An Open Door

TODAY’S VERSE
Open for me the gates where the righteous enter and I will go in and thank the Lord. These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there.
Psalms 118:19-20 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
An open door can make all the difference in the world. How many times have you sought solutions, answers, or any form of direction, and nothing seems to appear? If only something would open up. And all the while, God is there bidding us come to Him and find the truth. But it’s not good enough to just have an invitation or an open door. You must go in. The Psalmist understood this. He cried out to God to open the gates into His presence, and when God did, he entered. He entered into the presence of God and fellowshipped with Him. For us, every day is an opportunity to enter into the sweet presence of God. But it’s our choice. We can walk by or enter the door. Today choose to stop and spend time with God.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank You for opening the door for me to fellowship with You. Lead me into Your presence, so I might know You more.
AMEN

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Truly Forgiven

TODAY’S VERSE
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalms 103:8-12

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Bible is clear that it is our sins that have separated us from God. It is equally clear that Christ’s death and resurrection have paid the penalty for our sins. The Psalmist assures us that God will not deal with us according to our sins. He insists that God doesn’t even remember our sins! Then why do so many of us still feel separated from Him? It is false guilt, fear of rejection, a disbelief that we are unconditionally loved by God, that keeps us full of fear and doubt. These and many other thoughts keep us from basking in the love of God. But the Apostle John insists, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” John’s attitude was firm! He was sure of God’s forgiveness, and so should we. Today we can rise and declare our position in Christ. Because of what Christ has done, you and I can look our inner critic in the eye and say, “No more! You cannot accuse me, abuse me, call me names, belittle me, and shame me! I have confessed and have been forgiven, and I REFUSE to believe the lie that I am no good, shameful, unlovable, unforgiven, damaged goods, or rejected because of my past experiences. Today, I PRONOUNCE the fact that I am forgiven and unconditionally loved by God.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I know I have sinned and confess my participation. I am sorry and repent from ever doing them. I thank You that You have forgiven them all! I accept the fact that I am totally forgiven and loved by You! In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Your Deepest Cares

TODAY’S VERSE
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
I Peter 5:7 (AMP)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Why is it we feel we need to minimize our pain? Where did we get the idea that we would become a burden to God? How did we come to believe that it is unspiritual to admit that we have been a victim of something awful? Abuse, violence, the death of a loved one, divorce, an unfortunate accident, incarceration, war. God cares when we have suffered as a result of something being done to us. And God cares when we have suffered from trauma as the result of something not happening. When love, safety, and security from those we trust are missing, we get trauma in the form of abandonment, unfaithfulness, embezzlement, betrayal, gossip, or neglect. And to pretend that we are not affected, and everything is okay is to only add to the damage that is already left in trauma’s wake. It is not spiritual to “tough it out.” It is spiritual to be healed. Peter is pleading with us to cast all of our cares onto Jesus. His whole book speaks about the suffering of Jesus and how He understands our suffering. And here, Peter assures us that Jesus “cares for you.” He cares for you with deep affection. Today, bring your pain to Jesus. Tell Him about your trauma. Ask Him to give you strength, forgiveness, peace, and a deep understanding of love. Ask Him to heal your broken heart; heal your deep wounds of grief and anger. Bring all of your cares. Cast them on Him and leave them there.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You. I come to You with all my burden, all my cares. You know my pain. You know my suffering. I bring it all to You. Heal my hurts. Heal my heart. Return me to joy, I pray.
AMEN

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The God Who Is There

TODAY’S VERSE
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you ever sought after God? There are so many different things we seek after every day, some good, some not so good. But the one thing that will make all the difference in the world is seeking after Him. God can meet the longing of your heart. He can satisfy your every need. The secret is seeking God with all your heart and soul. It cannot be a half-hearted search, but rather a desperate longing, a deep commitment to know and love God. It is nothing less than a consecration of your life, passions, and purpose. When you seek God in this way you will find Him. Start today. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to make you aware of His presence. Spend time with Him. Meditate on His word and come to Him in prayer. When you do, you will find out that the Psalmist was right when he wrote, “you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I want to know You better. I need You and want to know You with all my heart and soul. I come today to seek an intimate relationship with You and ask that You help me. Show me the way, guide me to Yourself. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Compassion

TODAY’S VERSE

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Matthew 9:36-38 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT

Everyone has a story. Everyone hurts sometimes. If not now, wait. It is a hurting world. This is what Jesus saw. He saw the crowds, harassed and helpless. He compared them to lost sheep without a shepherd to protect them. And when He saw them, He had compassion. Why? Because He was God incarnate! God in the flesh. All you have to do, to understand why Jesus reacted the way He did, is to read the Old Testament. God Jehovah had compassion for the poor and needy. Even in Proverbs, Solomon gives us instructions to help those in need. He writes, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” We are to defend the rights of the poor and needy. But you ask, “What can I do?” It starts with your willing heart. From your heart, it moves to your eyes. Next, it moves to your head, then to your hands and feet. If you are willing to be used on behalf of the needy and ask God to help you help others, His love takes over. His compassion will be more than you could ever begin to contain. His miracles on behalf of the needy will be more than you can keep up with. God loves His human race, but He ordained His church to be His hands and feet. When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he called his disciples for help. He is still calling! What will you do?

TODAY’S PRAYER

Father, there are so many needs, so many hurting and dying. Use me today, right here, right now, to make a difference in someone’s life. Help me see with Your eyes, love with Your heart and move with Your power. In Jesus’ Name.

