Holy Spirit: Mentoring And Shaping Us

This little devotional gives a good understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and what his job entails.

It's thought provoking and simple and for me, that is what I need.

I don't need anymore complicating sermon's or ideas of who the Holy Spirit is. I just need the simple version and when I grasp understanding, then I allow myself to the freedom to let Him do His job in my life.

Wouldn't you agree?!

God Bless.

HOLY SPIRIT: MENTORING AND SHAPING US “

By Steven and Deb Kosteron Wed, 29 Jul 2015

Scripture Reading: John 14:15-31 

“The Advocate, 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

As Jesus tells his disciples that he is leaving, he shares news about a new mentor. Jesus announces that the Spirit of truth is coming to be with his followers forever.

The Spirit has many mentoring roles in the lives of believers. Among other things, the Spirit reminds us of what Christ has taught us. The Spirit produces fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). The Spirit convicts us of our sin (John 16:8). The Spirit testifies about Jesus and challenges us to testify also (John 15:26-27). God has placed his Spirit within us to focus us on the truth. The Spirit mentors us by reminding us of God’s teaching. We will be convicted of our sin by his instruction revealed to us in Scripture.

The Spirit mentors us day by day without our having to schedule an appointment. All we need to do is come with a willing heart to hear God’s Word. The Spirit will do the heavy lifting of convicting our hearts and reshaping our lives.

Are you allowing the Spirit to mentor you and shape your life? Is there someone in your life who could use some reminding of God’s truth in Scripture? Follow the Spirit’s lead to bear fruit and testify about Jesus, allowing the Spirit to do his transforming work in you and others.

Prayer:

Lord, let your Spirit take up residence in us and produce the lasting fruit of transformation within us. Make us Spir-it-filled people who testify to your greatness. In Jesus, Amen.

Steven and Deb Koster

The Power of A Surrendered Will

Sometimes I surrender, other times, I don't. For me, it's more often than not. 

My heart is willing but my flesh is indeed weak.

This little devotional helps me to put my will in it's proper place and bring it under the full subjective will that God has for me.

I have learned over the years that it's not my will by Thine that usually get's better results. 

Hopefully you will agree after reading this.

God Bless.

The Power of a Surrendered Will

by Joyce Meyer - posted July 30, 2015

And the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach and cry out to it the preaching that I tell you.
- Jonah 3:1-2

We read in the book of Jonah how God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach repentance to the people there. But Jonah did not want to, so he went to Tarshish, which is geographically opposite to Nineveh. Running from God does not help us to be at peace with Him.

What happens when we go in the opposite direction from where God has directed us? What happened to Jonah? When he boarded a ship and headed in his own direction, a storm arose. Many of the storms we face in life are the result of our own stubbornness. In many instances, we have been disobedient to the voice and leadership of God.

The violent storm that came upon Jonah frightened the men on the ship. They cast lots to see who was causing the trouble, and the lot fell on Jonah. He knew he had disobeyed God, so he told the men to throw him overboard in order to deliver them from danger.

They did as he requested, the storm stopped, and a great fish swallowed Jonah. From the fish's belly (not a pleasant place), he cried out to God for deliverance and repented of his stubborn ways. The fish vomited Jonah upon the dry land; and in Jonah 3:1, we see that the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. God told him again to go to Nineveh and preach to the people there. No matter how long we avoid God's instruction, it is still there for us to deal with when we stop running.

God's will makes us uncomfortable only as long as we are not pursuing it. In other words, we always know when something is just not right in our lives. Eventually we see that being in God's will, not out of His will, is what brings peace and joy to us. We have to surrender our own wills, because walking in our self-centered ways is what keeps us unhappy.

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

I Will Not Be Moved

Are you in a situation where your being forced to back down on what you believe?

Do you understand why you shouldn't have to be moved from your beliefs?

Do you know where God is without a shadow of a doubt doing times of troubles.

Are asking yourself if you really heard from God and this is what He wants me to do?

