Saturday, March 27, 2010

Good Bye

Thank you for your comments and emails.  They have been so sweet and encouraging  Still, it is time to travel on.  Perhaps when I retire I can return to doing this, but for now, I need to concentrate on my employment and on being Grandma to Abby and Zachary.

Possibly I need to seek a Christian counselor as the depression I've been in seems at times to be overwhelming.  This too, was a deciding factor in closing the blog.   Still, I find it encouraging that David experienced the depths of depression and expressed it so eloquently in his Psalms. 

I continue to visit your blogs as you have all become so dear to my heart.

because we're His,
Tamara
__________________________________________________________________________________

Good bye my blog land friends.  I believe it is time to discontinue this blog and devotional.  It's rather ironic, but it seems the posts have all been meant for me and so now it's time to delve deeper.  I'm going to leave this blog behind and travel on.

Thank you for your support and encouragement, but the time has come...

~Tamara

Friday, March 26, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. – And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Romans 8:17, 30-31

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I don’t think we really understand who we are in Christ. If we did, the Church would be a more powerful force in the world. Instead we go around blinded to our true inheritance. We are like a child, who separated at birth from its Father the King, grows up never realizing the birthright that was theirs. Never accepts the reality that they are the child of a King. In his book, “When Heaven Invades Earth”, Bill Johnson drives this point home. He writes, “At what point do we start thinking of our worth through His eyes? If it is true that the value of something is measured by what someone else will pay, then we need to rethink our worth. – Jesus paid the ultimate price to make it possible for us to have a change in our identity. – Doesn’t it honor Him more when His children no longer see themselves only as sinners saved by grace, but now heirs of God?” If it is true that you have become a Christian, then you are more than His disciple and His friend. You are also a joint heir of God’s glory! You are a child of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. Today, let that fact sink in. You are God’s child. You are a co-heir with Christ in our Heavenly Kingdom. If God is for you, what in this world could possibly be significant enough to be against you? Whatever it is, cast it off in the Name of Jesus! Pick up the crown He has given you as His child and be about your Father’s business in this world. You can you know. You must, for no one else can do your part.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I have judged myself by so many false standards. I have seen myself with blurry vision. I have looked in a stained mirror never seeing what you see. Today help me believe. Help me really understand that I am your child, a joint heir with Christ. Father, today I accept my commission as your child, and will go about doing your business, in your authority, backed with all the power of your throne. Because of Jesus and in His name I pray ~Amen

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
The one thing I ask of the LORD, the thing I seek most, is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. – My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."
Psalms 27:4, 8
Acts 13:22
TODAY’S THOUGHT
David was a shepherd boy who knew and loved God. One day he brought lunch to his brothers in battle. While there he became outraged at the insults against God that the giant Goliath was making. No one stood up to the giant so he volunteered. There He stood, armor to sling, against the giant and won the day. Because of David’s heart toward God, God called David to be King of all Israel. And a great King he was. But more than a King, David remained a man that sought after the heart of God. I can imagine David in his palace, a long way from the cold nights in the fields with the sheep, wishing he was back in the fields with the stars in the sky, playing his harp and worshiping God. How his heart cried out, “I want to live in the house of the Lord, delighting in Him!” And that is what he did. His heart was the house of God and he wrote the Psalms as a offering of praise to His God. God would invite us to do the same. What is your heart? Is it a home for God? Is it a Temple of praise and thanksgiving? If not, it can be. Like David, God comes to you and says, “Come and talk with me.” When He does, how do you respond? Do you respond like David and say “Lord, I am coming.” Or do you let the request pass and say, “Another time Lord, I will meet with you tomorrow. For most, tomorrow never comes. God longs to say of you what He said of David. Will you let Him? Today you can begin to be a “person after God’s own heart”.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You have bid me to come to You. I am coming even now.

Like David, I want to be a person after Your own heart. I come today and ask You to cleanse my heart. Take my heart and make it Your home so I can know You, love You, worship You and live for You this very day. In Jesus Name ~Amen
But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.”

