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I receive these blurbs by text message almost
every morning through a friend of mine, who gets
them from a friend of his, who writes them himself.
They have been such an encouragement to me!
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EMPTINESS? PURPOSE.
1. God wants us to know that He has made us to find meaning in Him. Feelings of emptiness should be a signal to us that we need to focus more on our walk with Him. Anything else that we look to as a way to fill up our emptiness is an idol to us. We are allowing that thing or activity to take the place that only God should have in our lives. God will oppose that misplaced allegiance. You'll never find the peace, meaning, fulfilment and wholeness that you seek until you find it in God. But when you truly build your life around God, He'll meet every need. DO YOUR BEST AND GOD WILL DO THE REST!!!!
THE LORD'S RETURN
2. One day the Lord Jesus Christ will return. And the Bible says "To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation".(Hebrews 9:28) Are you ready for that day? Are you ready for His return? He is coming for those who are watching and waiting. Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? Maybe you have religion. Maybe you have ritual. Maybe you have morality. But these will not get you to heaven. Only Jesus will.
THANKFULNESS
3. It's wonderful when your children say thank you. And in the same way, our Father in heaven longs for His children to continually express thanksgiving because its when you and I express those feelings to Him that He is pleased. So remember to always express your thankfulness to God for who He is and what He has done for you!
REAL LIFE
4. Real life is gained by the death of Jesus Christ. And eternal life is not just going to heaven when you die; its Christ coming out of heaven and into your heart by faith and trust in Him. That is life! Do you want to really live? Trust in the One who died for you, then die to yourself. There's no other way it can be done. And when you give your own self up for a life lived in Christ, you'll discover that life any other way is not life at all!
THE ISSUES OF LIFE
5. When we start redefining what God has said about morality, sexuality, spirituality, marriage, love, or any other area of right and wrong, we are setting ourselves against who God is and how He has revealed Himself. Today the Lord is reminding us to go to His Word for our guidance on the issues of life. It makes life so much simpler and ultimately sweeter when we trust God's wisdom and obey Him!
SATISFACTION IN CHRIST
6. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14). When it comes to making the decisions that shape who you are, remember that while sin brings pleasure for a little while, it can never give you the kind of joy you can only have when you walk with Christ. Live your life in obedience to Christ because while sin may gratify your desires, it can never satisfy.
GRATITUDE
7. Gratitude will create joy in your life. It counteracts all of those damaging and destructive emotions that come your way. Its the antidote for negative emotions like worry, anxiety, and fear because it is impossible to stay negative when you're rejoicing and thanking God. So live your life with an attitude of gratitude to God for all of His abundant blessings. When you do that you'll discover that the worries and stresses of this world will grow dimmer as Gods light shines in your life.
DELIGHT IN GOD
8. The one thing that will matter to you the most for all eternity-your living relationship with God Himself. Today God wants you to know that if you will make Him your deepest desire then He will satisfy your desire. Do you desire love, acceptance, forgiveness, purpose, security, joy, peace? You will find it all-and more-in Him. The only way to be truly satisfied in life is to make God the great delight and enjoyment of your heart.
GIVE THANKS
9. Many Christians see Gods provision over and over again, yet they become so accustomed to it that they develop a sense of entitlement. Do you give thanks as you should for Gods provision in your life? Are you content with the direction He's taking you? Or do you think "God this is a little over your head. You better let me take over since I know what's best". God is never in over His head. Trust in Him to provide for you and be thankful when He does.
PERFECT INNER PEACE
10. You may be feeling like the pressure of your life is overwhelming you today. But there's great news! God has promised you perfect inner peace that cannot be explained. And because of that you can face the worries and cares of the world with the confidence that God is much bigger than anything that can come against you. So when anxieties of life rear their ugly heads, remember that in Christ, you can face any worry knowing that God is on your side!
DEPRESSION
11. Frustration that isn't handled well may develop into depression, which can in turn estrange us from others--people do not enjoy the company of someone who's bitter and defeated. Though we'll all face disappointment believers are not to wallow in it. Instead God wants us to trust Him with everything- even our unmet expectations and deepest sadness.
Remember there is divine purpose for everything He allows to touch His children's lives.(Romans 8:28)
SHINE GOD'S LIGHT
12. Jesus has given His people the unique privilege of being His light in the world. But the light that we shine in the darkness is not our own. We like the moon reflect the light of a power much greater than ourselves. As Gods people you and I are to simply be reflections of Gods light to a dark world. So shine Gods light by living a Christ-filled life to a watching and waiting world. You'll make a significant impact for Christ on the people around you!
