Open My Eyes

TODAY’S VERSE
“And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
II Kings 6:13-17

TODAY’S THOUGHT
This a great Biblical story. The King of Aram was at war with Israel and every time they made a military move, God told Elisha, who told the Israelites. It was so bad that the King of Aram thought he had a spy in their midst. But the officers told the King, “No, Elisha is telling the Israelites our plans.” So the King was angry and asked his armies to go get Elisha. Elisha’s servant saw the army approaching on horses and chariots, surrounding their camp and he was scared to death. But Elisha saw a heavenly reality that made all the difference in the world. He was at peace and asked God to give the servant the same perspective. The Lord opened the servant’s eyes to the heavenly reality of their situation. Can you imagine how he must have felt? It would be like a person who was raised in the deep jungle seeing America for the first time. Telephones, videos, automobiles, restaurants, airplanes. How different the two worlds are. Yet, what do we know of heaven? What do we know of God’s power available to us? What do we know of His infinite riches and power toward us who believe? It made all the difference when the servant saw the heavenly resources there on his behalf. Would it make a difference in your day today if you knew more about the Heavenly reality waiting to bust in on yours? I pray for you what Elisha prayed, “May God open your eyes so you may see.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I confess, I spend much of my time blind to Your presence. Blind to Your power. Blind to Your heavenly reality all around me. Help me Lord, to see all of Your vast love and resources You have available for me today. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Choices

TODAY’S VERSE
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:4-6
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 1:1

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There are many choices to make in life. How are we to integrate our faith into making major life decisions? First, we see in this passage, that we are to “trust in the Lord with all our heart.” This is more than head knowledge, it is experiential knowledge. This “knowing” has gone past our brain into our experience so that it finally resides in our inner being. It is not a “blind faith,” it is what the author of Hebrews calls “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” It is out of our relationship with God that we “seek His will in all we do” and God is faithful to lead us and show us which path to take.  What is it that you need help with? What is it that you need to decide? Seek God’s help today. Pray over the issue at hand. Seek counsel, apply wisdom, pray much and then allow Him to guide you. Let Him work in your heart and mind. He promises He will.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, some decisions are so hard. I find myself so many times baffled at what to do. Situations where I have dug myself into a hole, consequences of other people’s sins, circumstances beyond my control – all of these have often left me rocking. Father, help me trust in You with all my heart today. Increase my faith. Impart Your wisdom to me and lead me in the way I should go. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Word And Power

TODAY’S VERSE
“Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.”
Mark 12:24 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How clearer can it get? In one sentence Jesus identified the problem most of us have with our Christian experience. Are we doubting God? Cynical about life?  Lack of faith? Frustration with circumstances? Sin having reign in our life? It could be that we are guilty of the same problems the Sadducees, religious leaders, had. Jesus said that they did not know the scriptures or the power of God. Knowing the Bible is crucial to our Christian life. Paul wrote to Timothy that “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.” And it is the power of God that we depend on to get us through this life. Again Paul wrote, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.” Today, let us come to God and begin to know His word. Let us begin to believe in His power. Otherwise, as Jesus implied, we will be making a serious mistake.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, forgive me for I have doubted Your power and have not spent enough time in Your word. Help me to know You and Your word more. Help me to increase my faith and put my trust in both Your word and power.
AMEN

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The Battle Is In The Mind

TODAY’S VERSE
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
II Corinthians 10:5
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Philippians 4:8

TODAY’S THOUGHT
When it comes to the many struggles in life, the real battle is often in the mind. James writes, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1) That is why Paul tells us to demolish those thoughts that stand against what God wants for us. We are in a spiritual battle and need to take every stray thought captive and repent; correct it the way God would have us correct it. If I am hating someone, I need to capture the hateful thoughts, realize that they are wrong, ask forgiveness and choose not to hate. Paul also gives us a second way to win the victory in the battle for our mind. He says that we need to discipline our thinking so it focuses on thoughts that are worthy of praising God for. Those thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable and excellent. Anger, bitterness, hate, jealously, fear, anxiety – these negative emotions can literally kill us. They are joy robbers. They suck the life right out of us. Greed, selfishness, pride, and thoughts that are worldly keep us from living for God. The good news is that God has not left you powerless. You have a choice. Take responsibility for your thought life. Capture the negative thoughts and focus on the good ones. Today, choose your thoughts wisely.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, so much goes on in my head. Help me today, dear Jesus, to bring every thought captive and realign them to where they are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable and excellent. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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The Holy Spirit, Our Counselor!

TODAY’S VERSE
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:26

TODAY’S THOUGHT
One of the great roles of the Holy Spirit in our life is that of a counselor. Some translations us the word comforter. The Holy Spirit is able to give us insight, wisdom and peace by directly communing with our inner being. He is able to speak truth to us. The Holy Spirit is the inward expression of God and is able to encourage and give us assurance and hope. But how do we become comfortable with the comforter? How do we avail ourself of this wonderful part of God? It is like any other relationship; it takes time. We need to take the time to attune ourself to God and ask Him to speak to us through the Holy Spirit. As we read the Bible, spend time in prayer, begin to ask questions we will find ourself drawn to God and listening to His sweet voice through the power of His Holy Spirit. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I pray that You will speak to me through Your Holy Spirit. Guide me, direct my path, counsel me in all that I need and do. In Jesus’ name I pray.
AMEN

