The Shepherd's Gift

"My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"  -- Psalm 23:5-6 / NKJV

The Word of God is clear:  Christ came in order that we might have life abundant and life eternal.  Eternal life is a priceless possession of all who invite Christ into their hearts, but God's abundance is optional.  He does not force it upon us.

When we entrust our hearts and our days to the One who created us, we experience abundance through the grace and sacrifice of His Son.  But, when we turn our thoughts and direct our energies away from God's commandments, we inevitably forfeit the spiritual abundance that might otherwise be ours.

Do you sincerely seek the riches that our Savior offers to those who give themselves to Him?  Then follow Him completely and obey Him without reservation.  When you do, you will receive the love and the abundance that He has promised.  Seek first the salvation that is available through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and then claim the joy, the peace, and the spiritual abundance that the Shepherd offers His sheep.

_______________

Lord, thank You for the abundant life that is ours through Christ Jesus.  Guide us according to Your will, and help us to be a worthy servant in all that we say and do.  Give us courage, to claim the rewards You have promised, and when we do, let the glory be Yours

Solving Problems

"People who do what is right may have many problems, but the Lord will solve them all"

-- Psalm 34:19 / NCV

Life is an exercise in problem-solving.  The question is not whether we will encounter problems: the real question is how we will choose to address  them. When it comes to solving the problems of everyday living, we often know precisely what needs to be done, but we may be slow in doing it - especially if what needs to be done is difficult or uncomfortable for us.  So we put off till tomorrow what should be done today.

The words of Psalm 34 remind us that the Lord solves problems for "people who do what is right."  And usually, doing "what is right" means doing the uncomfortable work of confronting our problems sooner rather than later. So with no further ado, let the problem - solving begin ... now.

______________

"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems. Unsolvable without God's wisdom, that is"  -- Charles Swindoll

_______________

Lord, sometimes our problems are simply too big for us, but they are never too big for You.  Let us turn our troubles over to You, Lord, and let us trust in You today and for all eternity.

First Things First

"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you"

-- Matthew 6:33 / NASB

Have you fervently asked God to help you prioritize your life?  Have you asked Him for guidance and for the courage to do the things that you know need to be done? If so, then you are continually inviting your Creator to reveal Himself in a variety of ways.  As a follower of Christ, you must do no less.

When you make God a full partner in every aspect of your life, He will lead you along the proper path:  His path.  When you allow God to reign over your heart, He will honor you with spiritual blessings that are simply too numerous to count.  So, as you plan for the day ahead, make God's will your ultimate priority.  When you do, your daily to-do list will take care of itself.

_______________

"Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for. Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen but give us the determination to make the right things happen" -- Peter Marshall

_______________

Lord, let Your priorities be our priorities.  Let Your will be our will.  Let Your Word be our guide, and let us grow in faith and in wisdom this day and every day to come.

So Many Temptations

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it"  -- 1 Corinthians 10:13 / NIV

This world is filled to the brim with temptations.  Some of these temptations are small; for instance, eating a second scoop of ice cream is tempting, but not very dangerous.  Other temptations, however, are not nearly so harmless. The devil is working 24/7 and he is causing pain and heartache in more ways than ever before.  Thankfully, in the battle against Satan, we are never alone.  God is always with us, and He gives us the power to resist temptation whenever we ask Him for the strength to do so.

In a letter to believers, Peter offered a stern warning, "Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). As Christians, we must take that warning seriously, and we must behave accordingly.

________________

Lord, this world is filled with temptations, distractions, and frustrations. When we turn our thoughts away from You and Your Word, we suffer bitter consequences.  But, when we trust in Your commandments, we are safe. Direct our path far from the temptations of this world, this day and always.

No is an Answer

"He granted their request because they trusted in Him"  -- 1 Chronicles 5:20 / HCSB

God does answer our prayers.  He does not always answer our prayers as soon as we might like, and He does not always answer our prayers by saying "Yes." God is not an order - taker, and He is not some sort of cosmic vending machine.  Sometimes, even when we want something very badly, our loving Heavenly Father responds to our requests by saying, "No," and we must accept His answer, even if we do not understand it.

God answers prayers not only according to our wishes but also according to His master plan. We cannot know that plan, but we can know the Planner . . and we must trust His wisdom, His righteousness, and His love. Always.

________________

"Let's never forget that some of God's greatest mercies are His refusals. He says no in order that He may, in some way we cannot imagine, say yes. All His ways with us are merciful.  his meaning is always love"  -- Elisabeth Elliott

________________

Lord, Your Holy Word commands us to pray without ceasing.  Let us take everything to You.  When we are discouraged, let us pray.  And when we are joyful, let us offer up prayers of thanksgiving.  In all things great and small, at all times, whether happy or sad, let us seek Your wisdom and Your grace . . . in prayer.

Your Partnership with God

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing"  -- Psalm 100:1-2 / KJV

If you want to be successful, genuinely successful in the things that really matter, you need a partner.  That partner I am referring to, is God.  And the good news is this:  When you humbly and sincerely ask God become your partner, He will grant your request and transform your life.

Is your life a testimony to the personal relationship that you enjoy with your Heavenly Father?  Or have you compartmentalized your faith in a few hours on Sunday morning? If you genuinely wish to make God your fulltime partner, you must allow Him to reign over every aspect of your life and every day of your week.  When you do, you will be amazed at the things that the two of you, working together, can accomplish.