Are you shaking until you get through a storm and you come out from the other side wishing you were more steadfast in your faith?

This little devotional will help solve the to move or not move debate.

Hopefully together, in the times ahead, we will all be able to say, I will not be shaken or moved from the storms of life or anything else that might crop up out of the blue.

God Bless.

I Will Not Be Moved

The storms come

to shake my faith
but I will not be moved
the winds blow
against my face
but I will not be moved
I will not move prematurely
going to wait for God to deliver me
though trouble is all around
there’s a blessing to be found
so come what may
yes come what may
God has called me here
and here I will stay
I will not
no, I will not
be moved

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” James 1:2-4 The Message (MSG)

Maybe God is asking you to do something you’ve never done before, and maybe you are being tested like you’ve never been tested before. Just know that you’re about to be blessed like you’ve never been blessed before. Don’t be moved, God is working. You’ve come too far to give up now. There’s a blessing after every trial, and there’s treasure after every war.

Prayer: Father God, I bless you. You know how to minister directly to my heart and to my situation. Thank you for being my rock and my Savior. I put my trust in you. Help me to stand fast and not be moved by anything I see, hear or feel. Help me to only be moved by you. In Jesus name, Amen.

(Read Psalms 62:6)

________

A sincere thanks to our Contributing Devotional Writers.

To give into Daughters of the King International Ministries, Inc., click here. May God bless you in abundance. Love, The DOTK Family

Christian's First

This little devotional is a gives a good sense of who we should be and act as Christians.

And in this world today with all it's craziness, a little guidance helps go a long way to remind of who we are and why we do the things we do and why being different is the new normal.

God Bless.

One thing must be kept in mind: 

We Christians are Christians first and everything else after that. Our first allegiance is to the kingdom of God. Our citizenship is in heaven. 

We are grateful for political freedom. We thank God for democracy as a way of life. But we never forget that we are sons of God and citizens of another city whose builder and maker is God. 

For this reason, we must not identify the gospel with any political system or make Christianity to be synonymous with any form of government, however noble. Christ stands alone, above and outside of every ideology devised by man. 

He does not join any of our parties or take sides with any of our great men except as they may come over on His side and try to follow Him in righteousness and true holiness. Then He is for them, but only as individuals, never as leaders of some political faction. 

The true Christian will be loyal to his country and obedient to those in authority, but he will never fall into the error of confusing his own national culture with Christianity. Christianity is bigger than any country, loftier than any civilization, broader than any human ideology.

Tozer

Simplify Your Prayers

I have a tendency to babble and go on and on and say more than I need to say when it comes to things that matter to me.

And when I pray, yeah, I find myself babbling because I'm trying to be big man on campus. Not only that, but I've tried to pray for hours to become more spiritual only to wake up hours later forgetting what I was babbling about.

Surely I can be the only one with this problem. So when I came across this little devotional, it put my mind at ease knowing I don't have to be some spiritual wing man for God filling Him in in all the things I think He needs to fix but I can be myself and just have a short conversation with enough impact to change the world.

God Bless.

Simplify Your Prayers

I've learned that simple, heartfelt, full-of-faith prayers always get God's attention. Unfortunately, we often overlook this and turn our prayers into a big show.

We have to beware of talking to impress ourselves when we're praying. Sometimes I think we just want to sound eloquent. We want to impress God with our phrases and sound holy. But God just wants to have a little chat with us.

He wants us to talk to Him like we would a friend, not with a different tone of voice. If we don't speak Elizabethan English during the day, we don't need to use it when we pray.

We also don't have to pray for hours on end. It's good to schedule prayer time, but we should just pray until we're finished and then go about our business until the next time we feel the need to pray some more.

The only way prayer will ever be satisfying is if you simply use it as an opportunity to get God's help and involve Him in everything you do. He's not here to be impressed...He's here to live life with you. Don't perform. Just invite Him in.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, don't let me turn prayer into a performance! I don't want to overdo it and try and pray too long just to impress You. I want to invite You, as my closest friend, into every aspect of my life.