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
'If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt,’ they moaned. ‘There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.’
Exodus 16:3

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

TODAY’S THOUGHT
One month after the Lord had delivered them from the hand of Pharaoh, the Children of Israel found themselves in the desert. Did they remember the mighty miracles that God used to deliver them from slavery? Did they remember the dry ground they walked on that was once again covered by the Red Sea? No, they forgot and complained to Moses that they would have been better off back in Egypt! What is it about our human nature that causes us to forget good things so quickly? Charles Spurgeon said it this way, “I don’t know which to marvel more at: God’s faithfulness or man’s forgetfulness.” Today’s passage tells us to be careful and watch ourselves closely so we will not forget what God has done. Why is this so important? Because, remembering is key to our survival. God teaches us life lessons that are needed later in our life, but our propensity is to forget. The lesson for the Israelites would be, “Don’t forget in the desert what you learned at the Red Sea.” What about you? Do you remember how faithful God has been to you in the past? Do you remember the life lessons you have learned and apply them to the rest of your life, or do you forget? Today, stop and remember all that God has done for you. Remember His faithfulness. Remember His provision. Remember His presence in times past and go forward in the reality that God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, forgive me for my forgetfulness. You have been so faithful and yet when there is a threat of something bad, I assume You are not there. I forget how faithful You have been and act as if You did not care. Lord, help me remember all that You have promised. Help me remember all that You have done. Might I share with others how faithful You have been as I put my faith in You for my future. ~Amen

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 2:1-5
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:12-14
TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is a mystery to knowing God. His love draws us to Him. God has made it abundantly clear that “whosoever will”, may come to Him. But this is the beginning not the end. If we are to follow Him, be His disciple, take knowing Him seriously, then He demands preeminence in our life. Solomon knew this. He prayed for Godly wisdom. He sought it more than anything else God could offer him and God gave it to Him. He says that it is the same for us. We must want to know God more than anything else. We need to “call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding”. He assures us that knowing God will come when we look for Him like we would look for silver and search for Him like we would search for hidden treasure. Jeremiah says it another way. He says that we will find God when seek Him with all our heart. How much have you wanted to know God? What treasure are you seeking? What has your heart sought after? If God is going to be a serious part of your life, if you are going to live in His wisdom, then you must make knowing Him a priority. God didn’t say we had to be smart, wise, rich, talented or gifted to know Him. The only requirement is desire. Turn your desire toward God. When you do, He promises, “I will be found by you.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I admit I have let my desire wander. I have sought for fool’s gold. I have put other priorities ahead of knowing You. I come today and seek You with all my heart. Father, I yearn for Your wisdom. I desire to have understanding. I want to know You more than anything else. Teach me, guide me, lead me. I pray this in the precious name of Jesus ~Amen.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you.
1 Chronicles 28:9

And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.
Deuteronomy 4:29


TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you ever felt like the famous U2 song, “And I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”? Is it possible that you have been looking in the wrong places? What are you seeking after? What is it that your heart desires? What does your soul seek? If it is fulfillment, if it is significance and meaning, then come to God and you will find what your soul thirsts for. Today’s passage promises that if you seek for God with all your heart and soul, He will be found. It is when you acknowledge that He is the God of your life and you serve Him with your whole heart that you will be able to find Him ever near. Today, seek Him. Open your heart and ask God to reveal Himself to you. Come to Jesus, admit your need, accept His gift of salvation and you will find His love to be more than enough, more than you will ever need.


TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I admit how easy it is to take my eyes off of you. How easy to focus on temporal earthly matters and miss what really counts. You are what my heart has been searching for. You are all that I really need and I come now seeking you with my whole heart. Guide me, and lead me to a deeper understanding of your love and grace. In Jesus name ~Amen

Friday, March 19, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
The LORD will guide you always.
Isaiah 58:10

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Proverb 3:5-6

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
John 16:13

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you ever watched a guide dog at work? It’s amazing to think a dog can be trained to lead a visually impaired person around through heavy traffic, through winding and turning walking paths, and even in the confines of the home. Well, we need a guide to get us through the mountains and valleys of this life. We need a guide to lead us through the difficult times and when we seem lost and all is hopeless. Isaiah promises that God will be our guide. In the book of John, Jesus promised that He will give us the Holy Spirit to be our guide. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. And in the wilderness, truth is King! There is no room for error; you need the truth to guide you every step of the way. So, where are you today? Where are you going? How will you get there? You need the Holy Spirit to be your guide. Proverbs warns us not to lean on our own understanding but to acknowledge our need for God. Come to God today and ask Him to lead you. Surrender to His guidance and let Him direct your paths.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, You know how I need You to direct my path today. I can’t do it by myself. I surrender to you and ask that you would lead me through the power of the Holy Spirit. Guide me, direct me, lead me this day. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior ~Amen.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.”
Jeremiah 17:7

