Daily Dose 9-30-12

Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

The formula for living according to Christ is very different than the world. The world encourages us to be #1, watch out for our own interests, look at others for how they can help you achieve. The perspective we should have modeling the mind of Christ is quite the opposite. Being #1 is nothing when we think of the ONE and only God we worship; He is #1. Living in a, me, me, me, state of mind leads to a multitude of sins and struggles. When we move beyond ourselves to meet the needs of others, we find peace and contentment in our spirit. The world encourages networking to see who we can connect with to further our own pursuits. Christ’s view of networking is to connect with others to see how we can help them succeed in this life, but more importantly, find the greatest success of all – salvation, love and peace through a relationship with Jesus. In our society, deep inner peace seems so elusive. Maybe it’s because true humility is so scarce.

Father, Show me how to humble myself today to have the mind of Christ. Keep me aware in situations and help me pause before I react. May I choose humility over me in all things today. More of Christ – less of me. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-29-12

Philippians 1:19-21 Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Not many of us are imprisoned in chains because of our faith in Christ. Paul had every reason to throw a big pity party and say, “Life is too tough, LORD take me HOME!” Yet, he rejoiced and encouraged others. What hardship are you enduring that seems impossible to bear? Life is tough and there are days we want to give up. Through Paul’s example we see that encouraging others instead of focusing on our own hardship brings the joy of Christ into our hardships, making them more productive for the Kingdom. Allow your pain, hurt, rejection, or struggle to spark you to show others what joy and contentment through Christ looks like. Be a blessing to others despite your burdens and your load will seem lighter to bear!

Father, I long for the return of Your Son, or my turn to be with Him. However, Your plans are greater. Let me see where and how You intend for me to respond in my hardships. Give me Paul’s perspective! I love You and start over with You, today! Amen

Daily Dose 9-28-12

Ephesians 6:11-17 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Have you put your armor on today? Every day we are at battle, not against other people, but against satan’s schemes to deceive, distract and diminish our impact for Christ. This fight is not something to be taken lightly. Don’t start your day without putting on your armor. The armor of God gives us tools for offensive and defensive battles. Arm yourself, and take on the fight. Don’t let satan have a victory in any aspect of your day!

Father, I know satan is deceptive and strategic in his battle to diminish my impact for You. Give me Your strength to battle and the Spirit of Christ to obtain the victory. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-27-12

Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, 
yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; 
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; 
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Did these words Isaiah prophesied about Jesus come to mind as they watched Him suffer and die upon the cross? It’s easy to criticize those who crucified Jesus because we have the rest of the story. Does the knowledge that we have about what He endured for our sin cause us to pause before continuing in sin? The sacrifice was unspeakable. The severity of the “stripes” or beatings He took are hard to comprehend, yet He did it for each one of us. Whatever pain or suffering you may be enduring, know that our Savior feels your pain and His sacrifice and victory will bring comfort and healing to you. Whatever sin you are battling, know that His sacrifice and victory over death made it possible for you to overcome any temptation. What happened on that cross so long ago is not a story placed in a historical document. That sacrifice was powerful enough to extend to us today. More importantly, the empty tomb brings us victory each day as we walk with Him. Live in His victory today!

Loving Father, The gift of Your son for me, and His willingness to be given up for me, is tough to comprehend at times. I am so unworthy of that sacrifice! Thank You for each stripe He took for me. Thank You for the shame He endured on the cross for me.  Heal me from the inside out with the power You used to bring Him out of the grave that covered Him with my sin! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-26-12

Ephesians 4:26-32 (MSG) Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work. Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians is a great book for learning how to live the Christian life. Anger is a part of our physical make-up. However, how we behave as a result of that anger is where we differ from non-believers. How we talk and what is considered improper coming out of the mouth of a Christian has changed through the generations. We have allowed ourselves to become desensitized to what is offensive to God. Think about what you say today! Any sin that we allow to continue in our lives diminishes the Holy Spirit’s ability to guide us properly. Stop fighting the Holy Spirit and work with Him to please God! Allowing unforgiveness to continue leads to a break in unity. Work out disputes and move on in God’s grace! As Christians, we should be more than “good people.” We should lead transformed lives that stand out and make others seek Christ. Start fresh today!