Joyce Meyer

Be Strong And Courageous

When I was a little girl, and since then, my biggest fear has been the fear of abandonment.

Now that I'm older, I still struggle with it but not as much as I used to.

This little devotional helps me put this matter to bed. Not only does this devotional help but also knowing that I serve a God who will never leave me in any circumstances. I may not see His working hand all the time,
but I know and will continue to know my Redeemer lives and I don't walk this earth alone!

God Bless.

"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you." -Deuteronomy 31:6

The Lord will never abandon you. In life we feel abandoned by friends, family, or even the church. But we can always count on God to stand by us through thick and thin. If you are feeling alone, don't believe those feelings, they are lies. God is always with you. So be courageous, because you are not alone.

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Be The One God Is Searching For

I know I've said it before but some times you just come across something that speaks to your heart and makes you want to be a better person and push yourself to become more like the person God wants you to be.

And this little devotional pushes me to become a better person and I don't want to be the only one who jumps on board. I want others to join me in this quest and save a dying world!

God Bless.

Be the One God Is Searching for

God is looking for people who are passionate about the things He is passionate about. He is looking for people who will wholeheartedly pursue Him. He is looking for people who will love people on their jobs, in their neighborhoods and homes; those who are committed to loving the lost, the poor and the needy. He's looking for those who are willing to start doing what the Bible tells us to do.

Second Chronicles 16:9 says that God is always searching to "show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him."

Are you one of those people? If not, I want to encourage you and let you know that you can be that person who God seeks.

Whether you have known the Lord for many years or are just beginning your new life in Him, you can be that person who will passionately seek God and listen to the Holy Spirit. You can be that person who can actively make a difference in the lives of hurting people.

Today, rise up, and be the person God is looking for.

Prayer Starter: God, more than anything, I want to be the kind of person that You are searching the world for. Lead me and guide me in the way You want me to go, and shape me into a person who loves others, obeys Your Word, and truly knows You.

Joyce Meyer Ministries

Until You Get To Know Them, Don't Judge Them

Honestly, I don't think there is need for words from me.

I don't think I could have said it any better. So I'm going 

to let this devotional say what I can't say with the hope

that we get it and not only get it but put it into action.

God Bless!

Until you get to know them, 

don’t judge them.

“The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, 

and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—

he gathers and receives them for eternity].” Proverbs 11:30, Amplified

I had seen God work on a mean boss many years ago. 

Everyone talked about her and made her out to be this very bad person, 

but after I got to know her I discovered why she behaved the way she did–

she was hurting. By the time I moved on from that job, 

we had become close friends. 

This has happened to me on several occasions

 when God allows me to meet someone who is mean and unapproachable. 

He always instructs me to love them and listen to them.

There’s a reason people act the way they do, 

and it never helps the situation to respond negatively. 

Until you get to know them, don’t judge them. 

Behind every hard and unapproachable person is 

someone that’s been terribly hurt. 

You don’t know their story. 

Let God give you a wise and understanding heart. 

Let Him give you a heart and mind that wants to 

understand a person instead of react to them. 

That only comes from the Lord.

Prayer: Father God, only you know how hard

 it is for me to love the mean and unlovable. 

I can’t do this in my own strength. 

I ask that you give me a wise and understanding heart. 

Fill me with your compassion and mercy. T

ouch the heart of the hardened. 

Help them to know how much you love them through my actions. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

• 
   Daughters of the King Daily Devotionals. All Rights Reserved.

Until you get to know them, don’t judge them.

“The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—he gathers and receives them for eternity].” Proverbs 11:30, Amplified

I had seen God work on a mean boss many years ago. Everyone talked about her and made her out to be this very bad person, but after I got to know her I discovered why she behaved the way she did–she was hurting. By the time I moved on from that job, we had become close friends. This has happened to me on several occasions when God allows me to meet someone who is mean and unapproachable. He always instructs me to love them and listen to them.