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is one thing to say we trust someone but it is another to put confidence in them. A famous tightrope walker was going to cross Niagara Falls with a person in a wheelbarrow. He asked the crowd watching, “How many think I can make it with a person in the wheelbarrow to the other side? Most of the people rose their hands. Then he asked, “Who will sit in the wheelbarrow?” No one volunteered. How many times has God said to us, “How many believe I can supply all your needs?” “How many think I love you and will help you overcome your struggles?” We quickly raise our hand and say, “Yes, Lord I believe.” But when struggles come, when doubt raises its ugly head, when God brings the wheelbarrow and says, “Jump in”, we slither to the back of the crowd. True trust, true faith is acted out in hope and confidence. Might we go forth this day trusting in God. Might we have all the faith we need to sit in the wheelbarrow. If anyone can get you to the other side it is God your Father.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me put my faith in You. Help me trust You, really trust You. Help me have real confidence in Your resurrection power and hope in Your undying love for me  ~Amen!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
“Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths.”
Psalms 36:5-6

“May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Ephesians 3:18-19

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How big is your God? In 1952, J.B. Phillips wrote a book called, “Your God Is Too Small.” It shook the Christian world. His theory was that many believers had misconceptions about God that were no more than superimposed human characteristics. God was a Santa Clause, a stern father, an impersonal clock maker, a kill joy. His book begged the question of how big was the God we visualized as we worshiped. In today’s scripture, David paints a picture for us to imagine when we think of God. He writes that God’s unfailing love is “vast as the heavens”, His faithfulness “reaches beyond the clouds.” He compares God’s righteousness to mighty mountains and His justice to the ocean depths. Even with David’s help, Paul knows that we cannot begin to understand how magnificent God really by ourselves, so He prays that we may have power from God to really understand how wide, long, high and deep His love really is. How can we begin to know how vast God is? How do we keep from making God too small? Paul shares the secret. He writes, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ask God to help you experience His love today. To really know it, feel it, sense it, see it. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you right now in ways you have never experienced Him before. If you do, what does God promise? He promises, “Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father. Can it be true? Can I really experience your love today? Can I begin to know how deep, high, long and wide it really is? Pour into my heart a sense of Your presence. Help me imagine who You really are. Forgive me for making You so small. Enlarge my vision today, I pray ~Amen.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Today's Devotional

TODAY’S VERSE
“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”
John 20:29

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”
II Corinthians 12:9

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes we just have to step out in faith. Sight is not an option. We can’t see a way out. We don’t know which way to go. Everything is cloudy. We are so tired, so weary, so confused we have no where to go. But then grace appears. Not just any grace, but God’s sufficient grace. Grace to help you trust Him. Grace to give you courage. Grace to give you hope. Grace to give you wisdom. Grace to help you hold on when you think your strength is gone. Grace to go to bed and get up to face another day. Grace to let God be God. If you believe when you have not seen any reason to continue to believe, Jesus said you will be blessed. So get up, lift up your hands, give whatever it is that you cannot see to Jesus. He promises that His grace is sufficient for you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You in my weakness. I cannot see. I have no answers. All I have is Your grace and You promised that will be sufficient. You promised if I believe when I cannot see, I will be blessed. So I bow to You. I place my heart at Your feet. You are my Lord and I will follow You ~Amen.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Matthew 6:32-33

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We can really complicate life, can’t we? There are so many motivations that keep us crazy with demands. There are so many things that we think we must do. We have lost all sense of simplicity. Jesus comes along and would say to us, “Stop the insanity! Stop filling your life with false needs and let me fulfill your real need.” You see Jesus knows the “one-thing.” He knows what is really important and He offers it to all His followers. He said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” The real secret to this life is found in the next. If we want success in this life then we need to live in His Kingdom, instead of our own. We need to live in this world with heaven’s priority. God really does love you. Trust Him, live for Him and He promises that He will give you everything you need.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know my name. You know who I am. You also know my needs. Thank You Father that You promised that if I seek Your Kingdom above everything else You will give me everything I need. So I come to You now Father and ask that You would help me live for you. I entrust my needs to You. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Weekend Edition

Today's Scripture Verses
John 14:2-4 from the New American Standard Bible
"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going."

1 Corinthians 2:6-10 from the Message
We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That's why we have this Scripture text:

No one's ever seen or heard anything like this,
Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—
What God has arranged for those who love him.
But you've seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you.