THE LIVING WORD
13. Because the Bible is inspired (God-breathed) it is life's final and ultimate authority. The Bible is the "last word" on issues pertaining to God and His ways. No individual, institution, or organization can supersede the authority of Scripture. The Bible is the book for everyone. It is revelation, inspiration and communication of the Person and plan of the eternal, living and powerful God.
A SOUND MIND
14. The basis for a sound mind is the Word of God. The more you know Gods promises and the more you live according to His commandments the greater your strength to withstand fear. Use Scripture to speak directly to the source of your fear. When you feel gripped by fear, turn your gaze upon God, redirect your heart to love, speak to your fear from the Word of God, and then respond boldly to the situation.
BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE
15. The Lord desires that you be strong and of good courage. Obedience can be a challenge especially when we feel tempted to believe that we stand to lose more through our obedience than we might gain. Obeying God is essential to pleasing Him, however, not just in times of temptation, but at all times. Obedience may not be viewed as popular but it will always put you in a favorable position before God. Therefore stay on the path of obedience and leave all the consequences to Him.
PURSUE HIM
16. A personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ has the potential to be more intimately satisfying than any earthly connection. Dedicating time to knowing and experiencing God is a critical step toward a satisfying walk with Him. Begin today by making a pledge to pursue Him more diligently and taking time in your schedule for regular study and prayer. Your heavenly Father is waiting to meet with you.
PITS AND DELIVERANCE
17. As I look at my own life, I can see that I have fallen into pits at various times because I did not listen to God's warnings. There have been times I have been too busy to perceive the fact that God was talking to me. It wasn't that God wasn?t warning me. He was. I just had a bunch of other things going on in my life and was not taking time to listen to Him. He is always faithful to warn us. It's just that we are not always faithful to listen. So if you find yourself in a pit today because you did not heed God's warning, just say, "God, I'm sorry." Repent. God will forgive you. And you will be in the position to receive His deliverance.
FAITH
18. Faith demands risk. In fact, the very nature of faith is risky because if you believe God and leave your comfort zone not knowing where you're going, there's the risk of failure. But a big faith is a faith that risks! So many people today want to just live in their comfort zone. But that's not where faith works. Faith works where there's the possibility of failure. So when it comes to building your faith, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and trust God the entire way!
FAMILY UNITY
19. God hates divorce. God wants your family to be united, to live under His Lordship and to serve Him. And when you keep the main thing the main thing, you'll see how unity, love, and peace fill your home as you live in obedience to your Heavenly Father. The best way to keep your family together is to live under the Lordship of Christ. So set a Godly example for your children by living a life of worship.
SIN AND GRACE
20. Did your sinfulness keep God from reaching out to you in love and offering you His grace and forgiveness? No. Now consider this ? if God loved you enough to show you grace when you were His "enemy", why wouldn't He hold you in His grace when you sin now that you are His child? If you've sinned, rest assured that God knew that sin was in your future when He first chose to offer you salvation. And God has not only forgiven you, He's given you Himself. He wants to live through you the kind of life you're unable to live on your own. Will you allow God to live through you today?
LORD OVER ALL
21. So often these days, I see people who become so star struck with celebrities, personalities and even pastors that they forget who the object of their attention should be. While there's nothing wrong with respecting and praying for people in high positions its important to always remember that God is the only one who can give and take away status or fame in a heartbeat. Remember that God is Lord over all and He is the only one who deserves your devotion!
ETERNAL LIFE
22. Eternal life is a different quality of life; it is Gods life in you. God is at work in your inner life to make you more like Jesus Christ. The more you allow God to lead your life, the more you experience of His beautiful life flowing from your innermost being. God is reminding you today of the vastness of what He has given you in Christ and He is inviting you to trust His love for you and allow Him to lead and direct your life.
HIS BLOOD
23. Each time you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death for you. You discern that the Lord's body was broken so that your body can be whole. You discern that His healthy body has borne your diseases and pains, so that your body can be well. So when you eat the bread, you say that by His stripes you are healed. And when you drink the cup, you are drinking the life of Jesus which is in His blood. Beloved, the life of Jesus is pain-free, disease-free and poverty-free. It attracts the favor and blessings of God. And because you have that life in you, it causes good things to happen to you!
YOUR GUILT. HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
24. Jesus has existed for all eternity as God the Son, in perfect loving relationship with God the Father and with the Holy Spirit. When He also became a man, he lived in this fallen world, experienced the pains of mortal life, was hurt and abused by others, and finally had all mankind's evil guilt placed on His beautiful pure soul. His relationship with God the Father was ripped apart. He took your sin, and gave you His righteousness. He died for you so that you could live with God. What would be too much for you to do for Him who loves you like that?