There’s a reason people act the way they do, and it never helps the situation to respond negatively. Until you get to know them, don’t judge them. Behind every hard and unapproachable person is someone that’s been terribly hurt. You don’t know their story. Let God give you a wise and understanding heart. Let Him give you a heart and mind that wants to understand a person instead of react to them. That only comes from the Lord.

Prayer: Father God, only you know how hard it is for me to love the mean and unlovable. I can’t do this in my own strength. I ask that you give me a wise and understanding heart. Fill me with your compassion and mercy. Touch the heart of the hardened. Help them to know how much you love them through my actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

S

 Daughters of the King Daily Devotionals. All Rights Reserved.

“The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—he gathers and receives them for eternity].” Proverbs 11:30, Amplified

I had seen God work on a mean boss many years ago. Everyone talked about her and made her out to be this very bad person, but after I got to know her I discovered why she behaved the way she did–she was hurting. By the time I moved on from that job, we had become close friends. This has happened to me on several occasions when God allows me to meet someone who is mean and unapproachable. He always instructs me to love them and listen to them.

There’s a reason people act the way they do, and it never helps the situation to respond negatively. Until you get to know them, don’t judge them. Behind every hard and unapproachable person is someone that’s been terribly hurt. You don’t know their story. Let God give you a wise and understanding heart. Let Him give you a heart and mind that wants to understand a person instead of react to them. That only comes from the Lord.

Prayer: Father God, only you know how hard it is for me to love the mean and unlovable. I can’t do this in my own strength. I ask that you give me a wise and understanding heart. Fill me with your compassion and mercy. Touch the heart of the hardened. Help them to know how much you love them through my actions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

S

 Daughters of the King Daily Devotionals. All Rights Reserved.

Sing A New Song

Love, love, love this little devotional! It proves that I'm not that far off after all!

I love a good song to lift me up, to keep me going, and just to enjoy! If you listen close, you can usually tell where I am at in life by the song I sing!

Do I have a voice, no. But what I do have is my Father's ear no matter where I am in life and I know for me, He put's a song in my spirit just because He cares what I'm going through plus, He just knows me and loves me enough to know how I get through a day....

God Bless.

Sing a New Song

In reading the writings of almost all great leaders, especially when discovering their own devotional practices, singing is recommended in one’s private walk just as readily as it is an essential part of corporate worship. I always keep at least one hymnal at my place of devotion, and enjoy gaining inspiration from reading lyrics whether I sing them or not.

Alongside your hymnal, consider using your Bible as a source for singing in your private time with Jesus.

Be assured, though, Father God will receive any “new song” as a “sweet, sweet sound in His ear.”

Pastors of Promise

Pursue A Life Of Holiness

I can say Amen to this all I want but I don't live it. At least not how I would like to. Thank God, He isn't done with me yet and He uses little devotionals like this to set me on the right path again.

Yes, holiness is what I long for and what I'm pursuing. Join me, yes?!

God Bless.

Pursue a Life of Holiness

I think we need to be a little more careful than we are with how we live. Not that we have to be so careful that we live in fear, but careful in a godly way, not a legalistic way.

Because if we're not careful about who our friends are, what television programs and movies we watch, what kind of books we read, what kind of music we listen to, how we spend our money, and what we do with our time, we could end up living wasted lives.

As Christians, we must pursue holiness and realize that we are sanctified, which means we are set apart for God's use. In fact, the minute we accept Christ as our Savior, we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit and set apart for a God-given purpose. And if we're not fulfilling our purpose or if we're not pursuing our purpose, we're going to feel empty and frustrated.

I urge you today to pursue your purpose of holiness. When faced with tricky decisions, ask God what to do and choose the path of holiness that He has laid out for you.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, alert me before I do something that would pull me away from a life of holiness. With Your guidance, I want to live carefully, following the path of holiness You have for me.