Father, I pray for a refreshing of Your Spirit. Help me to empower, not inhibit, Your Spirit within me. Transform my life! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-25-12

Ephesians 4:2-3 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Paul loved the church at Ephesus and wanted them to experience the full measure of leading Spirit-filled lives. The Holy Spirit is most active and powerful in our lives when we are abiding in loving, peaceful and unified relationships with other believers. Maintaining unity is not always easy. It seems reasonable to think that Spirit-filled believers, seeking the will of God and following the example of Christ could all get along with very little effort. However, satan often trips us in his snares. His easiest weapon is pride – it impedes humility, gentleness and leaves us impatient. He challenges with judgment to encourage us to look at others to choose whether or not they are worthy of our love. This leads to exclusivity and bitterness among those who aren’t able to make the cut. Peace is a bond the Spirit offers to believers. We just have to stand strong to prevent satan from watering down the bonding agents of humility, gentleness, patience and love.

Father, I want unity and peace among believers. Help me see what satan throws in my way to prevent it. Give me the strength to forgive and love with purity those who reject or judge me. Take my bitterness and turn it into the sweet taste of Your love. I love You and thank You for always loving me. Amen

Daily Dose 9-24-12

Psalm 67:6-7 The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

What is our motive for requesting blessings from the LORD? Most of us request blessings for our comfort or healing. This Psalmist paints a beautiful picture of a pure motive for blessings. Through his harvest, or financial blessings, he wants to impact the world for God. Carrying the message of God’s love and the redemption available to us through Christ should be our motivator and driving force for all that we do. When you put your requests before the LORD today, consider your motive. Will the request you are making impact the Kingdom?

Father, I love You so much and am so grateful or a relationship with You. I want others to know that same blessing. Touch my heart. Provide the blessings I need to follow Your will. My greatest blessings come when I am an effective tool in Your hands. Use me. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-23-12

Ephesians 3:16-21 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians extends to us today. All of the things he prays for require some action on our part to be received. How do we receive the Spirit’s power and strength? Through faith in Christ. How are we to know the depth of Christ's love and receive the fullness of God? By being rooted in love with other believers.  How will we receive immeasurably more than we ask or imagine? By allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us. Through our lives rooted in love and filled with the Spirit, we will bring glory to Christ and His church for generations to come. What a powerful prayer of hope and encouragement!

Father, Perfect my love for others. Fill me with Your Spirit. Remove the obstacles from my heart the prevent Your Spirit from doing His work in me. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-22-12

Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. 
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Has life left you weak and weary? Do the struggles seem to overpower you? Remember the hope to which you have been called! You are not alone. Life may be tough, but this life is temporary. No struggle we have can compare to how Christ struggled on this earth. He lived each day knowing He would make the ultimate sacrifice for people who would ridicule and reject Him. He had no security such as a house, savings, or a steady income. Even His closest friends let Him down when He was most vulnerable. Whatever your struggle, lay it at the foot of the cross. Put it in perspective knowing God can relate to whatever has you feeling paralyzed with fear, overwhelmed with challenges or overcome by grief. We worship a God who promises the struggles of this life, although temporary, are not for us to endure alone. Turn to Him. He will give you the strength you need to carry on – and SOAR!

Precious Father, You know I am weak and weary! Remind me of the hope I have in You. Remind me that no struggle I have compares to what Your son endured, or what You endured allowing Him to go through it all. Thank You for being with me in my darkest days and cheering me on to brighter tomorrows. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-21-12

Galatians 6:7-10 (MSG) Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

This analogy paints a beautiful picture of what our lives should look like when we follow Christ. If we think only of ourselves in this life, we will be overcome by our own self-centeredness. The I, Me and My mentality begins to choke away our joy and contentment in life. When we live generous lives, life still may not be perfect, but if we keep on keeping on, the sprouts will come. Do you keep sowing seeds of generosity and goodness into the lives of others and see little return? Don’t give up! Some seeds take longer to germinate. Do you still see weeds that require constant tending even though you plant good seeds? Stay in the Word and in prayer. Time with God is the best nutrient for the soil of the soul and the best chemical to fight the weeds in your life.

