Archived Daily Devotionals

Remember, when one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. ~ Helen Keller

Scripture:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (New International Version)

Have you ever run into people who are always angry at the world around them? They complain about everything; their job, their spouse, their finances? You say it’s a beautiful day and they will say it’s too hot. You like your boss, they hate them. I mean, nothing and no one pleases them. You see them coming and just want to run the other way? Are you one of those people? Are you the type of person who tends NOT to see the good in anything?

I realized a long time ago that it was not up to anyone else to make me happy. The choice is mine. Every day you have a choice: Will it be a good day or a bad one? It really IS up to you. You can't control the external circumstances of your life; the bad news, the interruptions, the unexpected problems, various quandaries, etc., but you can control your response to them.

Not long ago, I spoke with a friend who has been diagnosed with cancer. Now this friend had been told by her doctors that she didn’t have very long to live. Rather than take to heart what the doctors said, her attitude is this; “I don’t care what the doctors say, I choose life.”

You see, my friend made a choice. Her choice was to fight back and live. My friend has such a beautiful spirit and she has always blessed me with it. Even when faced with her own mortality, she told me about how she uses her time at chemotherapy to testify to others who are there for the same treatment that she is. Rather than speak death and despair into her situation, she gives others hope by being a living testimony. To her, dying is not an option. Today, three years later; she is cancer free.

Remember, the power for happiness is in our hands, and no one else's.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father, there were times this past week that I became weak. Forgive me. I doubted Your word and Your promises. Forgive me. I allowed satan to deceive me with his lies. Forgive me. I wanted to give up, but You wouldn't let me. Thank You Father for keeping me once again. Lord, I come boldly before Your throne of grace. Your word says that You give strength to the weary, so I ask that You would strengthen those who may be weary. Bless us Lord with Your presence, that our hearts might be encouraged. Help us to remember Your faithfulness and Your love that we might stand in faith against the issues that face us. I bind the schemes of the enemy to tear me down, and I rebuke the spirits that have been assigned to harass me. I ask You Lord to minister fresh strength and joy to me. I agree with Your word, that says, Your plans for me are to give me hope and a future. Father, bless my sister and cover her in the blood of the lamb. The blood that heals, strengthens and protects Your saints. I ask that You would bless all of Your saints reading this prayer. Let it be so Lord Jesus, according to Your will. I pray in Your mighty name, Amen.

Do not fear the winds of adversity. Remember: A kite rises against the wind rather than with it. ~ Unknown

Scripture:
O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it. Isaiah 30:19-21 (New International Version)

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word adversity as a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty or adverse fortune. The powers that be describe it as an economic downturn. We here in Michigan recognize it as a way of life.

You see adversity in not new to us. We have been struggling with “adversity” for a number of years. Almost everyone I know here in my home state has been touched by it or we know someone else that has been touched by it. We live with adversity on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, it is just now that others across this great country are beginning to experience our world. Many people believe that we did it to ourselves. And that the financial crisis we are experiencing is born out of greed and our inability to budget our money. What they fail to realize is that when if one part of the body is crippled, the whole body is affected.

However, there is something else that I have noticed about our great state, the resurgence of the church. People have begun turning back to God. Gone are the excuses that we used to make about why we aren’t in church. “I worked too many hours this week, I’m tired.” “Why do I need to go to church? I’m already blessed.” Or one of my favorites; “What does it matter, I don’t need to go to church, I’m fine just the way things are.” Ever heard or used any of those excuses? 

Saints of God, we are in a bad place when we think we don’t need God, or when we don’t take time for God. It’s ironic that when we are doing well, we feel as though we don’t need Him. But the moment things start going wrong, we are all up in church telling God all about our troubles and begging Him to help us.

Now the good thing about our God is that He will listen to us and even help us when we are sincere in our prayers. And sometimes the winds of adversity have to blow through our lives to get our attention and bring us back to the one who will supply all of our needs.

The above scripture says; “whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it.”

And remember; "Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity."