JUST THE BEGINNING OF HIS GRACE
25. God's grace is so much greater than you realize. We were "children of wrath". We deserved God's judgment. But God's love and mercy moved Him to act in grace, not giving us what we deserve, but giving us unbelievable restoration of our inner being to a wonderful relationship with Him. Still, God wants you to see today that this was just the beginning of His grace in your life. God intends to keep on pouring His grace out on your life, showering you with His kindness for ages into the future.
HOPE IN GOD
26. Our hope should never be set on others. Our hope should be set on Christ. Certainly, there are times when we need one another. God created us with a need for fellowship. There is no way to live life apart from interaction with others. However, our hope always needs to be set on God first and above all else. If we set it on man, we will be disappointed every time.
TRIALS
27. Whatever problem or trial you are facing, there is only one person who can show you the right way to deal with it. If it is a problem with loneliness, Jesus promises to be your everlasting friend. If it is an overwhelming sense of sorrow after the death of a loved one, He will comfort you and listen to your prayers with compassion and care. Trust Him and you will receive the peace you seek and most of all you will have hope for the future.
EMPTY HANDS
28. God asks us to live in obedience to His Word, and our behavior should imitate Christ. But what a liberating thought that we don't need to be "good enough" for God's love! In the Book of Galatians, the apostle Paul's anger toward the Judaizers was justified. They were trying to change the Gospel of grace by adding required works (Galatians 1:9). Paul's message was clear: It's either the Gospel of grace or it's not the Gospel at all. Do you worry about being good enough for God? Filling your hands with good works is not the answer. Show Him empty hands, and ask Him to fill them with His grace.
TRUST HIM
29. God is saying that He is a God of supernatural positioning. Even when all our earthly connections are gone, the moment we turn to Him, He will find ways to turn our captivity into blessings. My friend, don?t look at your natural circumstances and be discouraged. Trust the One who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Trust Him who qualifies the disqualified!
TO OBEY, OR NOT TO OBEY
30. In reality no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not only the sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future. The good news of Christ's grace and forgiveness is our only hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin's consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to God.
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS ...... BAD NEWS, GOOD NEWS
31. Everyone loves some good news, right? But it takes bad news to make the good news good. The Good News of Christ is only good if you know the bad news: you're a sinner. But when Christ reaches down and saves you out of the pit of your sinfulness, that's the best news anyone could ever hear. And the best way you can respond is by living your life fully for Jesus!
REALITY.
32. You don't want to be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal, all noise and no reality. God is reminding you today that the measure of the reality of your Christian life is your love for the people around you. The fact that you really get into worship, or seem super spiritual at church is only meaningful if you also show Jesus' love to the people in your life. So, how much reality (love) flows from your life? Love is the most important aspect of our lives!
LOVE.
33. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. This kind of love is impossible for us to generate. You don't have to somehow work it up. It doesn't originate with you at all. Its Gods life,His love,at work in and through you. If you struggle to see love motivating your life, invite God to love those in your life through you. Pray about it each morning. Think of the people in your life and ask God to love them through you.
YOU'VE NEVER FALLEN TOO FAR
34. God will never leave you. No matter how many times you mess up or walk away from Him, He'll always be there, ready to welcome you home. So if you think that you've messed up too badly to come back to God, remember that He will never leave or forsake you! YOU'VE NEVER FALLEN TOO FAR FOR GOD TO FORGIVE YOU. SO NO MATTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN LIFE, YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO HIM.
WHAT ARE YOU PLANTING TODAY?
35. We harvest only what has been planted. I mean, how clear is that? You can't harvest stuff if you don't plant it. Farmers never decide to skip the planting and just pray for corn! Good results spring from good choices; you know what comes from bad choices! Too often we forget that we're planting every day.
GRACE & MERCY
36. None of us deserves grace, but we all hope for mercy. It's important to understand the difference between these two words so we can fully grasp the extent of God's love for us. Think of it this way: Mercy is God withholding the punishment we rightfully deserve (Romans 5:8; 6:23). Grace is God not only withholding that punishment but also offering the most precious of gifts--His Son (John 1:1, 14, 17).
