Your Heart can Please God
October 31, 2008
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalms 19:14)
Did you know that your emotions and your will can bring joy to the heart of God? He delights in righteous and humble attitudes that refresh others and honor Him. Even in the midst of difficult circumstances and trials you have the power to choose to respond in a way that pleases God.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask for Your help today. I want to be an example of the joy that humility and selflessness brings to Your heart. For too long I have focused on my own well-being and never considered the reality that I could please you with my heart attitudes. Help me to make a difference for You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Our Words can Please God
October 30, 2008
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalms 19:14)
You have the potential today of bringing joy to the heart of God. The Psalm says that the words of your mouth can be pleasing to God. What an incredible opportunity – You can please God by the words you choose.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask for the strength today to change my vocabulary so that it pleases You. You have done so much for me, and I want to please Your heart with godly conversation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Righteousness Elevates
October 29, 2008
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)
Ever wonder what brings strife and causes separation between people, families, clans and nations? It is not military might or even political strength. God’s WORD makes it very clear – righteousness exalts a nation and sin is a disgrace to any people. This applies to you as well. God will exalt those who righteously live by the truth of His WORD.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask you today for a brand new start. Help me to separate myself from the selfish behavior of the past and focus on living a righteous and pure life. I am confident that if I will do my part in obedience to You, You will do more than Your share to provide for my every need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Generosity Refreshes the Soul
October 28, 2008
“A generous man will prosper: he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25)
The world around us creates celebrities of people who lavishly spend. God’s WORD, however, promises to honor those who lavishly give. Generosity is the key to a peaceful and refreshed heart because it grants us the opportunity to extend our life to others through the positive influence of giving.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Today I ask You to grant me the opportunity to give – of my time, talents and treasure. Help me to focus, not on what I can take or keep, but rather on what I can invest in others. Giving back will open my eyes to see Your world more clearly and it will refresh my soul. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Answered Prayers Breathe Life
October 27, 2008
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12)
Each of us has patiently waited for something important or an ideal for which we believe strongly to come to fruition. When these dreams do not become a reality frustration and disappointment often set in. Since God is watching over His WORD to see it performed (Jeremiah 1:12), we can choose instead to see our prayers answered when we put the power and truth of His WORD to work in our lives.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Too many times I have seen my dreams and longings fade into the distant past and not become a reality. Today I ask you to help me begin something new. I will seek to apply Your WORD to my life and then watch it breathe life into my daily routine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Diligence Leads to Reward
October 26, 2008
“The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4)
God has placed deep down inside of every person godly desires for provision, healthy relationships, and most importantly, a God connection. At the same time there are other desires that compete for our attention – these are called the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the desire for control/power (1 John 2:16).
You and I are given an opportunity to match our desire with diligent effort. This requires hard work, consistency, focus and the choice to direct our desire and diligence toward godliness.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Today I make the choice to focus my attention on the godly desires of provision, healthy relationships, and my connection with You. I know that these are good choices. I commit to be diligent toward the things You have decided are best for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen
God’s WORD brings Discernment and Opportunities to Learn
October 25, 2008
“The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.” (Proverbs 16:21)
While the foolish make hasty and costly decisions, those who apply God’s WORD to their lives find wisdom even in complex situations. Those who seek the fullness of who God has intended them to be integrate the truth of God’s WORD and gain wisdom for their heart’s desires. Applying God’s WORD also creates an appetite to climb to the next level by learning more of His truth each day.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I desire for my life to be rooted in Your wisdom so that I can navigate each circumstance that comes my way. I know that left to my own understanding I will continue to repeat my mistakes. Teach me, Lord, to apply Your WORD so that I may learn from each situation and grow in godly discernment. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Wisdom from God’s WORD brings Abundance
October 24, 2008
“Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4)
Measuring your life by the truth of God’s WORD is the best life decision you can make. The WORD will teach you who God is, who you are and how you should relate to the Creator. The result? Humility in life and respect for God will bring abundance to every aspect of your life.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I need the clarity of focus and purpose that Your WORD brings. Today, I commit to base my life on Your WORD, and I trust You to work in me to bring abundance to every aspect of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God’s WORD is the Pathway to Revelation
October 23, 2008
Scripture: “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” (Proverbs 29:18)
Directionless. Aimless. Pointless. These words describe the person whose life is absent a divine destiny. In reality God’s WORD provides the revelation you and I need to focus our lives to live above the monotony of sameness and the dullness of a meaningless routine.
We need revelation that speaks of purpose, destiny and future. Where can we find this? The WORD teaches us that the “law” – God’s covenant is our guarantee of revelation and blessing.
Prayer: Dear Lord, Forgive me for being easily distracted by the meaningless data that swarms around my every day life. Today I seek the revelation available through your WORD and ask You to grant me increased clarity for my divine destiny. You will make known to me the path of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Our Words Shape our Destiny
October 22, 2008
Scripture: “From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.” (Proverbs 12:14)
Most people prioritize their hard work thinking that it is THE factor that propels them beyond their peers. They expect “effort” to be the dominating influence at work, school and in the neighborhood.
While there is no doubt that work and effort play an important role, God’s WORD here makes it clear that our words can shape and prosper our future. When we concentrate on creating conversations that respect others and honor God’s WORD, God promises that good things will come our way.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I recognize that there is power in godly conversation. I admit to You that I have, at times, focused more on “effort” and diligence than I have on carefully choosing my words. From today onwards, I am asking for Your wisdom to grant me the courage to increase the focus of my conversation with others so that the “fruit” of my lips will breathe life into the rest of my day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.