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace with praise and thanksgiving on our tongues and in our hearts. We come asking Lord, for peace that passes all understanding. We come asking for strength to stand in the face of adversity. But most of all, we come asking with humbled hearts and minds, that You would hear our prayers and our petitions. Master, we need You to speak to the winds of adversity that are blowing against us, peace be still. We come asking that You hold on to our hands and the storms of life toss us about. We come asking that You would hide us under the wings of Your salvation as the roaring lions draws near in an effort to devour us. Lord, we ask that You would keep all of our families, friends, co-workers and brothers and sisters in perfect peace this and everyday. Bless us right now in the name of Jesus. Our prayers are not complete until we let You know just how much we love You. Our prayers on not complete until we sing songs of praise to You alone. Lord, we lift Your name on high, we give You all of our love, all of our praise and sing songs of praise all the day long. Thank You Lord for one more day. Bless You Lord. Hallelujah, Praise God thank You Jesus, Amen.

Remember, we don't change God's message -- His message changes us.

Scripture:
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:17-19 (New International Version)

I remember a time when I wasn’t saved, sanctified and Holy-Ghost filled. I used to believe that people who believed in God were stupid and foolish. I mean, how could they believe in something that they could not see?

Yeah, I used to go to church and listen to the Man of God preach about heaven, but I found it hard to believe that there could be a heaven with so much hell on earth. I saw poverty and despair all around me. I saw supposedly “good” people suffering in ways that they didn’t deserve. I watched as a very good “Christian” friend suffered through the pain and agony of a cancer that would one day take her life. Yes, I knew about God but somehow, I found it hard to believe that he knew about me.

Then one Sunday as I sat in church listening to the preacher talk about how God knows and sees our struggles and about how we needed to see beyond our natural and start looking at God through His supernatural eye; I felt something that I had never before experienced; A peace that passes all understanding. My eyes were opened for the very first time.

On that all important day, I began to see and experience the true power of the Holy Spirit as it landed on me and changed the course of my life. I finally got it. I finally understood with my heart what God’s message was all about. It wasn’t about what we see and hear around us, it is about what a relationship with God truly meant.

I finally understood that what I had been going to church for all those years weren’t meant to change the world around me. Rather, it was meant to change my world; A world that places God at its center. The word of God is an instrument that is used to lead us and teach us as we journey through this world. The word of God is a lesson to aid us as we are reconciled to the kingdom of God. The word of God is the key to the kingdom. 

Aren't you glad for His Word?

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace to give thanks for Your word. Your word that gives us life eternal through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We thank You for the gift of life: for the breath that sustains life, for the food of this earth that nurtures life, for the love of family and friends without which there would be no life. O Lord, Your compassions never fail and Your mercies are new every morning: We give You thanks for giving each of us relief from pain and hope of health renewed. Continue in us, we pray, the good work You have begun; that we, daily increasing in bodily strength, and rejoicing in Your goodness, may so order our lives and conduct that we may always think and do those things that please You; through Jesus Christ our Lord. We give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. Amen.

Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power. ~ Clint Eastwood

Scripture:
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (New International Version)

As I often have the opportunity to talk to people who are successful in their chosen career or profession, I like to ask the question, what makes you good at what you do? More times than not their answers might surprise you. What I have discovered about many of those success stories is the willingness to constantly learn and improve upon their craft. They commit themselves to the task at hand which often times also include doing some tasks that they’d rather not do, but realize it is a necessary part of the process.

In my pursuit of being a writer I find one of the biggest obstacles I have to overcome is, me. You see, to put my thoughts down on paper and create a story actually takes a lot of self-discipline. I actually have to make a consorted effort to work at my craft. Trust me, if there was some way to just stick a tape-recorder inside my brain to capture the story, I would.

I am the first to admit that I am a procrastinator and can often find a myriad of others things to do when it’s time to write. However, what I have also discovered along the way is that if I want to be successful and be taken seriously in my pursuit of a writing career, I must establish some sort of self-discipline. And so it is with our Christian walk.