KINDNESS vs. GOOD DEEDS
37. There's a biblical balance when it comes to acts of kindness and good deeds. Our lives should be filled with them, as flowers filling a springtime meadow. But we don't labor for the Lord from necessity but from love. The aim of spiritual maturity isn't to become more acceptable to God, for we are already fully accepted by Him through the blood of Christ. When we're justified by grace through faith, the righteousness of Christ is credited to our account. Thereafter we live a life of service because we love Him who has already accepted us in Christ.
WE ARE ON DISPLAY
38. God is putting us in His display case, both now and into eternity, so that when people see us, they will declare not what great Christians we are, but what a great God we have. The bottom line is that God has saved us now and for eternity as a testimony to His glory! Your salvation is much more about God than it is about you. So live your life to bring Him glory and show others what a wonderful God you have!
BLESSINGS & DIFFICULTY
39. God's blessings in your life are sometimes conditional. God withholds blessing to get your attention and bring you to repentance. But even that is an act of love. Sometimes God lets you go through difficulty when you don't need to repent. He is giving you the opportunity to grow closer to Him, or to minister to someone. But His love for you is unconditional and unchanging. You can always rely on that truth. Is God asking you to trust Him about something today?
HE IS TRUSTWORTHY
40. God wants you to learn to trust Him with those things that make you anxious. Has anything ever changed because you were anxious about it? No, but things change when we bring them to God in prayer. It is important to acknowledge that God will not always work the situation out the way you wanted Him to. But if you begin trusting God with everything, you will soon see that He is trustworthy and you will find His peace in your heart.
WORSHIP
41. Worship is not a place or an event. It is a way of life.
PRAYER
42. In prayer you share your innermost thoughts, needs, and feelings, whether beautiful or ugly and you think deeply on Scripture, allowing God to speak to you. You acknowledge God's place as the leader of your life. As you do so, God shares His heart with you and you will find that your requests take on a more heavenly perspective, as if they are flowing from God's own heart, with the full assurance of God's responding answer.
TAKING NOTE
43. God wants you to know that He does not record your sins or failures today. Instead He records your faith confessions and deeds done in response to what His Son has done for you. Every time you sin, every time you waiver in your faith, God does not record it. But every time you believe in Him and respond in faith, He records it! That should not make you want to sin more, it should free you to love God more.
THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT
44. God never intended for you to get better, because you can't improve flesh. But the Holy Spirit who is living inside you, will enable and live through you. Flesh is insufficient. Only the Holy Spirit living inside us has the strength and wisdom to live out the Christian life victoriously. That's why God gave Him to us. Through the Spirit we reap all the benefits of a righteous and godly life. And that's why He in dwells every follower of Christ.
OUR SHEPHERD. OUR FATHER.
45. God is our Shepherd. Jesus says, "Do not fear, little flock." If we are God's flock, then He is our Shepherd. The idea is that with God as our Shepherd, we have no reason to fear. Not only is God our Shepherd, He is also our Father. Like an earthly father who knows how to give good gifts to his children, our Father in heaven gives good things to His children who ask Him. We don't have to be afraid because we have a loving Father in heaven.
DEVOTION
46. The only spiritual service that honors and pleases God is the loving, thoughtful, heartfelt devotion of His children who give themselves totally to Him. Tell God you love Him, and think of some ways you can pour His love into those around you.
EARTHLY vs. ETERNAL RICHES
47. True wealth comes when we learn to seek God for every need we have and we live within the framework that He has given us. When we do this, we begin to trust and rely only on Him. It also places us in a position for great blessing because He will never leave us feeling hopeless or abandoned. Instead, we gain a growing sense of His intimate care and love for us. If you could choose earthly wealth and riches or God's eternal love, which one would you choose? Your answer reveals alot about how much you value and treasure the Lord.
THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS
48. To be pure in heart is to seek to live a holy life, and that is the secret to happiness. If you want to be happy, seek to be holy. As martyn Lloyd Jones said, "Seek for happiness and you will never find it. Seek righteousness and you will discover you are happy. It will be there without your knowing it, without your seeking it."
A BEAUTIFUL EXCHANGE
49. When Christ went to the cross He made an exchange. He paid the ransom on your life to God the Father, who poured out His wrath on Jesus instead of pouring His wrath on you and me. And it's that beautiful exchange that enables us to have eternal life by putting your faith in Christ. In your sin, you're held in bondage. But Christ has set you free. So as you live out your life as a Christian, always remember that you've been bought with the price of Jesus' life and can live with God forever because of your wonderful redemption!
A HEALTHY RESPONSE
50. God's first focus in your life is a deep inner healing of the damage that sin has inflicted on your inner person! There's one ingredient of this inner healing that you bring to the relationship, and that's responsiveness to God. He'll do it all, as long as you respond to Him when He convicts you of sin or calls you to action. How do you need to respond to God today?
