God’s Grace

TODAY’S VERSE
“I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.”
II Corinthians 2:5-8 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It’s what I love about Christianity. God’s grace. When I have so much to be forgiven, God in His grace forgives me. When I am so far from what God expects, He still guides me, corrects me and restores my soul. Grace is the free gift of God. And yet, why is it, we who receive so much grace find it so hard to give it to others? Jesus told many parables about people being forgiven much and the expectation that they in turn should forgive others. The church in Corinth had someone who was expelled from their fellowship. But instead of banishing him forever, Paul encourages the church to forgive him and comfort him. More than that Paul wrote, “So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.” How hard it is to forgive those that have offended us. How difficult to give grace to someone we think doesn’t deserve it. But isn’t that what grace is all about? My grace isn’t much, but God’s grace is. Sometimes it comes down to the question, “Whose grace are we going to give, ours or Christ’s? Today, let the remembrance of God’s grace in our life motivate us to extend grace to others.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for all the grace You have extended to me. Your sweet grace, totally undeserved, has been given freely to me. Forgive me for the times I do not extend the same kind of grace to others. Help me love the way You do. Help me offer the same grace to those in my life that You have given to me. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Treasure

TODAY’S VERSE
“All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.”
Luke 2:18-20 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is something about the intervention of God in our lives that moves us. That God, the Ruler of the Universe, Master of Everything, Supreme, almighty, majestic Jehovah would become Immanuel, God with us, is beyond our comprehension. It was that way at Christ’s birth. When Jesus was born, everyone that heard the shepherd’s story was astonished. Mary was moved deeply by the whole visitation of God, in the person of Christ, that she treasured all that happened in her heart and thought about it often. The shepherds, who witnessed all that happened, returned to their fields glorifying and praising God. How then are we moved? When we are visited by Jesus, when the Holy Spirit communes with our heart, when we meditate in the presence of God, how is our heart stirred? It is so easy to let wonder slip by. We are so overloaded with busyness and media stimulation that we can let moments with God go right by our awareness. We need to be like Mary. She did not let the urgency of the moment steal her amazement. She did not let all that was going on overshadow what she knew to be true about God. Today, be like Mary and treasure all that God has done and is doing in your heart and think about them often.  

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I praise You for what You have done in my life. I glorify You for Your love toward me. Thank You for loving me. Help me treasure all this in my heart.
AMEN

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Comfort

TODAY’S VERSE
“God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
II Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Comfort. How often we long for it. It is one of our greatest needs. Everyday has its challenges. We find our self on an emotional roller coaster constantly in need to regulate our emotions. We try all types of solutions but to no avail. Only real comfort soothes us, consoles our breaking heart, reassuring us that all will be okay. Only comfort supports and encourages us in the face of conflict. Only comfort gives us relief in affliction and lasting consolation to our weary soul. But comfort is only as good as the comforter. It is no comfort when a dying man says, “Try my medicine.” A person who is lost is no comfort to someone else seeking directions. In today’s verse we find that it is God who is our “merciful Father and source of all comfort.” It is God that comforts us all our troubles. It is God and His love for us that returns us to joy. It is knowing Him, in all His majesty, that gives us hope and assurance. It is knowing that we are the objects of His unfailing love that makes Him the source of all our comfort. And with this comfort we in turn can comfort others. Today, come to God. Bring all your burdens to Him. Give Him your emotions and let Him comfort you. He is the source of all comfort. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I am in need of Your comfort. Only You can satisfy. Only Your love can bring what my soul needs. Comfort me I pray. In Jesus name.
AMEN

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Strength And Song

TODAY’S VERSE
“The LORD is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!”
Psalms 118:14-15 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I love the two words, “strength” and “song” together. They go hand in hand; His strength, our song. Here is the Psalmist. He had seen God’s strength move on his behalf resulting in a great victory and his heart bursts out in singing. That’s because sometimes words alone are not enough. Our soul must express itself in melody. And yet, how many times do we fail to respond to God’s strength on our behalf? Remember the ten lepers that Jesus healed? Only one came back to even give thanks. Can you imagine? Forget a victory in battle. Their body, full of putrefying skin, had just been miraculously healed, and nine out of ten did not even say, “Thanks.”  And sadly, Jesus noticed. He asked the one who returned, “Where are the other nine?” Unfortunately, He’s still asking today. Where are we? Where are our praising hearts? Where are the songs of our souls that lift to the heavens in adoration for all that He has done for us? We have no excuse. We have been healed. Today let’s lift our voices in praise for all His strength on our behalf.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, my heart sings in praise and adoration for all You have done for me. You are the Almighty and all loving God who has saved my soul. I thank You and praise Your Holy name.
AMEN

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Love your Enemies

TODAY’S VERSE
“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.”
Luke 6:35 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes I forget how radical the teachings of Jesus really are. When I am tempted to be benevolent to someone that doesn’t seem deserving, when I am considering forgiving someone who has offended me, when I am accepting someone into my inner community whose background is troubled, I begin to get second doubts. Others start to question what I am doing and my anxiety begins to rise. And then I come to Jesus. I read a passage like today’s and I begin to understand that I don’t even begin to understand. I see the depth of God’s love and I am so far removed. I am so short of what He demanded. Love my enemies? More than that, do good to them? What radical living is this? Being kind to those who are unthankful and wicked? This is what He has done for me, but He is God. How can I love the way He does? It starts by believing what He said to do. To commit myself to be like He was, and with the help of His Holy Spirit, He will begin to love others through me. His ways will become my ways. Today, decide to love the unlovely. Be kind to those who are unkind. Be patient with those that invade your space. Christ is our example, we are called by His name and empowered by His Spirit.
 