The world around us beckons to us to partake of a myriad of distracting things rather than developing into the disciples that God has called us all to be. We would rather partake of all the carnal pleasures that the world has to offer instead of committing ourselves to the task at hand and that is to make the effort to become more Christ-like.

Remember, self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one's self to accomplish our goals even though we would really rather be doing something else

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, so often we would rather choose the easy way out rather than commit to the task at hand, which includes serving You. So often our lives become so self-serving that we can no longer see Your vision for our lives. We tend to forget that it takes commitment and dedication to achieve our purpose and when we fail to do the right thing, we fail not only ourselves, but we also fail You. We oftentimes misuse free will as an excuse to not answer Your call. Forgive us Lord for failing You and for shortchanging ourselves. We sometimes forget that the world does not revolve around us and our needs. We fail to see that we have been ordained for a greater purpose and that purpose is You and Your Kingdom. Help me Lord, to learn to focus on You more and the world around me less. Help me Lord to all things in divine and proper order. But most of all Lord, help me to see the fallacies of my behavior and to recognize when my actions are not pleasing to You. I thank You Lord for divine revelations and for fresh grace and mercy. Thank You Father God for another chance to get in right. But thank You most of all for Your Son, Jesus Christ. It is in His name we pray. Amen.

Remember, It is not the cards you are dealt but what you do with them that counts. ~ Anonymous

Scripture:
Three times I begged the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak." So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ's power can rest on me. 2 Corinthian 12:8-9

Every now and then we will be faced with severe adversities in our lifetimes and will ask the question; why me? We feel as though we are being punished for something that we may have done wrong. At times, our suffering may seem more than we can bear.

What I have learned is this; trials and tribulations will come against you through no fault of your own. How you deal with these adversities is the true measure of your character. More times than not, we have no control over what we are going through. However, we can control how we respond.

If you have lost your job, your house or your car, know that God is still on your side. If the bill collectors are ringing your phone off the hook, don’t despair. God can make a way out of no way. Maybe the man or woman that you loved is gone. Know that God sometimes needs for us to be alone so that we can develop a relationship with Him first.

Whatever your situation may be, know that God has already said, He would never leave you nor forsake you. He can provide all of your needs. He is Your mother and your father. He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

No matter what cards life deals you; God is still in control.

Be Blessed

Prayer:
God, sometimes the burdens of life tend to get me down. I suffer in the late night hours, crying tears of anguish, beseeching You to take away my burdens. I sometimes forget that even when I had no job, You still provided. I sometimes pray for a mate, not realizing that I must first develop a relationship with You. I want more for my family and don’t realize that we have more than most. Forgive me Lord, for my selfish spirit. Father, I come asking for the patience of Job, the faithfulness of David, and the commitment of Paul. I pray that You would forgive me for feeding my fears instead of my faith. Help me Lord, to be still and listen for Your voice alone. Lord, I ask that You would answer the prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Father, I don’t know all of their needs, but you do. Some have not the strength to endure. Strengthen them Heavenly Father, speak a word into their spirits so that they too would be encouraged. Thank You Father for Your many blessings. Thank You Lord, for the death and resurrection of Your son, Jesus Christ. It is in His name that we pray. Amen.

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice. ~ Wayne Dyer

Scripture:
From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:20-21 (New International Version)

So often, many of us will go through life singing that song. You know the one; woe is me. When things in our life start going wrong we want to throw a pity party. We want others to help us resolve our problems or at the very least, give us a word of encouragement. What we fail to realize is that sometimes we have to resolve our own problems and situations by speaking of our victories.

I for one know that when we are faced with insurmountable pressures, we begin to buckle. We look to others for stabilization. We want others to understand our problems and what we are going through. Unfortunately, rarely do we receive from others what we want or need. We become discouraged and will often find ourselves standing alone in a corner, trapped by paralyzing fear and despair. We want to get mad at our family and friends because they aren’t there for us. Well today I want each and every one of you to know that when the world won’t give you a word of encouragement, we must learn to encourage ourselves. 