Joyce Meyer Ministries

Instruments God Uses

Do you really realize you are an instrument that God uses to make the lives of people better or worse everyday of their lives? Do you realize your body is the only thing we have to get the job done? 

I do and yet I really don't understand the depth of it all. But I'm learning and I want to keep on learning. People need me. And people need you. 

So, let's mount up and go win a lost and dying world. 

God Bless.

Instruments God Uses

I have been bought at a price; I belong to God.

The Bible teaches that the physical body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that when Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood, He redeemed our bodies in addition to our spirits and souls. We belong to Him entirely—spirit, soul, and body.

God has a sincere interest in, and a specific purpose for, our bodies. The body is to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. (See 1 Corinthians 6:19.) It is to be the place in man where the Holy Spirit dwells. The Bible tells us that God does not dwell in temples made by hands. (See Acts 7:48.) We can build Him as many churches, synagogues, or tabernacles as we like, but God will not dwell there. God has chosen to dwell in the physical bodies of those who believe in Him. Thus, the believer’s body has an important function as a residence of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, Paul explained this about our physical members: “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:13 KJV). The various members of the physical body are intended to be instruments (or weapons) that God can use. They do not belong to us; they belong to God. We are to yield them to God.

It is logical and obvious that God wants His “weapons” in good condition, not feeble or broken-down. He wants our bodies to be healthy and our members to be strong, effective, and active, because they are the members of Christ. In a certain sense, Christ has no body on the earth except ours. Our bodies are the instruments God uses to enact His will on the earth. I have become convinced that God expects us to keep our bodies as strong and as healthy as we can.

Thank You, Lord, that You have purchased me. I proclaim that the members of my physical body are instruments God can use, and I yield them to Him. I have been bought at price; belong to God. Amen. 

Derek Prince Ministries

Care For The Flock

I love this little devotional. I love how it's worded and I love the meaning and purpose in what it's trying to accomplish.

I have a way to go but I now have a guideline I can use to set me on the course to care for the flock God has placed before me.

Do you know how your flock is doing?

God Bless.

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly--not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. (NLT) -1 Peter 5:2

You have a flock that God has placed into your care, even if you don't realize it. Friends, children, parents, or neighbors are under our care. We often push ourselves to care for them out of obligation, but this makes it difficult if our heart is not willing to serve.

Tap into your desire to serve God when relationships are strained among the flock. Have you identified your flock that you care for?

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Death by Distraction

Are you like me who is easily distracted by things other than life situations? When I came across this, I knew this would hit the nail on the head for me on several issues.

So How could I not pass it on? 

Let God fill your heart like only He can.

God Bless.

Death by Distraction

“And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.” 1 Corinthians 7:35

We live in a busy world that supplies us with endless distractions from our faith. When we become distracted from our faith, we become separated from God. Think of your faith as a drive. Who wants to be in a car with a distracted driver? All kinds of things can happen. You miss your exits. You run off the road. You take a wrong turn. It’s no different in our faith. There are all kinds of spiritual distractions that take us on all kinds of wrong paths and far away from God. Here are some common things that take us away from our faith:

Ourselves

We’re human, and we tend to be very self-focused. It’s easy for us to get lost in our problems and ourselves to a point where we lose sight of God. Obviously God loves us, and He wants us to care for ourselves, but he designed us for more than just to take care of ourselves. (Matt. 6:33)

Entertainment

We like to be entertained. Television, movies, books…they all provide escape from our daily lives. There is nothing that says we cannot provide ourselves a little break from reality by being entertained, but when that entertainment gets in the way of our faith, it becomes a spiritual distraction. We need to prioritize what’s the most important. ( 1 Corinthians 10:13)

Things

Our world is one that promotes having things. Every week there seems to be a new gadget we’re all told we need in our lives. It’s important that we learn the difference between what we need and what we want. When we keep our perspective on needs verses wants, the things in life become far less distracting from our relationship with God. (Matt. 6:19)

Service

Even serving God can provide a spiritual distraction. Sure, we may be working for Him, but sometimes we lose sight of God in the our desire to be good servants. A good example of this situation is Martha. She became resentful that her sister, Mary, was not helping her in the kitchen when Jesus came to visit. Yet Jesus reminded her that He needed to come first, not the kitchen work. Her heart wasn’t in a Godly place. (Galatians 6:9)

What distractions in your life are keeping you from bettering your relationship with God?