1. God wants us to know that He has made us to find meaning in Him. Feelings of emptiness should be a signal to us that we need to focus more on our walk with Him. Anything else that we look to as a way to fill up our emptiness is an idol to us. We are allowing that thing or activity to take the place that only God should have in our lives. God will oppose that misplaced allegiance. You'll never find the peace, meaning, fulfilment and wholeness that you seek until you find it in God. But when you truly build your life around God, He'll meet every need. DO YOUR BEST AND GOD WILL DO THE REST!!!!
THE LORD'S RETURN
2. One day the Lord Jesus Christ will return. And the Bible says "To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation".(Hebrews 9:28) Are you ready for that day? Are you ready for His return? He is coming for those who are watching and waiting. Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? Maybe you have religion. Maybe you have ritual. Maybe you have morality. But these will not get you to heaven. Only Jesus will.
THANKFULNESS
3. It's wonderful when your children say thank you. And in the same way, our Father in heaven longs for His children to continually express thanksgiving because its when you and I express those feelings to Him that He is pleased. So remember to always express your thankfulness to God for who He is and what He has done for you!
REAL LIFE
4. Real life is gained by the death of Jesus Christ. And eternal life is not just going to heaven when you die; its Christ coming out of heaven and into your heart by faith and trust in Him. That is life! Do you want to really live? Trust in the One who died for you, then die to yourself. There's no other way it can be done. And when you give your own self up for a life lived in Christ, you'll discover that life any other way is not life at all!
THE ISSUES OF LIFE
5. When we start redefining what God has said about morality, sexuality, spirituality, marriage, love, or any other area of right and wrong, we are setting ourselves against who God is and how He has revealed Himself. Today the Lord is reminding us to go to His Word for our guidance on the issues of life. It makes life so much simpler and ultimately sweeter when we trust God's wisdom and obey Him!
SATISFACTION IN CHRIST
6. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14). When it comes to making the decisions that shape who you are, remember that while sin brings pleasure for a little while, it can never give you the kind of joy you can only have when you walk with Christ. Live your life in obedience to Christ because while sin may gratify your desires, it can never satisfy.
GRATITUDE
7. Gratitude will create joy in your life. It counteracts all of those damaging and destructive emotions that come your way. Its the antidote for negative emotions like worry, anxiety, and fear because it is impossible to stay negative when you're rejoicing and thanking God. So live your life with an attitude of gratitude to God for all of His abundant blessings. When you do that you'll discover that the worries and stresses of this world will grow dimmer as Gods light shines in your life.
DELIGHT IN GOD
8. The one thing that will matter to you the most for all eternity-your living relationship with God Himself. Today God wants you to know that if you will make Him your deepest desire then He will satisfy your desire. Do you desire love, acceptance, forgiveness, purpose, security, joy, peace? You will find it all-and more-in Him. The only way to be truly satisfied in life is to make God the great delight and enjoyment of your heart.
GIVE THANKS
9. Many Christians see Gods provision over and over again, yet they become so accustomed to it that they develop a sense of entitlement. Do you give thanks as you should for Gods provision in your life? Are you content with the direction He's taking you? Or do you think "God this is a little over your head. You better let me take over since I know what's best". God is never in over His head. Trust in Him to provide for you and be thankful when He does.
PERFECT INNER PEACE
10. You may be feeling like the pressure of your life is overwhelming you today. But there's great news! God has promised you perfect inner peace that cannot be explained. And because of that you can face the worries and cares of the world with the confidence that God is much bigger than anything that can come against you. So when anxieties of life rear their ugly heads, remember that in Christ, you can face any worry knowing that God is on your side!
DEPRESSION
11. Frustration that isn't handled well may develop into depression, which can in turn estrange us from others--people do not enjoy the company of someone who's bitter and defeated. Though we'll all face disappointment believers are not to wallow in it. Instead God wants us to trust Him with everything- even our unmet expectations and deepest sadness.
Remember there is divine purpose for everything He allows to touch His children's lives.(Romans 8:28)
SHINE GOD'S LIGHT
12. Jesus has given His people the unique privilege of being His light in the world. But the light that we shine in the darkness is not our own. We like the moon reflect the light of a power much greater than ourselves. As Gods people you and I are to simply be reflections of Gods light to a dark world. So shine Gods light by living a Christ-filled life to a watching and waiting world. You'll make a significant impact for Christ on the people around you!