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Self Awareness

TODAY’S VERSE
“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
Revelation 3:17 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
In his book “Practicing Greatness” Reggie McNeal gives seven disciplines to improve our spirituality. The first one is the discipline of self awareness. This is critical if we are going to live the way Christ asks us to. Why? Because it is so easy to deceive ourselves. Look at the Pharisees. They thought they were doing everything God required of them to be holy and yet Jesus constantly pointed out how far they missed the target of true Holiness. It was that way with the early church. In Revelation John wrote what God told him to write about the churches. When it came to the church in Laodicea, John pointed out that they lacked self awareness. Because they were rich and had many things, they felt they didn’t lack anything. However, God pointed out to them that they were deceived. In reality they were spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. The good news is that we don’t have to be this way; but unless we are aware of our spiritual condition, we will never take the steps to correct ourselves. So how do we know? How can we find out where we are spiritually? Insight comes when we spend time with God. When we open ourselves to hear His voice, read His word and spend time in introspection. As we humble ourselves before God, spend time with Him and listen to His leading, He will guide us. He will correct us. He will help us discern what we need to change. Today, talk to God. Ask Him to make you aware of your spiritual condition. Might we pray with David when he wrote, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
 
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me become more self aware of my true spiritual attitudes. Help me to be honest with myself and with You. Help me see if there is any offensive way in me and then lead me in a more spiritual path. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Wait On Him

TODAY’S VERSE
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.”
Psalms 62:5 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Why is it so hard to wait on God? It is much easier to fret and worry. Or to take matters into our own hands and do things our own way. 
Perhaps it is because we have an intellectual assent toward God instead of a heartfelt surrender to Him. We “know about” God, but barely know Him. I love the fact that the Psalmist says, “Let all that I am wait quietly before the Lord.” There is a soulful sound to that phrase. A surrender of the heart, a heart that is expectant of those things that the Prophet Isaiah talked about when he wrote, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” And so today let us wait. Stop and commit yourself to Him. Trust Him. Surrender to Him and let Him renew your strength. Today, put your hope in Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I come to You today with all that I am. I come and wait before You. I put my trust in You, I put all my hope in You. Renew my strength I pray. Speak to my heart and make me whole. In Jesus’ name I pray.
AMEN

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Maturity

TODAY’S VERSE
“Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.”
II Corinthians 13:11 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It was Paul’s desire that the church in Corinth mature. The church was full of confusion, sin and strife but Paul did not give up. Instead, he sent them a letter and at the end of his writing he appealed one more time for them to mature. They needed to change their behavior if they were going to be effective in their Christian walk. Paul wanted them to be joyful and the way he suggested that they do that was to encourage each other. Joy comes from Godly encouraging relationships. Nothing is more important than each of us committing ourselves to encourage others. Nothing works like encouragement in helping us live in harmony and peace. And the result of our harmony and peace is the fellowship of God Himself, the one and true God of love and peace. Today chose maturity by being an encourager and live in harmony and peace with those around you. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me become more and more mature. Help me be an encourager, living in harmony and peace with everyone I come into contact with. Thank You, Father, that when I do make this effort to obey You that You are right there with me filling me with Your love and peace. Help me love like You do. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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True Light

TODAY’S VERSE
“If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment.”
Isaiah 50:10-11 (NLT)

“Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
II Corinthians 11:14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
When we are in the dark, we tend to think that any light will do. But that is not true. I started one night on a four hour hike into a deep forest along a mountain trail. I had no choice, I had to go. But to my dismay, all I had was a flashlight with poor batteries. As the light failed, the walk ended up more like eight hours. You can’t tell me that the kind of light you have doesn’t make a difference. It was the hardest trek of my life because the light I had was no good.  The prophet Isaiah is warning us that when it gets dark, we need trust in God, not our own light. How often can we become deceived by good sounding logic? Paul warns us that Satan comes to us masquerading as an angel of light! Today there are all kinds of self-help messages. While a lot of what is said is good, nothing can replace the light of God, His word and His presence. Spend time with Him. Use His light. Nothing else will light up your path like the light of Jesus and his word. 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Jesus, You said that You are the light of the world.  Please come today and direct my path. Show me the way. Keep me from falling prey to a deceiving light and false direction. I commit myself and my journey to You.
AMEN

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Believe

 TODAY’S VERSE
“For they did not believe God or trust him to care for them.”
Psalms 78:22 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is a fine line between trust and faith. The Children of Israel were in the wilderness, a hard and barren land. It was a difficult and cruel existence. Even though God had promised to take care of them, they did not believe it. It was hard for them to trust God to provide for them. It is hard to trust with your mind when your feet are in a precarious place. That is when trust needs to turn into faith. They would need faith that He would take care of them. This is where the Israelites failed. Like us, instead of faith, they chose murmuring and complaining. They looked around and saw nothing but rocks and a hot and barren land. They did not see God. Today, might we open our eyes to the reality of God in our own situation. Might we trust God for a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Might we taste the Manna and drink of the water from the rock. Today, let us rejoice, for He is Jehovah-jireh, the Lord our provider.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, forgive me for my complaining. Forgive me when I forget that You love me and are my provider. I lay my needs at Your feet and give You all my trust and faith.
AMEN

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