The Grace, Love, and Fellowship of God

TODAY’S VERSE
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
II Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father and the fellowship with our Holy God’s Spirit. Does it get any better than this? The three keys to life, all found in our Christian experience. The grace of Jesus Christ. Grace, the ability of Christ to see us as we really are and because of His death on the cross, be able to extend unmerited favor upon us, forgiving us, cleansing us and making us whole. The love of God the Father. Love from the one who is love. Perfect love. Unconditional love. Unfathomable love. Unending love. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The comforter has come and He brings a fellowship sweeter than life itself. A deep relationship, teaching us of truth, judgment, and righteousness. A fellowship that results in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. He guides us, protects us, comforts us, teaches us and leads us. Today you can avail yourself of all of this. This is the normal Christian experience that God desires you to have. Today, ask Him to make you keenly aware of the grace of Christ, the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to make it real, deep in your heart.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me see and really understand, deep in my heart, what it means to be filled with the grace of Jesus, the love of the Father, and the fellowship with the Holy Spirit. I desire to know this in all its fullness. In Jesus’ Name.
AMEN

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Focus

TODAY’S VERSE
Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How serious are you about Jesus Christ? How committed are you to living the kind of life He asks you to? It is easy to “talk” about following Jesus but living for Him is another story. He hasn’t asked us to join a club. We were never asked to just become a “member.” Following Jesus is not a hobby or spectator sport. Rather, Christ asks us to be His disciple. We are called to be a disciple with a mission to spread His word and love to everyone we can. The author of Hebrews illustrates this with the metaphor of an athlete. He writes that we have to strip ourselves of those things that prevent us from running our race. And when we run we must run it with endurance. But what really makes the difference, what really motivates us to keep our course, is focus. We focus on the love of Jesus. The love He has for us and the love we have for Him. He was the one who started us on this journey and He will see us through. Rick Renner, in his book, “365 Days of Power” shares a confession of dedication. Today make this your confession. “I declare by faith that I am more deeply in love with Jesus Christ today than at any previous moment in my life. My affection for Him is so deep that I will never turn back to the life from which I’ve been delivered. I have no relational obligations greater than the sense of obligation that I feel for Jesus Christ. He saved me, redeemed me, delivered me, and changed me—and I vow to serve Him for the rest of my life! I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You have heard my confession. I thank You for the call You have on my life. Help me today, to focus on You and the mission of love You have me on. Loosen everything from me that prohibits me from living the way You want me to. Help me run the race You have put me in, with endurance, keeping my eyes on You.
AMEN

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Worship Him

TODAY’S VERSE
Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
Psalms 89:15 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We were created to worship God. It is our highest calling, our number one occupation. Everything else emanates from there. Want to be a better parent? Worship God. Want to love your spouse with your whole heart? Worship God. Want to be truly happy? Worship God. When we truly worship God in Spirit and truth, everything else falls in line. There is something about coming before an Almighty God, having our sins forgiven–knowing full well that we don’t deserve His love but that He loves us unconditionally, that humbles us, makes us appreciate life and all that He gives us. Worshipping Him, because He is and that He is all-loving, kind, powerful, majestic and Holy, lifts us out of ourselves and all our preoccupation with this life. It renews our spirit, resets our vision and encourages our heart. Today, spend time before God in worship. Stop your busyness for a moment, humble yourself before Him and worship Him, love Him and adore Him. When you do, you will sense your true self and the relationship with God that your heart is searching for.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I come to You today in Spirit and in truth to worship You. I join the myriads of angels at Your throne and cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty. You, who died for me, are worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! I worship You. In the matchless name of Jesus.
AMEN

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My Heart His Home

TODAY’S VERSE
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Psalm 84:1-2 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
God never intended to confine Himself to a temple made by human hands. He had a better plan. He created man as a vessel for His very presence by placing a vacuum into the human heart that could only be filled with His presence. The Psalmist illustrates this when he writes, “My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.” Paul makes it crystal clear when he shares, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” What a wondrous concept. So when we read, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD,” we can literally superimpose that image to our very body. His dwelling place, the very courts of the Lord, have found their new home, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, within our own body. Today you don’t have to go anywhere special to worship God. You don’t have to make a pilgrimage or look for lofty cathedrals. His presence abides in you. He who you come to worship is alive in your heart. Bow before Him, enter the gates of your heart with thanksgiving and worship Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for creating Your new temple within my own body. I bow before You as my Lord and Savior. My soul yearns, even faints to be conscious of Your presence. I worship You today in Spirit and truth. In Jesus’ Name.
AMEN

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Power For Your Weaknesses

TODAY’S VERSE
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me.
II Corinthians 12:8-10 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We all have different skills and abilities. Some are natural, some are learned but most are honed through experiences. Good experiences and bad help us mature and add to our personal development. From our experiences, we can reach out and help others. Paul was going through bad circumstances and God told him that He would provide all the grace Paul would need. Paul could then testify to others how God’s grace was all he needed. Thornton Wilder, in “The Angel That Troubled the Waters” writes about a Physician who wanted to be healed but God did not heal him. Instead, an Angel came and said this to the Doctor, “Without your wounds where would your power be? It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and women. The very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children on earth as can one human being broken on the wheels of living. In Love’s service, only wounded soldiers can serve.” Christ wants to allow His power to be used through your weaknesses. Bring your weakness and troubles to Him today and begin helping others in the way Christ helps you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know my struggles, my weaknesses, and my human frailty. I come to You and ask for Your grace to give me all I need to be a wounded healer. Help me relate how Your grace has been sufficient for me. May your power be manifested in my weaknesses today.
AMEN