THE LIVING WORD
13. Because the Bible is inspired (God-breathed) it is life's final and ultimate authority. The Bible is the "last word" on issues pertaining to God and His ways. No individual, institution, or organization can supersede the authority of Scripture. The Bible is the book for everyone. It is revelation, inspiration and communication of the Person and plan of the eternal, living and powerful God.
A SOUND MIND
14. The basis for a sound mind is the Word of God. The more you know Gods promises and the more you live according to His commandments the greater your strength to withstand fear. Use Scripture to speak directly to the source of your fear. When you feel gripped by fear, turn your gaze upon God, redirect your heart to love, speak to your fear from the Word of God, and then respond boldly to the situation.
BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE
15. The Lord desires that you be strong and of good courage. Obedience can be a challenge especially when we feel tempted to believe that we stand to lose more through our obedience than we might gain. Obeying God is essential to pleasing Him, however, not just in times of temptation, but at all times. Obedience may not be viewed as popular but it will always put you in a favorable position before God. Therefore stay on the path of obedience and leave all the consequences to Him.
PURSUE HIM
16. A personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ has the potential to be more intimately satisfying than any earthly connection. Dedicating time to knowing and experiencing God is a critical step toward a satisfying walk with Him. Begin today by making a pledge to pursue Him more diligently and taking time in your schedule for regular study and prayer. Your heavenly Father is waiting to meet with you.
PITS AND DELIVERANCE
17. As I look at my own life, I can see that I have fallen into pits at various times because I did not listen to God's warnings. There have been times I have been too busy to perceive the fact that God was talking to me. It wasn't that God wasn?t warning me. He was. I just had a bunch of other things going on in my life and was not taking time to listen to Him. He is always faithful to warn us. It's just that we are not always faithful to listen. So if you find yourself in a pit today because you did not heed God's warning, just say, "God, I'm sorry." Repent. God will forgive you. And you will be in the position to receive His deliverance.
FAITH
18. Faith demands risk. In fact, the very nature of faith is risky because if you believe God and leave your comfort zone not knowing where you're going, there's the risk of failure. But a big faith is a faith that risks! So many people today want to just live in their comfort zone. But that's not where faith works. Faith works where there's the possibility of failure. So when it comes to building your faith, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and trust God the entire way!
FAMILY UNITY
19. God hates divorce. God wants your family to be united, to live under His Lordship and to serve Him. And when you keep the main thing the main thing, you'll see how unity, love, and peace fill your home as you live in obedience to your Heavenly Father. The best way to keep your family together is to live under the Lordship of Christ. So set a Godly example for your children by living a life of worship.
SIN AND GRACE
20. Did your sinfulness keep God from reaching out to you in love and offering you His grace and forgiveness? No. Now consider this ? if God loved you enough to show you grace when you were His "enemy", why wouldn't He hold you in His grace when you sin now that you are His child? If you've sinned, rest assured that God knew that sin was in your future when He first chose to offer you salvation. And God has not only forgiven you, He's given you Himself. He wants to live through you the kind of life you're unable to live on your own. Will you allow God to live through you today?
LORD OVER ALL
21. So often these days, I see people who become so star struck with celebrities, personalities and even pastors that they forget who the object of their attention should be. While there's nothing wrong with respecting and praying for people in high positions its important to always remember that God is the only one who can give and take away status or fame in a heartbeat. Remember that God is Lord over all and He is the only one who deserves your devotion!
ETERNAL LIFE
22. Eternal life is a different quality of life; it is Gods life in you. God is at work in your inner life to make you more like Jesus Christ. The more you allow God to lead your life, the more you experience of His beautiful life flowing from your innermost being. God is reminding you today of the vastness of what He has given you in Christ and He is inviting you to trust His love for you and allow Him to lead and direct your life.
HIS BLOOD
23. Each time you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death for you. You discern that the Lord's body was broken so that your body can be whole. You discern that His healthy body has borne your diseases and pains, so that your body can be well. So when you eat the bread, you say that by His stripes you are healed. And when you drink the cup, you are drinking the life of Jesus which is in His blood. Beloved, the life of Jesus is pain-free, disease-free and poverty-free. It attracts the favor and blessings of God. And because you have that life in you, it causes good things to happen to you!
YOUR GUILT. HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
24. Jesus has existed for all eternity as God the Son, in perfect loving relationship with God the Father and with the Holy Spirit. When He also became a man, he lived in this fallen world, experienced the pains of mortal life, was hurt and abused by others, and finally had all mankind's evil guilt placed on His beautiful pure soul. His relationship with God the Father was ripped apart. He took your sin, and gave you His righteousness. He died for you so that you could live with God. What would be too much for you to do for Him who loves you like that?
