Saturday, November 29, 2014

The Way to Enter

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."   (Psalm 100:4, NKJV)
 
Today's Word:
What an amazing privilege we have to enter boldly into His throne of grace. We serve a personal God who desires a relationship with us. We have access to Him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! But notice that today’s verse tells us that we shouldn’t just come to Him any old way. We shouldn’t come empty-handed to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What do we have to give that’s worthy of Almighty God? Our praise. Our thanksgiving. Our worship. We should always enter His gates with an offering of adoration from our hearts.

Praise isn’t just about singing songs on Sunday mornings. Praise is the expression of gratefulness to God for Who He is and all that He has done. Praise gets God’s attention. Praise is a powerful tool in the life of the believer because God inhabits the praises of His people! When we enter His presence the right way, He enters our circumstances; and when God shows up, the enemy must flee! Today, enter into His gates with thanksgiving and open the door for Him to move on your behalf!

Prayer for Today:
Father, You alone are worthy of my praise. Today I declare that You are good, and Your mercy endures forever! Have Your way in me by the power of Your Holy Spirit. I honor You today and submit every area of my life to You in Jesus Your Son’s name. Amen.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Ignore the Critics

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him."(Acts 11:2, NIV)
 
Today's Word:
One time, Jesus was in the temple. It was on the Sabbath, their day of rest. He saw a man with a withered hand. Jesus simply said, “Stretch forth your hand,” and immediately, the man was healed. The religious leaders, the Pharisees, were there and didn’t like Jesus. Even though He did something great, they ridiculed Him for doing it on the Sabbath, the day of rest.

No matter what you do, some people are not going to be for you. Even if you changed, met all their demands and did everything they asked, they would still find something wrong. But, we can all save a lot of heartache and pain by learning to ignore those critical voices. You don’t need those people’s approval. You don’t have to have them cheering you on. They may try to make you look bad, but if you will stay on the high road and let God fight your battles, the more they talk the more God will bless you. They may try to take you down, but God will use it to take you up. Keep focused on your future, keep focused on the Word and let His truth strengthen you to ignore the critics!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, today I set my heart and focus on You. I choose to ignore the critical voices that would try to distract me from Your plan. Help me to forgive those who come against me and always walk in love so that I can honor You in Jesus Your Son’s name. Amen

Friday, November 21, 2014

Be Still and Know

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God…’"  (Psalm 46:10, NIV)
 
Today's Word:
In our world today, most people are used to having constant activity: computers, cell phones, television, email, video games. There’s nothing wrong with any of that, but the Bible tells us that we need to stop and be still so we can focus on knowing God. This is especially true during the difficult times. When you are facing a challenge, it’s easy to want to run to a friend or talk about it with a co-worker. But at some point, you have to stop and say, “God, I rest in You. I know You have me in the palm of Your hand.”

Remember, our battles are spiritual battles. The people in your life aren’t the source of your problems, the forces of darkness are. When you choose to be still and know that the Greater One lives on the inside of you, you are putting yourself in a position of strength. So today, take time to be still before Him. Let His peace cover you. Let Him refresh you by His Spirit. Remember, the battles you face belong to the Lord. Be still before Him so you can see His hand of victory in every area of your life!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father in heaven, I humbly come before You. I choose to be still before You. Speak to my heart so I can know You more. Fill me with Your peace as I put my trust in You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Flourish Like a Palm Tree

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree…"  (Psalm 92:12, NIV)
 
Today's Word:
Have you ever seen a palm tree in the midst of a great storm? That tree may be bent so far over that it’s almost touching the ground, but when the wind finally stops, that palm tree bounces right back up. What’s interesting is that while that palm tree is hunched over under the pressure of the storm, it is actually becoming stronger. 

See, the reason God said we’d flourish like a palm tree is because He knew there would be difficult times. He knew things would come against us to try to steal our joy and victory. But God said, “You’re going to be like a palm tree because when the storms of life blow, you are going to come right back up stronger than before.” 

As you reflect on the events of your life, remember, the storms you have encountered have only made you stronger. You are wiser, you are more alive, and you are headed for victory. Your brightest days are right out in front of you! Always remember that with God on your side, you will flourish like a palm tree!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for making me strong in You. I trust that You are working in my life, even in the midst of the storms. Thank You for a new season of blessing as I keep my heart and mind focused on You in Jesus Your Son’s name! Amen.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Still Standing

by Dave

 
Today's Scripture:
"He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."  (Psalm 40:2, NIV)
 
Today's Word:
All of us can look back at things that should have defeated us. Maybe a divorce or bad break should have taken you down, but look—you’re still standing! That addiction, that partying lifestyle should have killed you, but because of a praying loved one, you're still standing and becoming freer. Or, maybe you lost a loved one. You didn't think you could go on. You thought you'd seen your best days, but God breathed new life into you. He lifted you out of the pit and put a new song in your heart, and here you are today, still standing. 

When you go through difficult things, it’s an opportunity to see the goodness of God shine in the darkness. You see Him lift you up, restore you, promote you and heal you. When you have this history with God, you don't get discouraged by every difficulty. You don’t fall apart because of a disappointment. You don’t get upset because people are talking about you. You know that God brought you through in the past, and He is going to bring you through in the future! Rejoice today because you are still standing and headed to the place of total victory!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for lifting me out of my difficulty and for helping me stand on solid ground. I trust Your goodness. I know that You are faithful. Help me stay focused on Your victory in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Good Ground that Produces

by Dave
 
Today's Scripture:
"Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"  (Matthew 13:8, NLT)
 
Today's Word:
In life, there are many kinds of seeds we can sow, but do you know what produces the best crop? The seed of God's Word planted on the soil of our hearts. The more of the Word you take into your heart, the more abundant the harvest will be. 

Our job, as believers, is to make sure we are good ground. The scripture tells us there are things that can choke the seed of the Word—the cares of this world and greed and selfishness act as thorns that stop the seed from growing. It also tells us that in order for the seed to take root, we need to stand strong during the difficult times when persecution and challenges come. 

If you have hard or dry places in your heart today, God wants to soften those areas. He promised in Ezekiel that He will take out the stony, hard heart and replace it with a new heart, a heart that is good ground and open to Him. This is the heart that will produce an abundant harvest of blessing in every area of your life!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for the seed of the Word which is alive and growing in my heart. Search my heart and mind today. Have Your way in me. Use me for Your glory and produce a harvest in me in Jesus Your Son’s name. Amen

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Know His Kindness

by Dave

Today's Scripture:
"…God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." (Romans 2:4, NIV)
 
Today's Word:
In the natural, when we’ve wronged someone, sometimes it’s easier to avoid them than to face potential rejection. People unconsciously do the same thing to God. They think He’s mad at them or disappointed in them or that He is waiting to punish them because of their past sins and mistakes. But God isn’t like that. He’s not mad at you; He’s madly in love with you! He won’t reject anyone who comes to Him! He’s not waiting to punish you—Jesus already took your punishment on the cross 2,000 years ago! Now, He’s waiting for you to receive His gift of grace. He’s waiting with arms wide open today.

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done, His kindness leads us to repentance. Don’t let fear or condemnation hold you back. That’s a lie from the enemy. Turn to Him. Experience His goodness. Trust His faithfulness. He’s promised that He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. Don’t wait another minute—He is ready and waiting for you to come and know His kindness today!
 
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You for loving me today. Thank You for Your kindness. I come to You and let go of anything that stands in the way of You. Draw me close to You and have Your way in my heart in Jesus Your Son’s name. Amen.