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your high standards when it comes to love. Where would I be without it? Surely You have loved me with abandonment. Help me to go and radically love others.
AMEN

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Love God

TODAY’S VERSE
“I love the Lord because”
Psalms 116:1 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I love the Lord because? Go ahead and fill in the blank. The Psalmist includes reasons like, “Saved me from death.” “Listens to me.” “Saves me.” “Is kind and good.” and “Gives help to those in need.” The Apostle John  writes, “We love Him because He first loved us.” How about you? Why do you love the Lord? What is it that you could praise God for? Worship in the expression of praise and gratitude for all that God is and all that He does. Today let worship be a part of your day. Thank God for the many reasons you love Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, I love You. I come now with a heart full of gratitude for all You are and do. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace in my life.
AMEN

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Keep It Simple

TODAY’S VERSE
“Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:32-33

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We can really complicate life, can’t we? There are so many motivations that keep us crazy with demands. There are so many things that we think we must do. We have lost all sense of simplicity. Jesus comes along and would say to us, “Stop the insanity! Stop filling your life with false needs and let Me fulfill your real need.” You see, Jesus knows the “one-thing.” He knows what is really important and He offers it to all His followers. He said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” The real secret to this life is found in the next. If we want success in this life, then we need to live in His Kingdom, instead of our own. We need to live in this world with heaven’s priority. God really does love you. Trust Him, live for Him and He promises that He will give you everything you need.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know my name. You know who I am. You also know my needs. Thank You, Father, that You promised that if I seek Your Kingdom above everything else, You will give me everything I need. So I come to You now, Father, and ask that You would help me live for you. I entrust my needs to You. In Jesus Name.
AMEN

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Shame and Grace

TODAY’S VERSE
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
II Thessalonians 2:15-17 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Shame and grace are perhaps the two of the most powerful words in molding and shaping our beliefs about ourself. Shame keeps us from accepting all the love God has for us. We simply cannot believe. Lewis Smedes in his book, “Shame and Grace” writes, “The feeling of shame is about our very selves – not about something we did or said but about what we are. It tells us that we are unworthy. Totally. It is not a few seams in the garment of our selves need stitching; the whole fabric is frayed. We feel we are unacceptable.” How do we overcome such devastating feelings? How can we ever shake such a deep emotion? Only through God’s grace. Paul says that it is God who loves us and by His grace gives us encouragement and hope. His grace encourages our hearts and strengthens us. Smedes writes, “Grace overcomes shame by simply accepting us, the whole of us, with no regard to our beauty or our ugliness, our virtue or our vices. We are accepted wholesale. Accepted with no possibility of being rejected. Accepted once and forever. Accepted at the ultimate depth of our being. We are given what we have longed for in every nook and nuance of every relationship.” Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. Are you listening? Today, read this devotional again and believe. It is by grace that you are saved. You are loved.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Oh Father, melt my heart. Open me and pour your grace deep into my soul. I believe, but today help my unbelief. Your grace loves me. Your grace saves me. Lord, I renounce my shame and accept your unconditional love. Flood my being with the joy of Your grace I pray. Because of Jesus.
AMEN

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After God’s Own Heart

TODAY’S VERSE
“The one thing I ask of the LORD, the thing I seek most, is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. – My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.’”
Psalms 27:4, 8

“But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’”
Acts 13:22

TODAY’S THOUGHT
David was a shepherd boy who knew and loved God. Because of David’s heart toward God, God called David to be King of all Israel. And a great King he was. But more than a King, David remained a man that sought after the heart of God. I can imagine David in his palace, a long way from the cold nights in the fields with the sheep, wishing he was back in the fields with the stars in the sky, playing his harp and worshiping God. How his heart cried out, “I want to live in the house of the Lord, delighting in Him!” And that is what he did. In fact, his heart did become a house of God. From his heart he wrote  the Psalms. What an offering of worship and praise to God. God would invite us to do the same. What is your heart? Is it a home for God? Is it a Temple of praise and thanksgiving? If not, it can be. Like David, God comes to you and says, “Come and talk with me.” When He does, respond like David and say, “Lord, I am coming.” Today you can begin to be a “person after God’s own heart”.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You have bid me to come to You. I am coming even now.
Like David, I want to be a person after Your own heart. I come today and ask You to take my heart and make it Your home. I want to know You, love You, worship You and live for You this very day. In Jesus Name.
AMEN

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Press On

TODAY’S VERSE
“I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, – But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.”
Philippians 3:13,16 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We find ourselves in so many difficult situations. Often it is so hard to discern God’s will. I could easily spend all my time asking “Why?” I could spend endless hours full of bitterness, fear or sorrow. But then what? What has this accomplished? Isn’t faith about trusting God even when things don’t go the way we think they should? Isn’t it His will for us to let go, trust Him and move on? But we want closure. There must be justice, revenge or something that has a semblance of fairness. Who says? Who started that rumor? Life is not fair. Paul said that we see reality as if we were looking through a dark piece of glass. Things don’t always make sense. But God does. And the best advice anyone can give you was given by Paul. He writes, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” There was too much for Paul to do, too much grace to enjoy, too much love of God to celebrate. Why should we spend all our time looking backwards? Instead, Paul forced himself to look ahead. Why? Because if we are going to make it in this life, Paul says, “we must hold on to the progress we have already made.” Today, hang on to the progress and maturity God has blessed you with. Let go of the past, let it go and press on. Return to joy and live the life God has for you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me press on and not get stuck in the past. Help me look forward to the life You have for me. Help me see Your love, mercy, grace and peace. Help me pursue You and all that You have for me. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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