Prayer: Lord, I ask You to help me remove all of the distractions in my life, even if it hurts. Help me to seek You above all else and be led by the Holy Spirit in my daily life. I want to live for You!

Unknown Author

Everything You Do

Do you lead by example? I know I don't. In fact, I would say I'm a follower and I'm sorry to say, I'm not proud of it.

In fact, when I insert my willfulness, it doesn't always go as planned. I'm usually the one getting hurt because of people telling me off.

However, I have found when I keep my mouth shut and stay true to God's principles, I usually get the attention of others which gives me an open door to share my beliefs in a way that is non-condensing.

So in other words, it's best if I just step aside and let the Spirit work for He has better results than I could ever hope for.

God Bless.

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. (NLT) -Titus 2:7

It's easier to tell someone what to do than it is to lead by example. Modeling our beliefs is much more impactful and makes the value ingrained deeper in all who see our example.

Telling others what and how to react takes the choice away from them. God will speak to them and show them the error of their ways through your behavior alone. Set the example and let all you do be a reflection of Him.

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Be The One God Is Searching For

Can you be counted on as being one that God has been searching for to change the world?

I don't know if I can answer that question with a yes. I want to be. I long to be. And I'm striving to be more like God and do what He has called everyone who calls themselves a Christian.

It's the great commission. To go and win the lost.

God Bless.

Be the One God Is Searching for

God is looking for people who are passionate about the things He is passionate about. He is looking for people who will wholeheartedly pursue Him. He is looking for people who will love people on their jobs, in their neighborhoods and homes; those who are committed to loving the lost, the poor and the needy. He's looking for those who are willing to start doing what the Bible tells us to do.

Second Chronicles 16:9 says that God is always searching to "show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him."

Are you one of those people? If not, I want to encourage you and let you know that you can be that person who God seeks.

Whether you have known the Lord for many years or are just beginning your new life in Him, you can be that person who will passionately seek God and listen to the Holy Spirit. You can be that person who can actively make a difference in the lives of hurting people.

Today, rise up, and be the person God is looking for.

Prayer Starter: God, more than anything, I want to be the kind of person that You are searching the world for. Lead me and guide me in the way You want me to go, and shape me into a person who loves others, obeys Your Word, and truly knows You.

Joyce Meyer

Your Heart Desires

My heart has a lot of desires and very little to show for it. Why, fear is at the top of my list!

So when I came across this devotional, I knew I had my answer. So my hope is that this devotional will help others as well.

God Bless.

Your Heart Desires

If you have been under a lot of stress lately, I encourage you to take an honest inventory of not only what you are doing, but why you are doing it. If fear is the reason you're involved, eliminate some stress by getting your priorities straight. Your priority is not to keep everyone else in your life happy by doing all the things they expect; it is to live a life that is pleasing to God and one that you can enjoy.

Too many people are not living their dreams because they are living their fears. In other words, instead of doing things out of their heart, they do them because they are afraid of what will happen if they don't. "Someone will get angry! I will get left out! People will talk about me!" It is time that you started being the person you really want to be. It is time to reach for your dreams.

Pray: Lord, I will delight myself in You today. You know the desires of my heart, and I entrust my dreams to You. Help me to be the person You created me to be. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Make God Your "One Thing"

The words in this devotional I couldn't have said it any better.

I long to make God my one thing I can't live without and my hope is you will feel the same!

God Bless.

Make God Your "One Thing"

Life isn't supposed to be complicated. Jesus didn't die so we could live complicated, frustrated, miserable lives. He died for us so we could enjoy life. The minute everything gets complicated, it steals joy. We need to learn how to stop stressing and stop living an excessively busy lifestyle.