1 Corinthians 2:9 From the New International Version (NIV)
However, as it is written:  "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

Thoughts on todays scripture
God has prepared, has arranged a place for those who love Him. So would it be safe to say that heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people?  Think about it - there are many, many things in life that people prepare for.  A high school prom or dance, a wedding, a higher education for a specific career.  Saving for that "rainy day" and preparing for retirement and sometimes even advance preparations for our final departure (we so hate to say death and even I prefer to refer to it as the ultimate Passover). 

Unfortunately, more often than not, we expect that God is preparing for us our home, our eternal destination.  But what are we preparing for?  Are we becoming more Christ-like?  Are we studying the Word and applying it to our everyday life?  Are we being set apart for His ultimate use?  Understand, I'm not accusing, I'm merely questioning, and even at that, it is mostly questions I'm posing to myself.

Today, after being in "the market place" I began to wonder about some things.  Things such as, "when did it become socially acceptable for women to wear pajama bottoms and slippers in public?" And why are women using such unseemly speech?  Trust me, I work in a prison environment and I hear a lot of course language from not only the inmates and staff, but often it comes from women who seem to want to have to prove something.  And that something seems to be "I'm just a qualified as any man, see?  I can even use this language to prove the point and drive it home." 

And cell phone use in public and in automobiles.  Has it's use become more than that of a convenient tool, but that of a measue of popularity?  Seriously, I look at those in the store with the bluetooth technology stuck in their ear and I'm ever so reminded of the early Star Trek with Lt. Uhura's similar appratus stuck in her ear.  And let's be honest - how often do we hear a cell phone going off in church or worse, observe someone texting? 

But I digress.  The topic was that of preparation, His and ours.  In some of the blogs I've read this week, some very dear loved ones have made the trek home, to that place that was lovingly prepared for them.  Even though the thought of them 'passing over' causes grief and heartbreak we can trust the One who loves them best to know when the time is right.  I know some of you are experiencing this loss and my heart goes out to you.  May the God of all comfort surround you with His love and His peace.

Yours, because we're His,
~Tamara

Friday, March 12, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.”
II Thessalonians 3:5

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It will take a life time to even begin to mature in Christ. Although our salvation is immediate, maturing in Christ is a life time process. But we don’t see it that way. We want instant spirituality and here’s the real kick, we want it without any spiritual discipline of prayer, meditation and scripture reading. Nor do we want to be busy with ministry. Instead we have our life to lead, with all its important tasks and duties. Is it a wonder that we don’t know what Jesus is talking about when He says that He has come to give us an abundant life? This is why Paul prays that the Lord would lead our heart in two different ways. First Paul prays that the Lord would lead you into a full understanding of who God is, and second, a full expression of love toward God that results in patience endurance. What a gift and it’s ours for the asking. Might our prayer be today, “Lord lead my heart.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, please lead my heart into a full understanding and expression of your love. Help me today, to be purposeful in knowing you and living for you in all I do and say. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
II Timothy 3:16-17

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How often do we pray for direction? How many times do we just long to hear God’s voice? How many times a week do we cry out for wisdom? The good news is that God has created a way to speak to us, give us wisdom and guide us. It is through His written word, the Bible. Paul was telling Timothy how important the Bible was. He shared that the Bible is inspired by God for the purpose of teaching us, convicting us, correcting us and equipping us for His service. There is no other source that God uses to communicate to us more effectively. Through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, God is able to speak to us in a personal and intimate way. It is easy to get busy and a day goes by, then two, pretty soon a week, then a month. Before you know it, you are not spending any time getting to know God or His word. We were not meant to live life without the word of God. It is like going through life with a hole in your heart. Instead, let God fill the emptiness. Get a Bible today and put it near your favorite chair. And then each day start spending a few minutes letting God teach you. He will. He longs to fellowship with you and teach you His word, but you have to make the first move. Why not start today?