JUST THE BEGINNING OF HIS GRACE
25. God's grace is so much greater than you realize. We were "children of wrath". We deserved God's judgment. But God's love and mercy moved Him to act in grace, not giving us what we deserve, but giving us unbelievable restoration of our inner being to a wonderful relationship with Him. Still, God wants you to see today that this was just the beginning of His grace in your life. God intends to keep on pouring His grace out on your life, showering you with His kindness for ages into the future.
HOPE IN GOD
26. Our hope should never be set on others. Our hope should be set on Christ. Certainly, there are times when we need one another. God created us with a need for fellowship. There is no way to live life apart from interaction with others. However, our hope always needs to be set on God first and above all else. If we set it on man, we will be disappointed every time.
TRIALS
27. Whatever problem or trial you are facing, there is only one person who can show you the right way to deal with it. If it is a problem with loneliness, Jesus promises to be your everlasting friend. If it is an overwhelming sense of sorrow after the death of a loved one, He will comfort you and listen to your prayers with compassion and care. Trust Him and you will receive the peace you seek and most of all you will have hope for the future.
EMPTY HANDS
28. God asks us to live in obedience to His Word, and our behavior should imitate Christ. But what a liberating thought that we don't need to be "good enough" for God's love! In the Book of Galatians, the apostle Paul's anger toward the Judaizers was justified. They were trying to change the Gospel of grace by adding required works (Galatians 1:9). Paul's message was clear: It's either the Gospel of grace or it's not the Gospel at all. Do you worry about being good enough for God? Filling your hands with good works is not the answer. Show Him empty hands, and ask Him to fill them with His grace.
TRUST HIM
29. God is saying that He is a God of supernatural positioning. Even when all our earthly connections are gone, the moment we turn to Him, He will find ways to turn our captivity into blessings. My friend, don?t look at your natural circumstances and be discouraged. Trust the One who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Trust Him who qualifies the disqualified!
TO OBEY, OR NOT TO OBEY
30. In reality no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not only the sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future. The good news of Christ's grace and forgiveness is our only hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin's consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to God.
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS ...... BAD NEWS, GOOD NEWS
31. Everyone loves some good news, right? But it takes bad news to make the good news good. The Good News of Christ is only good if you know the bad news: you're a sinner. But when Christ reaches down and saves you out of the pit of your sinfulness, that's the best news anyone could ever hear. And the best way you can respond is by living your life fully for Jesus!
REALITY.
32. You don't want to be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal, all noise and no reality. God is reminding you today that the measure of the reality of your Christian life is your love for the people around you. The fact that you really get into worship, or seem super spiritual at church is only meaningful if you also show Jesus' love to the people in your life. So, how much reality (love) flows from your life? Love is the most important aspect of our lives!
LOVE.
33. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. This kind of love is impossible for us to generate. You don't have to somehow work it up. It doesn't originate with you at all. Its Gods life,His love,at work in and through you. If you struggle to see love motivating your life, invite God to love those in your life through you. Pray about it each morning. Think of the people in your life and ask God to love them through you.
YOU'VE NEVER FALLEN TOO FAR
34. God will never leave you. No matter how many times you mess up or walk away from Him, He'll always be there, ready to welcome you home. So if you think that you've messed up too badly to come back to God, remember that He will never leave or forsake you! YOU'VE NEVER FALLEN TOO FAR FOR GOD TO FORGIVE YOU. SO NO MATTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN LIFE, YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO HIM.
WHAT ARE YOU PLANTING TODAY?
35. We harvest only what has been planted. I mean, how clear is that? You can't harvest stuff if you don't plant it. Farmers never decide to skip the planting and just pray for corn! Good results spring from good choices; you know what comes from bad choices! Too often we forget that we're planting every day.
GRACE & MERCY
36. None of us deserves grace, but we all hope for mercy. It's important to understand the difference between these two words so we can fully grasp the extent of God's love for us. Think of it this way: Mercy is God withholding the punishment we rightfully deserve (Romans 5:8; 6:23). Grace is God not only withholding that punishment but also offering the most precious of gifts--His Son (John 1:1, 14, 17).
KINDNESS vs. GOOD DEEDS
37. There's a biblical balance when it comes to acts of kindness and good deeds. Our lives should be filled with them, as flowers filling a springtime meadow. But we don't labor for the Lord from necessity but from love. The aim of spiritual maturity isn't to become more acceptable to God, for we are already fully accepted by Him through the blood of Christ. When we're justified by grace through faith, the righteousness of Christ is credited to our account. Thereafter we live a life of service because we love Him who has already accepted us in Christ.