The opposite lifestyle is one of simplicity. Simplicity means "single, consisting of one thing, unmingled." God has dealt with me about living a simpler life. He has shown me that the only way to do this is to just be about "one thing."

God just wants us to be about Him. He tells us in His Word that we won't inherit His kingdom if we don't come to Him very simply as a little child and say, "I believe."

That almost sounds too easy, and you might want to complicate it...but don't! God's plan for you is simple. It may not make sense to your mind, but there's nothing complicated about God, and He doesn't want you to be complicated. Come to Him today, saying, "I believe." Make Him your "One Thing."

Prayer Starter: God, I believe in You. I don't want to live burdened by complications, so today, I seek a life of simplicity by making You the "One Thing" that my life consists of. Lead me in Your simple plan for me.

Joyce Meyer

Call To Worship

Come let us worship and bow down!

This little devotional gives an insight on why worship is so important.

Worship should be our very being!

God Bless.

Call to Worship

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker

- Psalm 95:6

Throughout Scripture we are called to worship the Lord in various ways and by various means. We are called to give thanks, praise, and power to our God. But the practice of all of these commands and encouragements must begin with submission to God -- "bow down...kneel before the Lord."

There is no true worship without submission. We can admire Jesus, we can appreciate the selflessness and sacrifice of the cross, we can even confess that He is Lord...but if we do not submit to Him as our Lord, than we have not offered Him genuine worship.

Worshiping God begins by submitting to God's rightful rule over us because He is "our maker." There is no particle or person or planet that does not owe their existence to God. Because He is the creator of all things, all things owe their allegiance to Him.

None are exempted from this call -- "let us worship and bow down" -- because none are excepted in the description of God as their "maker." We are every one of us summoned to the privileged position of worshiping at the feet of Jesus Christ.

Have you purposed to worship Jesus Christ today? Then you must begin by bowing down, by kneeling before Him and submitting to His rightful rule over your every thought, word, deed, and design. You must prepare to meet your maker.

 http://baptistbiblehour.org

King of Jericho

The past can be a killer. No one wants to live there all the time and no one should.

However that is easier said than done. While this little devotional talks about the past, it also gives us hope.

We are valuable in God's eyes no matter what we've done! So, let's live a life of value!

God Bless.

So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: "Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land." (NLT) -

Joshua 2:3 Rahab was a noble woman who put her faith in God by protecting the invading Jewish spies from her fellow King. By the way, she was also the town prostitute. That didn't stop her from stepping out and being courageous. Nor did it stop God from using her in the future. Did you know that Jesus was her descendent?

When you are challenged in your faith because of your past, take courage. You are very valuable.

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Eli And Samuel: Listening For God

Do you listen for God's voice like you should? Yeah me neither!

This little devotional shed's new light on some old scriptures and shows why we need not only the New but also the Old.

God Bless.

ELI AND SAMUEL: LISTENING FOR GOD

By Steven and Deb Kosteron Mon, 6 Jul 2015

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 

Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” - 1 Samuel 3:9

Samuel was confused. He heard a voice and thought it was his mentor, Eli, calling for him. He kept going to Eli’s room until it Eli realized that the voice was God trying to get Samuel’s attention.
Listening for God is an important life skill, and God is not silent. We live in a noisy culture that often speaks in ways that are contrary to God’s voice. It can be difficult to hear God if we are more in tune with the voice of this world.

As we listen for God, we will be more in tune with his leading in our lives. Eli mentored Samuel by teaching him how to respond to God’s voice: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”—in other words, “I am ready to hear what you have to say, and I am ready to obey!”
God speaks to us in many ways. He speaks through creation, giving testimony to his faithfulness and creativity. He speaks through his Word, where we come to understand his salvation and purpose for us. He speaks through wise mentors in our lives. He speaks through life situations, opening and closing doors. God speaks by his Holy Spirit, equipping us with gifts and passions to use for service in his kingdom.
How are you experiencing God’s leading in your life? Are you listening attentively for God’s voice?

