for You. Help me to this end I pray. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN 

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Contentment

Contentment

TODAY’S VERSE
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Some things are better than gold! Who of us hasn’t dreamed of being rich beyond our imagination? It is the dream that is portrayed over and over again on television, in the movies, and on the pages of books throughout the world. Money, fame, power; these seem to be the things that so many strive for. And yet today’s verse proclaims loud and clear just the opposite. It tells us to live our lives “free from the love of money and be content with what we have.” Why would the author suggest that? Why would anyone write something so contrary to human reasoning, unless it is true or he has something better to offer? In this case, the author of Hebrews has both. He was telling the truth. When all is said and done, contentment, peace, joy, and love are the true treasures of life. Money can help with this, but the “love of money” is something else. It is an addiction, an unreasonable, irrational obsession with something that gives false hope. Drugs never satisfy the long-term, neither will the love of money. When will you ever have enough? When will you ever be able to say “no” to the irrational obsession that the love of money creates? So what does the author suggest we really seek after? Jesus Himself. It is Jesus who promises to never leave us, never forsake us. He is the one who can really fill our hearts with love, give us the purpose, peace, and satisfaction that we were created for. It is Jesus that your soul is looking for. Today, turn to Him. Bring your longings to Jesus and let Him begin to satisfy.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me. Thank You that You will never leave me or forsake me. Thank You for giving me everything I need to be content in this world. I accept You as the Lord of my life and dedicate myself to following You.
AMEN

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Meditating On God

TODAY’S VERSE
You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wing.
Psalms 63:5-7 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What brings you joy? What makes you sing and praise? What do you spend time thinking about? There are a lot of things that you could answer. Certainly the love of someone can cause you to act this way. Having a deep purpose can cause a similar passion. A national championship after a long grueling season has had this kind of effect on millions of people. Here is the question though. Does your relationship with God have this effect on you? It is possible to know all about God, all about worship, ritual and doctrine and not have a passionate relationship with Him. To me, the part of this passage that makes all the difference in the world is not “praising with songs of joy”, or “sing for joy in the shadow of your wing”. No, it is, “I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.” If we want to really know God, then we must take time to meditate and sit in His presence. We need to shut everything else out and get to know God and hear His voice. When we do this, we will be able to say with David, “You satisfy me more than the richest feast, I will praise you with songs of joy!”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You today longing to know You. As I spend time with You, I pray that You would reveal Yourself to me. Help me worship and praise You in Spirit and in truth.
AMEN

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Believe and Follow

TODAY’S VERSE
But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
John 10:2-3 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Jesus said to those around Him, “believe in God, believe also in me”. This, “believe in me” implies action. Jesus never intended belief to be exclusive from following Him. God has promised to instruct us, teaching us the way to go, but we have to go, we have to follow. Jesus used the parable about sheep and their shepherd. The sheep don’t just hear the voice of their shepherd, they respond by following him. Likewise, we can say we believe in Jesus but the real proof is in our actions. Today, listen to His voice and follow Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, I believe in You. Help me hear Your voice and follow You.
AMEN

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Every thought

TODAY’S VERSE
We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
II Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is easy to let our thoughts get away from us. Worry, fear, anger, a whole host of emotions can send our thoughts into a downward spiral. Before you know it, we are heading toward dire consequences. Instead, we need to make a habit of bringing our thoughts to Christ. Paul knew all about this. Imagine waking up in prison day after day for doing no moral wrong. How about being shipwrecked on an island or suffering excruciating wounds from being beaten within an inch of your life. Day after day, Paul was cold, hungry, tired, and falsely accused. And yet, through all of this, he knew how to discipline his thinking. Paul knew that he was in a spiritual battle, and he came to God and renewed his mind every day! He said it this way, “We live in the world, but we do not fight in the same way the world fights. We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy’s strong places. We destroy people’s arguments and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.” Today, don’t let your thoughts get away from you. Capture those thoughts and emotions that will take you down the wrong path and bring them to Christ.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, I ask You to fill my mind with Your truth. I submit my thinking to You and Your word. Help me capture every rogue thought and make it obey You. I give You my mind; guide me I pray.
AMEN

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God’s word

TODAY’S VERSE
The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart.
Psalms 19:8 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Bible is a precious gift from God. Divinely inspired, it was written in order that we might know how to live. The Bible motivates, convicts, guides, warns, and teaches us. David wrote that believing what the Bible says is right and following its precepts brings joy to our hearts.
He then goes on to share in a very poetic way how valuable the word of God is. He writes, “The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. – The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.” Today, spend time with God and His word and let it bring a deep joy into your heart.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your word. Speak to me, guide me, correct me, inspire me. Teach me how to live. Give me a deep and lasting joy deep down in my heart.
AMEN

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Give Him your anxiety

TODAY’S VERSE
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
I Peter 5:7 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
So often you hear the admonitions: “Don’t fear,” “Stop worrying” or “Quit being afraid.” These are helpful and can often deter us from pursuing a downward spiral of despair. But Peter had a better way. Instead of clipping back the weeds of fear and worry, Peter recommends that you pull all our anxiety out by the roots and bring them to Jesus. Not a few or some, all! And why can you do that? Peter says, “Because Jesus cares for you!” It is like the old hymn says, “Is there a heart over bound by sorrow? Is there a life weighed down by care? Come to the cross each burden bearing. All our anxiety leave it there. All your anxiety, all your care, bring to the mercy seat leave it there; never a burden He cannot bear, never a friend like Jesus.” Today, turn to Jesus. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know all about my worry and fear. I come to You now and cast all my anxiety at Your feet. Instead of taking it back, help me take Your love with me instead.
AMEN

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