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Quench My Thirst

TODAY’S VERSE
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the living God.
Psalms 42:1-2 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is a deep thirst in our heart for God. David used the analogy of a deer that has been walking in rough terrain, foraging for food only to build an incredible need for water. Driven by thirst, the deer longs to drink from a stream. In the same way, David says that he had a thirst for God. Brennan Manning writes in his book, “Abba’s Child”, “The deepest desire of our hearts is for union with God. From the first moment of our existence, our most powerful yearning is to fulfill the original purpose of our lives – We are made for God, and nothing less will really satisfy us.” The meadows, though lush with grass, could not give the deer what it needed. The deer longed for water. Likewise, we can try everything imaginable to satisfy our needs but only God can fill the void in our hearts. Have you come to that realization yet? Have you satisfied your soul with the love of Jesus? If not, why not turn to Him today. He will hear you. He will quench your soul’s deepest thirst.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thirst. I thirst deep, deep in my soul. I ask You to come and fill me with Your living waters. Satisfy the longing in my heart and make me whole. In Jesus’ Name.
AMEN

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Help Me Rejoice

TODAY’S VERSE
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What qualifications do you put on happiness? So many times it seems as if we put conditions on whether or not we are going to rejoice. We must be liked. We must be successful. We have to have the right kind of car, house, clothes or social status before we can really find happiness. But what happens if those things that we feel are so important to “who we are” is taken away from us? What if we lose our job or a friendship tanks or we face bankruptcy? What if we are falsely accused of something or our friends turn on us? Then what happens to our peace, joy or happiness? Somehow Habakkuk found the secret. It was in his relationship with God. He was able to rejoice in Him no matter what. He had committed himself to God and when troubles began to brew, he was able to trade his commitment in for trust. Finally, when times were at its worst, his trust allowed him to return to joy from painful situations. This joy came from a deeply trusting relationship with God. Listen to what he said, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” This didn’t happen by accident. Habakkuk had a relationship with God that he could return to over and over again. Today begin with trust. Trust Him with everything you have and everything you need. Trust Him with today, tomorrow and the future. Then, when you need it, just like Habakkuk, your trust will help you return to joy.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me to trust You in all things. Help me to put my hope in You. Help me to rejoice in You no matter what happens. I pray this in Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Walk In the Light

TODAY’S VERSE 

Jesus replied, ‘My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.'” – “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. John 12:35-36, (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Hiking in the darkness is vastly different than hiking in the daytime. Once on a primitive hiking trip, I had to walk an injured person out of the woods to a hospital to get stitched up. It took most of the day. In order to catch up with the rest of the group, we hiked back on the trail during the night. Unfortunately, with so much use, my flashlight became very dim. What a hike! Winding up the mountain, roots form the large trees crossing in the trail, cliffs, animals, ravines, what would be difficult to navigate in daylight became unbearable in the dark. Slowly, using what light we had, we eventually made it back to base camp. How? By focusing on the light! You see, even with dim light, we could see the four or five feet ahead of me. It didn’t matter that thousands of acres were in darkness, I only needed to see the five feet in front of me. Even though our flashlight was dim, no matter how hard it tried, the darkness could not penetrate the light I had. In today’s passage, Jesus told us to, “Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you.” The darkness of sin, doubt, despair, and confusion are always trying to trip us up so we have a choice to make. We can focus on the darkness or we can turn the light on! Might we decide to turn the light of faith, His word and prayer on, living in the joy of knowing Jesus.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know how dark my world can become. Help me to remember to turn on the light of faith, prayer, and Your Word so I can navigate the trail You have in front of me today. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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God’s Presence

TODAY’S VERSE
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
Psalms 27:4 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is easy to get in a rut and seek second best. It can be that way in our Christian experience. We get trapped seeking the “results” of knowing “about” God instead of joy and peace of “knowing” God. We turn our Christian walk into ritual, behaviors, and experiences that bring us some sort of security that all is well, instead of knowing Him and the peace that He can give. Larry Crabb in his book “The Pressure’s Off” writes, “You, therefore, live with uncertainty and pressure, and you demand to know the way to live that will make your life work as you want. You maneuver; you do not trust. You negotiate; you do not worship. You analyze and interpret to gain control over what happens; you do not depend. You seek the better life of God’s blessings over the better hope of God’s presence.” Today might we seek to know and enjoy God’s presence over anything else.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I have sought Your blessings more than Your presence. I have sought what I can gain from knowing about You instead of knowing You. Help me, Father, Your presence is the blessing I seek.
AMEN

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Spiritual Victory

TODAY’S VERSE
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.
I Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is a spiritual reality that we need to be aware of. Peter warns us that we are in a battle and that “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The good news is that God has given us everything for the victory. He has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us, His word to teach us and His presence to protect us. As a result, we can obey Peter when he tells us to be self-controlled and alert, to resist Satan standing firm in the faith. James tells us that if we “resist the devil”, the devil will flee from us. So, today let us resist the lies of Satan, stand firm in our faith in God and be victorious.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You that the Spiritual battle we are in has already been won. Thank You that You have provided all I need for the victory. Help me today to stand firm on Your promises, to be self-controlled and alert and to resist the schemes of Satan.
AMEN

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