Turn From Idols To God

TODAY’S VERSE
I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that did not call on my name.
Isaiah 65:1 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I don’t think anything would break my heart more than to have my boys in trouble, need my help, and they never tell me about it. It would also grieve me to have them live in the same neighborhood as I do, yet we never meet and get together. How much more does God feel that way about us. Isaiah writes that God was ready to respond to the needs of His people, and yet they never asked. God even pursued them, yet they did not call on His name. That’s what idolatry does. It replaces God in our hearts with something else. It takes our attention and allegiance away from God. An idol doesn’t have to be made out of wood or stone. It could be made out of success, pleasure, or other life pursuits. It could be an emotional idol like bitterness, vengeance, or shame that keeps us away from the God who loves us. Whatever it is that is keeping you away from God, repent of it. God is calling you. He is waiting, respond to His love today.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, forgive me for having idols that keep me from You. Today, I desire a deep relationship. I will turn away from those things that have stolen my heart and renew my affection for You. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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His Wonderful Mercy

TODAY’S VERSE
Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins.
Psalms 78:38 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We take God’s forgiveness for granted. We don’t fully appreciate His mercy. Why? Because we don’t see our behavior from His point of view. If we did, we would be utterly amazed at His grace. Listen to what the Psalmist wrote of the children of Israel in today’s passage. He wrote, “Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him. All they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to him. Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland. Again and again, they tested God’s patience and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power and how he rescued them from their enemies. They did not remember his miraculous signs in Egypt.” How much of this could be said of us? And yet, amid all this rebellion is today’s verse, “He was merciful and forgave their sins!” Today, marvel at His love, mercy, forgiveness, and grace He extends to you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, how I have rebelled against You. How ungrateful I am of all You have done for me. How easily I have forgotten Your mercies. Forgive me! Today, I come with thanksgiving for Your love and grace toward me. I exalt You, Lord, for Your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Habitual Sin

TODAY’S VERSE
Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.
Psalms 19:12-13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We are creatures of habits. That is why so many of our sins happen over and over again. Unfortunately, some sins we get so used to, they no longer offend us. Others drive us to our knees. We cry out like Paul when he wrote, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” What are we to do? We can do what David did. He acknowledged his behavior and asked God to cleanse him and keep him from his deliberate sins. We can do what Paul did and acknowledge the power of Christ when he wrote, “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” The secret is found in what David writes in this same passage. In our relationship with God and His Word, we will see victory. David writes, “The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.” Today, talk to God about your habitual behavior. Confess any wrongdoing and accept His forgiveness. Spend time with the Lord and let His word shape your life. In Christ, there is freedom!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, forgive me for my habitual sins. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit and Your word, give me victory. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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My Own Log

TODAY’S VERSE
And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How much better my life would be if I were as concerned about my behavior as I was about everyone else. It is much easier to project to others the very issues I struggle with than to humble myself and change. It is easier to worry about everyone else than to work on my problems. Jesus knew our tendency to complain, judge and condemn others. He knew how hard it is to look into our hearts and face the sin looking back at us. That is why He said, “First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Today, ask God to help you deal with your issues and then help others with theirs.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, forgive me for judging others. You know the sins that lurk in my own heart. You know all about my character defects and my poor habits. Help me see them and allow You to help me correct them. In Jesus name.
AMEN

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Live Like Christ

TODAY’S VERSE
Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
I John 2:6 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How true is this? How often do we hear the word, “hypocrite” in association with Christians? Why? Because we follow a high standard. We claim to follow Christ so people assume we are going to live like Him. Why not? Isn’t that what Jesus expected? He said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father.” Isn’t that what Paul meant when he wrote to the church in Corinth, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Peter wrote, “Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.” It is a tall order. Sure we will fail, but in humility, we confess and ask for His strength to help us to try again. The good news is He hasn’t left us empty-handed. He has given us the Bible. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” Today, let us live like Christ. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, I try to live like You, but I fall so short. I cannot do it by myself. Please help me, through the power of Your Holy Spirit and Your word, to live like You. 
AMEN