Prayer:

Lord, make us people who are in tune with your voice. Let us seek your leading throughout our life. Equip us to fol-low your direction, we pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Steven and Deb Koster

Increase Your Self-Acceptance

On the day before Independence Day, not only should we be celebrating our country's independence but we also should celebrate who we are not only as a person but who we are in Christ!

This little devotional will help us give a better understanding of who we are!

God Bless.

Increase Your Self-Acceptance

You may not think highly of yourself, but God wants you to like who you are. Here are 5 practical tips to help increase your self-acceptance and improve your opinion of yourself:

1. Never speak negatively about yourself. The communication of your faith is made effectual by acknowledging every good thing in you through Christ Jesus, not by focusing on the wrong.

2. Avoid comparing yourself to others. Peter encountered this obstacle when he compared himself to another disciple. He said, "Lord, what about this man? Jesus replied, If I want him to stay (survive, live) until I come, what is that to you?..." (John 21:21-22 AMP). We are not called to compare, only to comply.

3. Let God determine your worth. Remember that you have already been accepted by God.

4. Keep your flaws in perspective. It's ok to see where you want to improve, but make sure you appreciate your progress.

5. Discover the true source of confidence. If you place your confidence in God, you can't help but have a healthy attitude. Do your best, and leave the results to Him.

Prayer Starter: God, thank You for accepting me even when I have trouble accepting myself. Help me to acknowledge the good qualities You've given me and keep my flaws in perspective as I find my confidence in You.

How Well Do You Know God

This is not a one Day question. 

it's a question we should be asking every day and 

We should be striving to a higher level of knowledge of a God who 

created the Universe. And this little devotional will help us on our journey.

God Bless.

DEVOTIONAL FOR JULY 2

How Well Do You

Know God?

John Piper
“Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.” (Job 36:26) 
It is impossible to know God too well.He is the most important person who exists. And this is because he made all others, and any importance they have is owing to him.
Any strength or intelligence or skill or beauty they have comes from him. On every scale of excellence, he is infinitely greater than the best person you ever knew or ever heard of.
Being infinite, he is inexhaustibly interesting. It is impossible, therefore, that God be boring. His continual demonstration of the most intelligent and interesting actions is volcanic.
As the source of every good pleasure, he himself pleases fully and finally. If that’s not how we experience him, we are either dead or sleeping.It is therefore astonishing how little effort is put into knowing God.
It’s as though the President of the United States came to live with you for a month, and you only said hello in passing every day or so. Or as if you were flown at the speed of light for a couple of hours around the sun and the solar system, and instead of looking out the window, you played a computer game. Or as if you were invited to watch the best actors, singers, athletes, inventors, and scholars perform their best, but you declined to go so you could watch the TV season’s final soap.
Let us pray that our infinitely great God would open our eyes and hearts to see him and seek to know him more.

From The Pleasures of God, pages XV–XV

Our Vindicator

Do you know the Vindicator? I'm just getting started!

Hopefully this little devotional will give you an insight of who is going to stand in the gap for you!

God Bless.

Our Vindicator

I often say that Psalms are right after Job, because after getting beat up in Job, you need some psalms. God only knows what this man was going through, how hard it must have been. He lost his whole family, had boils all over his body, and all of his friends turned against him. Yet what does Job say? God is a God of justice.

Job knew who he was. He knew his own heart. He knew what he was doing. He knew his motives for doing what he was doing. He didn't really care what others thought about him. He knew that his Vindicator was
God. He didn't have to defend himself, because if he needed to be vindicated, God would do it. It might take a year or five years or ten years, but sooner or later God would come around and vindicate him. If he didn't know that God was his Vindicator, he would have had to try to vindicate himself.

Pray: Lord, You are my Redeemer and Vindicator. You know my heart, and Your approval of my life is all that I need. Help me to not listen to others' judgments. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2011 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.