________________

"God wants us to serve Him with a willing spirit, one that would choose no other way"  -- Beth Moore

_______________

Lord, today we come to You seeking  guidance. We will trust You to show us the path that we should take and we will try, as best we can, to follow in the footsteps of Your Son.

The Power of Prayer

"When a believing person prays, great things happen"  -- James 5:16 / NCV

"The power of prayer", these words are so familiar, yet sometimes we forget what they mean. Prayer is a powerful tool for communicating with our Creator; it is an opportunity to commune with  the Giver of all things good.  Prayer helps us find strength for today and hope for the future.  Prayer is not a thing to be taken lightly or to be used infrequently.

The quality of your spiritual life will be in direct proportion to the quality of your prayer life.  Prayer changes things, and it changes you.  Today, instead of turning things over in your mind, turn them over to God in prayer. Instead of worrying about your next decision, ask God to lead the way.  Pray constantly about things great and small. God is listening, and He wants to hear from you now.

________________

"Our prayers are the link between God's inexhaustible resources and people's needs. When  we intercede, we stand in the gap between the need and the satisfaction of that need"  -- Charles Stanley

_______________

Lord, let us raise our hopes and our dreams, our worries and our fears to You.  Let us be a worthy example to family and friends, showing them the importance and the power of prayer. Let us take everything to You in prayer, and when we do, let us trust in Your answers.

A Dose of Laughter

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" 

-- Proverbs 17:22 / NASB

Laughter is medicine for the soul, but sometimes, amid the stresses of the day, we forget to take our medicine. Instead of viewing our world with a mixture of optimism and humor, we allow worries and distractions to rob us of the joy that God intends for our lives.  Today, as you go about your daily activities, approach life with a smile and a chuckle.  After all, God created laughter for a reason, and our Father indeed knows best.  So laugh!

_______________

"When you have good, healthy relationships with your family and friends you are more prompted to laugh and not to take yourself so seriously"  -- Dennis Swanberg

_______________

Lord, laughter is your gift.  Today and every day that follows, put a smile on our face, and let us share that smile with all who cross our paths and let us laugh.

Celebrating Others

"Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing" 

-- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 / HCSB

Do you delight in the victories of others?  You should.  Each day provides countless opportunities to encourage others and to praise their good works.   When you do so, you not only spread  words of joy and happiness, you also obey the commandments of God's Holy Word.

As Christians, we are called upon to spread the Good News of Christ, and we are  also called to spread a message of encouragement and hope to this world.  Today, let us be cheerful Christians with smiles on our faces and encouraging words on our lips.  By blessing others, we also bless ourselves, and, at  the same time, we give honor to the One who gave His life for us.

_______________

"You can't light another's path without casting light on your own"  -- John Maxwell

_______________

Lord, let us celebrate the accomplishments of others.  Make us a source of genuine, lasting encouragement to our family and friends. And let our words and deeds be worthy of Your Son, the One who gives us strength and salvation, this day and for all eternity.

Caring For Your Family

"Now if anyone does not provide for his own relatives, and especially for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" 

- 1 Timothy 5:8 / HCSB

The words of 1 Timothy are unambiguous:  if God has blessed us with families, then He expects us to care for them.  Sometimes, this profound responsibility seems daunting.  And sometimes, even for the most dedicated Christians, family life holds moments of frustration and disappointments.  But, for those who are lucky enough to live in the presence of a close knit, caring clan, the rewards far outweigh the demands.

No family is perfect, and neither is yours.  Despite the inevitable challenges of providing for your family, and despite the occasional hurt feelings of family life, your clan is God's gift to you. Give thanks to the Giver for the gift of family . . . and act accordingly.

_______________

"The secret of a happy home life is that the members of the family learn to give and receive love" -- Billy Graham

_______________

Lord, we are part of Your family and we praise You for your gifts and for Your love.  You have also blessed us with our earthly family and we pray for them, that they might be protected and blessed by You.  We know that some of us may not have an earthly family like others may have.  But if we are involved in a church, they are our family as  well.  Let us show love and acceptance for our family so that through us, they might come to know and to love You.

Our Thoughts Shape Us

"Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life"  -- Proverbs 4:23 / NCV

Our thoughts have the power to shape our lives - for better or worse.  Thoughts have the power to lift our spirits, to improve our circumstances, to enhance our self-esteem, and to strengthen our relationship with the Creator. But, our thoughts also have the power to cause us great harm if we focus too intently upon the negative aspects of our lives or ourselves.

When we allow negative thinking to hijack our emotions, we do harm to our friends, to our families, and to ourselves.  So we must guard our hearts against the negativity and cynicism that seems to have become the hallmark of this troubled generation.  This evening, think about things, and make your thoughts an offering to God.  Seek, by the things you think and the actions you take, to honor Him and serve Him.  He deserves no less.  And neither, for that matter, do you.

_______________

Lord, keep our thoughts focused on Your love, Your power, Your promises, and Your Son.  When we are worried, we will turn to You for comfort; when we are weak, we will turn to You for strength; when we are troubled, we will turn to You for patience and perspective.  Help us guard our thoughts, so that we may honor You this week and everyday that comes our way.