Today’s word reminds us that there is power in the tongue. We have the power to speak life and death into each and every situation we are faced with. We are reminded of this time and time again via the word of God. When we start speaking life into our dead situations, we can start to see them move. We will begin to see the manifestation of our words in action via the indisputable word of God. When we say to that mountain to move, it moves. Not because of who we are but rather because of whose we are.

No matter what we may be going through or who is willing to stand with us, know that we already have the victory through Christ Jesus.

Be Blessed

Sometimes you have to encourage yourself.
Sometimes you have to speak victory during the test.
And no matter how you feel,
speak the word and you will be healed;
speak over yourself,
encourage yourself in the Lord.

Prayer:
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Father God, we enter into Your gates with praise and thanksgiving on our tongues and in our hearts. Lord, we thank You for Your faithfulness. We thank You for new mercies with the dawning of a new day. We thank You for the blessings we receive each and every day. We thank You Lord, for walking with us through dangers seen and unseen. We love You for all that You are to us. Father, we ask that You would speak a word into our spirits right now, before the trials and tribulations of the day begin. Grant us Your peace. Grant us Your joy. Grant us Your favor. Lord, someone reading this prayer right now, needs the reassurance that everything will be alright. Someone reading this right now needs the comfort of Your loving arms wrapped around them. Someone reading this just need to know that they are not alone and that You are with us, always. Lord, we thank You for Your faithfulness. We thank You for the gift of salvation. We give thanks to Your son, who paid the price of our sins, at Calvary, in whose name we pray, Amen.

Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward. ~ Henry Ford

Scripture:
Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13

I would like to believe that in everything we do, there is a lesson to be learned and that is why I like to use real life experiences when I write my devotionals. I like to contrast my life and the lives of those around me to the word of God. I do this because I believe that when others can see the manifestation of God in today’s world, they will walk away saying, “I get it!    I know that is usually the case for me. Even our failures and disappointments can be a learning experience if we allow it.

In the bible, Jesus often used parables to tell a story. The reason that he did this was so that those around him would receive what he had to say. Now I am not comparing myself to Jesus, but I too use parables to get my point across. I often get responses to these devotionals from readers telling me just how much my message touched their lives. These messages are truly humbling to me.

You see, I would like to believe that much of what I go through is not in vain and that others can learn from my past mistakes. I would like to believe that some of the things that I write about cause others to evaluate their lives and their relationship with God. I would like to believe that my messages are making a difference in someone else’s life. I would like to believe that others can be comforted and uplifted in my written word.

Remember, your life experiences are but an opportunity for God to step in and show out!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, sometimes it seems that life is full of grief and sorrow. We look around and see only death and destruction. We see our brothers and sisters forsaken by the powers that be. In the midst of riches, we see the poverty. In a country of abundance, many suffer from hunger. We see arrogance instead of humility. But even in the midst of the darkness that surrounds us, we can still see the light. Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Father God, we come before the throne of grace once again, seeking Your face, Your grace and mercy. Lord, we seek the comfort of Your loving arms. Lord, help us to always remember that this world will one day pass away. You are not of this world and neither are Your saints. Your Son was sent to save a dying world; we come thanking You for saving us. We realize that weeping will endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning. Thank You Father, for that promise. Now Lord, we ask that You would empower us to help a dying world. Magnify Your light that is within us. Strengthen us so that we may look outside of ourselves and reach out to help others. May Your light so shine within us that others may see it and be drawn to You. Comfort our grieving, strengthen or weak, heal our sick, give us new hope where there is none and unspeakable joy. The joy of the Lord. The joy that the world can't give nor can the world take it away. Thank You Lord, for second chance. I know that I didn't get it all right yesterday, but I thank You for another chance today. I love the Lord, he heard my cry. Thank You for wiping away my tears and giving me new hope in Christ Jesus, it is in His name we pray, amen.