WE ARE ON DISPLAY
38. God is putting us in His display case, both now and into eternity, so that when people see us, they will declare not what great Christians we are, but what a great God we have. The bottom line is that God has saved us now and for eternity as a testimony to His glory! Your salvation is much more about God than it is about you. So live your life to bring Him glory and show others what a wonderful God you have!
BLESSINGS & DIFFICULTY
39. God's blessings in your life are sometimes conditional. God withholds blessing to get your attention and bring you to repentance. But even that is an act of love. Sometimes God lets you go through difficulty when you don't need to repent. He is giving you the opportunity to grow closer to Him, or to minister to someone. But His love for you is unconditional and unchanging. You can always rely on that truth. Is God asking you to trust Him about something today?
HE IS TRUSTWORTHY
40. God wants you to learn to trust Him with those things that make you anxious. Has anything ever changed because you were anxious about it? No, but things change when we bring them to God in prayer. It is important to acknowledge that God will not always work the situation out the way you wanted Him to. But if you begin trusting God with everything, you will soon see that He is trustworthy and you will find His peace in your heart.
WORSHIP
41. Worship is not a place or an event. It is a way of life.
PRAYER
42. In prayer you share your innermost thoughts, needs, and feelings, whether beautiful or ugly and you think deeply on Scripture, allowing God to speak to you. You acknowledge God's place as the leader of your life. As you do so, God shares His heart with you and you will find that your requests take on a more heavenly perspective, as if they are flowing from God's own heart, with the full assurance of God's responding answer.
TAKING NOTE
43. God wants you to know that He does not record your sins or failures today. Instead He records your faith confessions and deeds done in response to what His Son has done for you. Every time you sin, every time you waiver in your faith, God does not record it. But every time you believe in Him and respond in faith, He records it! That should not make you want to sin more, it should free you to love God more.
THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT
44. God never intended for you to get better, because you can't improve flesh. But the Holy Spirit who is living inside you, will enable and live through you. Flesh is insufficient. Only the Holy Spirit living inside us has the strength and wisdom to live out the Christian life victoriously. That's why God gave Him to us. Through the Spirit we reap all the benefits of a righteous and godly life. And that's why He in dwells every follower of Christ.
OUR SHEPHERD. OUR FATHER.
45. God is our Shepherd. Jesus says, "Do not fear, little flock." If we are God's flock, then He is our Shepherd. The idea is that with God as our Shepherd, we have no reason to fear. Not only is God our Shepherd, He is also our Father. Like an earthly father who knows how to give good gifts to his children, our Father in heaven gives good things to His children who ask Him. We don't have to be afraid because we have a loving Father in heaven.
DEVOTION
46. The only spiritual service that honors and pleases God is the loving, thoughtful, heartfelt devotion of His children who give themselves totally to Him. Tell God you love Him, and think of some ways you can pour His love into those around you.
EARTHLY vs. ETERNAL RICHES
47. True wealth comes when we learn to seek God for every need we have and we live within the framework that He has given us. When we do this, we begin to trust and rely only on Him. It also places us in a position for great blessing because He will never leave us feeling hopeless or abandoned. Instead, we gain a growing sense of His intimate care and love for us. If you could choose earthly wealth and riches or God's eternal love, which one would you choose? Your answer reveals alot about how much you value and treasure the Lord.
THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS
48. To be pure in heart is to seek to live a holy life, and that is the secret to happiness. If you want to be happy, seek to be holy. As martyn Lloyd Jones said, "Seek for happiness and you will never find it. Seek righteousness and you will discover you are happy. It will be there without your knowing it, without your seeking it."
A BEAUTIFUL EXCHANGE
49. When Christ went to the cross He made an exchange. He paid the ransom on your life to God the Father, who poured out His wrath on Jesus instead of pouring His wrath on you and me. And it's that beautiful exchange that enables us to have eternal life by putting your faith in Christ. In your sin, you're held in bondage. But Christ has set you free. So as you live out your life as a Christian, always remember that you've been bought with the price of Jesus' life and can live with God forever because of your wonderful redemption!
A HEALTHY RESPONSE
50. God's first focus in your life is a deep inner healing of the damage that sin has inflicted on your inner person! There's one ingredient of this inner healing that you bring to the relationship, and that's responsiveness to God. He'll do it all, as long as you respond to Him when He convicts you of sin or calls you to action. How do you need to respond to God today?