AMEN

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Be Still Before Him

TODAY’S VERSE
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.
Psalms 37:7 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How much time do you spend meditating in the presence of God? That is to stop everything and spend time before Him. This is more difficult than it seems. It does not matter if you have read the Bible for four weeks or four decades, you may know all about God and still not spend much time experiencing Him. Your knowledge may be in your head never making it into your heart. You will never truly know what it means to love God without spending meditative time talking with and listening to God in His presence. That is like saying you love your spouse and yet you never spend any time together. God is interested in us knowing Him through Scriptures, but He also desires a relationship that only comes through “being” in His presence. Today, determine to know Him better. Choose some time where you can be in solitude with Him. Don’t let another day, week, month or year go by and not treasure God in your heart through time spent still before Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I know that one of the purposes You have for me in this life is to know You. Help me carve out the time it takes to be “still” before You. Help me learn to embrace Your presence and enjoy union with You in time spent together. I ask this in Jesus’ Name.
AMEN

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Faith

TODAY’S VERSE
According to your faith will it be done to you.
Matthew 9:29 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes we get the picture that faith is some lame ridiculous kind of thinking. You know, sort of believing that getting the longer part of a wishbone will grant you a wish. That is not faith. That is superstition. The key to faith is not the faith itself but what the faith is in. We believe in the God of the universe. We have put our faith in Him and His love, wisdom, and power. What better place to put it? Besides His attributes, we put our faith in His promises. God’s promises are true, and we can place our trust in what He says. So, what is troubling you today? What are you in need of? What situation has you stressed? Bring it to God. Talk to Him about your needs and desires. Apply God’s promises to your situation and then commit yourself to Him. Step out in faith and trust Him. Hear the words of Jesus for your life today, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your love. Guide and direct me this day. Help me today to put my complete faith and trust in You. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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His Grace Is Sufficient

TODAY’S VERSE
But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you.”
II Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I never get used to God’s grace! Grace is God’s “unmerited favor” toward us who believe. In other words, He lavishes His love on you and me for no other reason than He “wants to”. His love is perfect love. God’s grace is His purposeful manifestation of perfect love toward us. Paul came upon a tremendous burden in his life and he sought relief from God but instead of getting his request, God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you!” He asked for relief from a situation but he ended up getting so much more. He received grace from God that was sufficient to meet his every need. Gerald May, in his classic book, “Addiction and Grace” writes, “Grace is the invincible advocate of freedom and the absolute expression of perfect love. – For Christians, grace is the dynamic outpouring of God’s loving nature that flows into and through creation in an endless self-offering of healing, love, illumination, and reconciliation. It is a gift that is often given in spite of our intentions and errors. At such times, when grace is so clearly given unrequested, uninvited, even undeserved, there can be no authentic response but gratitude and awe.” Today may you be conscious of His grace toward you. May you sense it in His attention, mercy, peace, strength, and love He directs toward you. Today, might you truly hope in this, His grace will indeed be sufficient for whatever will come your way.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, how amazing is Your grace! Thank You that no matter what comes my way today, You promised that Your grace toward me will be sufficient enough to see me through. I praise You for your grace of love, of forgiveness, of mercy, of peace, of joy, of strength and of provision. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Encourage Others

TODAY’S VERSE
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
Proverbs 12:25 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Every day is full of choices. So often we find ourselves at a fork in the road. Choices between faith or doubt; forgiveness or anger; right or wrong; yes or no; worry or trust. For many worry is their daily choice. Whether it is financial, relational or situational, they have dug themselves into a pit and can’t seem to get out. Life is lonely in the pit. Every day they try to get out, but no one stops to help. That is what God has called you and me to do. Today’s passage says, “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” You and I have been charged to be an encourager. We too find ourselves at a fork in the road. We can ignore someone else’s pain, or we can help them. We can stay busy minding our own business or we can stop to comfort someone else. We can judge, blame, condemn others for getting themselves in a mess or we can extend a hand. We can go our own way, or we can encourage them both in word and action. Today commit yourself to be an encourager. Ask God to bring someone into your life you can minister to. As God has encouraged you, might you encourage others.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father help me to encourage other people. Help me to be kind, considerate and to treat others in the way I want to be treated. Today might I speak Your grace and love to other people that they may find the encouragement they need.
AMEN

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New Reality

TODAY’S VERSE
Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
I Corinthians 1:30 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is easy to miss the reality of what Christ has done for us. We get so caught up in our everyday living. Our habits, thoughts, emotions constantly remind us of our humanness. However, Paul shares that there is another reality. There is a new you! It was created in Christ when you were born again. Born again as in a “new” creature. So what is this new creature? It is royalty, a new child of God. Not made with flesh and blood like you were in your mother’s womb, but rather born again in the Spiritual realm. God took you, with your own self-will and sinfulness and made you right with Him. He created you this time, pure and holy and most of all He has freed you from the power of sin. It is hard to believe but you don’t have to strive to be right with God. You don’t have to earn God’s love. When Christ died on the Cross you received His free gift of salvation. He freed you from sin that very moment. He made you over again, pure and holy. He canceled all records of your wrongdoing and made you right with Him. Today, live in this freedom. Look into the mirror of God’s love and see what He sees.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your love and forgiveness. Thank You for freeing me from sin. Thank You for Your salvation and for making me pure and Holy in Your sight.
AMEN

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