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for Your word, the Bible. I know that it was written to give me wisdom and guidance. Help me today to read it, learn it and use it in my everyday experience. Teach me Father to know Your word that I might live for You. Amen!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 28:28-30

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is easy to get weary. There are so many demands on our lives. We live at such a fast pace burning the candle at both ends. The result is that we end up tired much of the time. Where do we turn? Where do we turn for relief, comfort, escape from all the pressure? If we're not careful we can find ourselves victim to addictions, unhealthy relationships or negative emotions. But Jesus has a better way. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” More than that, Jesus invites us to learn from Him. His teaching is easy, and His burden is light. So today, let's turn to Jesus. Bring our weary souls to Him. Give Him our circumstances and our emotions. Surrender ourselves to His care. He promises that we will find rest for our soul.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know my condition. I am weary and in need of renewal. I am so glad that You have invited me to come to You for rest. I know that You are gentle and humble in heart and will give me rest for my soul. So I come to You even now Jesus. I put my soul into Your capable hands. Help me and heal me even now. I pray this in Jesus Name ~Amen!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”
Psalms 34:8

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you ever stopped to think how many different ways you can experience the Lord? Worship is multi-dimensional. With the use of our mind, God has allowed us the capacity to really know Him and love Him. Certainly we can read His word. And God does speak to us through the scriptures; what He has written, connects with us in a personal way. We can sense His presence. He is the God of all comfort and the Holy Spirit bares witness with our spirit that He is God. We can hear His voice. Whether it is a still soft voice deep in our soul or, as some have heard, an audible voice, God speaks to us. We can see His glory. Either through a beautiful sunset or a significant moment, we can see evidence of God. We can also use our inner mind and see Him with the eyes of our heart. When Jesus healed people, many others would come up to Him and touch Him. Have you ever reached out to Him, lifted your hands and experienced a moment as if you touched Him? David said that we can taste and see that the Lord is good. Just as much of an experience as taste can happen when we commune with God. Though God is a Spirit, He is weighty. God has substance. My friend, God is real. He is so much more then what we have been presented with in church. God wants us to know Him, really know Him in many different and personal ways. Today, determine to start spending time with God in silence and worship Him with the different senses. Love Him, worship Him, and experience Him today. Oh that you would taste of the Lord and know that He is good.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I give myself to You. I want to know You in all of Your fullness. Help me worship You in new and fresh ways. Enlarge my capacity to know you, that I might love you more and more. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.”
Psalms 32:3-5

TODAY’S THOUGHT
David paints an accurate picture of someone who is under the hand of conviction. He wrote about the physical affect that guilt played on his body. But David did not allow it to stay that way. Instead he confessed all his sins to God and experienced what John was talking about in I John 1:8-9, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” The result of David’s confession was the joy of knowing that all his guilt was gone. How about you? Are you burdened with some nagging issue that you need to talk to God about? Have you been consumed with bitterness, anger, fear or worry and God is saying that you need to repent of it? Is the guilt from being separated from God affecting your thinking, behavior and health? If so, repent. Confess to God and ask Him to cleanse you and set you free. He will forgive you. He will restore your body, mind and soul.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, you know how I can let things build up. Instead of dealing with issues in the way I should, I let them build up until they are sins festering in my soul and body. Show me today where I need to confess. Point out areas in my life that need forgiveness. Help me to live the life of freedom that you desire for me. Help me break free from this bondage of guilt. In Jesus name I pray. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE

“But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands.”
Psalms 31:14-15

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How much of our present is influenced by the fear of our future? What will people think of us? What will people say? Have you ever stopped to realize how many times a day you self speak, “What if? What if? What if?” It’s not bad to stop and consider consequences. Jesus Himself said if we were going to war we would need to first consider the size of the enemy’s army to see if we could win. Strategy is good, but not to the point that it takes the place of trusting God in everything we do. David told God, “I am trusting You, O Lord.” He then followed it with a strong affirmation of God’s love and power. He wrote, “My future is in your hands.” How about you? How about me? Where is our trust today? Do you say you trust God, but spend time worrying about your future as if God did not exist? If so, surrender to God today. Make Him the Lord of your today and tomorrow. Like David, put your future in Gods Hands. It’s the best place to put it.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You that I can come to You with my future. Please guide me, comfort me and direct my every step. I renounce fear and pray that Your Holy Spirit will help me live this day with faith, hope and love. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.”
Psalms 20:4