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Confess and Repent

TODAY’S VERSE
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
I John 1:8-9 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We sin. And yet, John has to remind us to confess our transgressions. More than that, he is asking us to admit that we sin. Who could live as a human being and say they do not sin? And yet we do. Perhaps we wouldn’t say “No” if someone came and point-blank asked us if we sin, but we are not living as if it matters. Many times our behavior is suspect, yet we do not stop. Our attitudes are entirely wrong, and yet we do not change. Instead, God wants to convict us of what we do wrong so we can clear our conscience and stay in a right relationship with him. The saddest reality is not the act of sinning itself, but not repenting, not confessing, and not letting God help us correct it. Today, check your heart. Confess to Him any sin that has you trapped, any sin that has not been confessed, any sin that you think does not matter. It does.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, You know I sin. Forgive me for not keeping my conscience clear. Today speak to me, show me my wrongdoing, and help me confess so I can live in the awareness of Your forgiveness and cleansing. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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My Wilderness

TODAY’S VERSE
In the wilderness their desires ran wild.
Psalms 106:14

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The wilderness may seem like a great place to visit, but there is a reason people don’t live there. It is a barren place, a place that cannot sustain human life. It can have extreme weather, a place where there may not be water or nourishment. It is also a place that can test and try your very soul. The Psalmist said it was a location where the hearts of the Israelites ran wild. You may not have to worry about a wilderness where you live, but where is your soul living? Is it barely surviving in a wilderness of its own? Does it exist without the spiritual care that you need? Like the Israelites, are your desires running wild? Today, don’t settle for the wilderness when God wants to give you the fertile land of His word. Don’t settle for barrenness when God wants to give you the fruit of His presence. Come live in the Promised Land.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I confess that I have often kept my soul in a wilderness. I need a change. Come nourish my soul and give me life.
AMEN

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Lament

TODAY’S VERSE
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is full of pain.
Psalms 109:22 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Lord is not put off by our crying out in grief and anger. The Bible is full of lament. Life is hard, and there are times when we cannot make sense of anything going on. There are situations in our lives that seem so unjust. Others feel as if God isn’t paying any attention at all. And so we cry out to God. We let Him know how we feel. Anger, sadness, fear, disbelief all come surfacing to the top, and we unload. How loving God is to hear our desperate complaints. But it doesn’t stop there. In the Bible, when there was a lament when all the emotion was spilled out on the floor, there came a moment of sanity. This was a time of reflection that allowed them to readjust their sails, reset their bearings, regather their soul. In this Psalm the author wrote, “Help me, O LORD my God! Save me because of your unfailing love.” The author was able to give his situation back to God. After the recommitment, there is a moment of praise. In this case, the author wrote, “But I will give repeated thanks to the LORD, praising him to everyone. For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them.” Today, don’t hesitate. Let God know what is on your mind. Spill out to Him your lament. Purge your soul of its emotion, reground yourself in the Lord, and then praise Him because He does care for you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, You know my heart. You know my pain. Hear my complaint; put me back on the right path. Cause my heart to praise You again. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Keep It Real

TODAY’S VERSE
Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts.
Luke 16:15 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is so easy to perform. We play different roles depending upon which play we are in. At work, we are one person, at home another. At school, we adapt to the particular people around us, and at church, we put on the righteous role. The question is, “who are we?” When we quit coping, quit people-pleasing, stop posturing and posing, who are we? If you know Jesus, you are a child of God, a citizen of heaven, a disciple of Christ. This is not pretending. It is a reality. When you dedicated your life to Christ, you became a citizen of another world. Integrity, love, truth, justice, morality, purity are virtues of His kingdom and run counter to what we, as humans, have come up with by ourselves. That is why in the very next verse, Jesus says, “What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.” Today, Jesus invites you to keep it real. You don’t need to act, perform or appear to be something you are not. Instead, give Him your heart. Confess and repent of any sin, live for Him, and love others. This is what God is looking for.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, keep me from pretense and posturing. I want to live for You in all I do. Help me to this end, I pray.
AMEN

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My Sins

TODAY’S VERSE
Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.
Romans 1:29-30 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I read today’s verse, and I think, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.” Just when we think there is a pecking order of sins and ours isn’t that wrong, Paul comes along and shows us how bad we need Jesus. When our self-righteous mask starts to feel comfortable, Paul helps us peel it off. We are human. We sin. But God saves. He forgives. He fills us with the Spirit and helps us live the way He wants us to. Today, look in the mirror of today’s verse. Confess any sin and accept God’s forgiveness and grace.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, be merciful to me. Forgive me for all my wrongdoing. Help me, through Your love and grace, live for You.
AMEN

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