TODAY’S THOUGHT
At first glance this verse sounds like it came straight from a Chinese Fortune Cookie factory! You read it and think, “Did I see this on a motivational poster?” But then, if you take the time to remember that this is God’s word, you start to meditate on this phrase and find that it is full of deep meaning. First I stop to think about the responsibility this verse puts on me as a person who dreams and has desires. When is the last time I preferred a God-sized desire? What have I desired that would be worthy of God’s consideration, let alone His blessing? What do I want to see happen that would possibly be aligned with the will of God? More than desire, what have I spent time on and planned for the Kingdom of God? What success am I asking for that would be worthy, totally worthy of God’s favor? Finally, who will get the glory if our desires came true and our plans succeeded? God put you and I here to live for Him. He wants us to use our heart to desire great and mighty things for Him. We are His ambassadors and He chooses to live His will through our lives. Let us plan and desire with all our heart great and mighty things for His Glory.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, birth in my heart a desire to do Your will with my life. Give me a dream. Give me a passion. And then Father, help these desires, passions and dreams turn into a plan. Might the plan become a reality, through Your mighty power and for Your Glory and honor. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“This is what the LORD says: ‘Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth.”’
Jeremiah 9:23-24

TODAY’S THOUGHT
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” This is one of the beatitudes that Jesus taught us. God puts a premium on humility. This runs counter to worldly wisdom. In modern society there is a premium put on self reliance. Kudos are given to the person who is a success. With success comes bragging rights. We live for that illusive fifteen minutes of fame. Why? Because we want recognition. We want to feel important and appreciated. So we boast. But God offers a better way. He says not to boast in our wisdom, power or riches, instead we are to boast in the fact that we know Him and understand Him as the Lord. What makes this so ironic is that the very thing that we are looking for, love and acceptance, is found in Jesus Christ. We get to boast in the fact that God loves us with unfailing love. We don’t have to earn it. We don’t have to perform to certain expectations. He loves us unconditionally. So today, rejoice in all that He has done for you. Bless Him for His love for you. Boast in the fact that God is a gracious and loving God.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, forgive me for bragging about my own abilities. Forgive me for putting such a high importance on my own possessions and accomplishments. Instead, I praise You dear Lord, for Your unfailing love for me. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.”
Psalm 34:4-7

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How many times a day do you fear something? You get called into the office and you are sure you are going to get fired. Your child is late and your mind goes crazy with thoughts of what might have happened. You hear a siren in the distance and you’re sure it’s someone you know. Your spouse is in “that” mood again and you know it is going to get ugly. The credit card bills came in the mail and you don’t know how you are going to pay them. You found a lump and you are waiting for the report from the Doctor’s office. Fear can be healthy, as in, “Don’t step out in front of traffic!”  Fear can also be false, exaggerated, a lie, and paralyzing. It’s been that way since Adam and Eve; most of our spiritual struggles center around a truth encounter. Will we believe the lie or the truth? Fear or God? David knew the answer. He prayed to God and God answered him and freed him from all his fears. The Lord listened and saved him from all his troubles and He will save you, too. 

What is it today that you fear? What is holding you back? What keeps you from being still and knowing that He is God? Today renounce your fear. Bring it to God. Present it to Him and He will free you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You know my fears. I bring them to You and lay them at Your feet. Help me, protect me, and free me from this bondage. Thank You that You have not given me a spirit of fear. I choose to live by faith in You. In Jesus Name ~Amen!

Monday, March 1, 2010

Today's Devotional Scripture

TODAY’S VERSE
“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.’ – The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?’ So the people came streaming from the village to see him.”
John 4:13-14, 28-29

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What a beautiful picture God is painting for us. Here is a woman who is coming to the well for water during the heat of the day. She may have been an outcast for why else come alone in the heat? Why not come early in the cool of the morning with the other women? Regardless, she comes for water for her physical thirst and Jesus offers her water for her spiritual thirst. Water that quenches our real thirst. And she gets it! So much so, that she leaves the water at the well and runs and tells everyone in the village about Jesus and how she thinks He might be the Messiah. Today, what is it that your heart thirsts for? Is to be heard and understood? Is it to be affirmed or blessed? Do you want to be loved? Do you need to be forgiven? Perhaps you long to be included or to be chosen? Perhaps it is just to be safe? Whatever the longing of your heart, Jesus has the living water that can quench your thirst. His love for you is the living water you have been looking for. Come to Him today. Drink of His love, forgiveness, understanding, affirmation and blessing. When you do, you too will be telling everyone, “Come and see this Jesus who knows me and quenches the thirst of my soul.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Oh Lord, You know the longings of my heart. You know my needs, my fears, and my desires. I come to you today to be filled. Fill me with your living water. May I be Your vessel, wholly and totally Yours. Then pour Your Holy Spirit into this vessel, this pot. Then fracture it, crack it, so that Your Spirit flows out and comes into contact with those all about.  Come dear Lord and quench the desires of my heart. In Jesus Name I pray ~Amen.