Father, I do grow weary at times. I often wonder if I am tending the wrong garden. Help me know where to plant to receive the greatest harvest for You. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-20-12

Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

How much fruit do you have in your spiritual basket each day? It’s a good practice to do a fruit check each night. Look at how well you produced the fruit of the Spirit throughout the day. Did you show love? Did you walk in joy? Did you bring peace? Were you patient with others? Did you show kindness? Did your life exhibit goodness? Were you faithful to God’s commands? Were you gentle instead of harsh or bitter? Did you practice self-control? Before you begin to feel defeated, remember that we don’t strive for perfection in life, it’s impossible. However, as Christ followers, we should be looking for progress on the journey. The most productive fruit trees endure some pruning. Take the time each day to check your Spiritual fruit tree. Snip away the sin that prevents your branches from blooming. Add nutrients to its soil by spending time in the Word and prayer. Grow a little each day toward the person Christ calls you to be. Your life will begin to produce fruit that will refresh and encourage others to taste what a relationship with Christ can bring!

Father, I confess to You my basket seems very light at the end of each day. Please help me to be a more fruitful tree in Your orchard. Increase Your Spirit in me to prick my heart throughout the day to exhibit the fruit You desire for me. May I begin to have an over-flowing basket each day! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-19-12

Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. 
For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

There are times when our impatience could thwart God’s greater blessing. He has compassion on us when we are hurt and struggling. There could be an instance where He is willing to forgo a greater plan for you just because you insist on a plan being implemented now. We live in a fast food, on demand, get-it-quick society. In His infinite wisdom, God sees the big picture. Allow Him to work His plan for your life in His time. Seek God’s BEST in all things. Ask where HE wants You to be and what He wants You to do. Lay your needs before Him, then praise, trust and wait!

Father, You know I am not the most patient of Your children. However, the longer I have walked with You, the more I’ve realized that Your timing is perfect. Please protect my heart while I wait for You. Keep me from insisting on my way when You have a greater plan. Calm my spirit to wait for Your timing. I love You! Amen 

Daily Dose 9-18-12

Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth 
and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 
Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”

Worship is not just singing songs of praise. Worship is a life living the glory of God to illicit praise of Him in our lives everyday. We have become so programmed to formal worship in church settings, that we tend to think that those periods of praise alone are our worship time. Be sincere as you walk before God each day. Worship Him, not only with lifted songs of praise, but also with a heart tuned to live a Godly life throughout your day. Your life should be a worship leader to those who are in your midst each day. Lead others to His throne to worship Him!

Father, My life is often a song of praise led in the wrong key. Tune my heart to sing Your song in my life everyday. I love You! Amen!

Daily Dose 9-17-12

Isaiah 26:9 My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.

Our hearts operate on a priority system. When God, and knowing Him more, is our strongest desire, the other desires we have seem to stack up in line of His priority for our lives. Whenever we place other relationships above Him, there will be conflict. When we pursue other relationships more than pursuing Him, there will be loneliness. When we pursue wealth over Him, we will have a deficit in our hearts. Begin today desiring God and placing a relationship with Him as the first priority of your heart…everything else will fall into place.

Holy Father, My heart longs for a deeper relationship with You. Help me to see that relationship as my primary pursuit. You know the desires of my heart. When You are the priority, I know my desires will be manifest through You and in all other areas I will find contentment. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-16-12

Psalm 59:17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

When we are weakened by the struggles of life, it’s hard to know where to turn. We try to rely on our own strength, which often leads to failure. We try to turn to people we love for support, which often leads to disappointment. The sooner we learn to turn to God for our strength and support, the sooner we reach contentment in life. Turning to God may not always prevent or stop the struggles, but through His power, we can endure. Through His love, we find comfort. When life is tough and you feel alone and afraid, praise Him! He’s beside you as your companion, behind you as your encourager, before you as your protector, and within you as your truest friend.

Father, There are days I feel overwhelmed, inadequate and alone. I thank You and praise You for always being there to pick me up, dust me off, dry my tears and send me on to Your next stop. I can’t live this life without You! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-15-12

Psalm 59:17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

When we are weakened by the struggles of life, it’s hard to know where to turn. We try to rely on our own strength, which often leads to failure. We try to turn to people we love for support, which often leads to disappointment. The sooner we learn to turn to God for our strength and support, the sooner we reach contentment in life. Turning to God may not always prevent or stop the struggles, but through His power, we can endure. Through His love, we find comfort. When life is tough and you feel alone and afraid, praise Him! He’s beside you as your companion, behind you as your encourager, before you as your protector, and within you as your truest friend.

Father, There are days I feel overwhelmed, inadequate and alone. I thank You and praise You for always being there to pick me up, dust me off, dry my tears and send me on to Your next stop. I can’t live this life without You! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-14-12

Proverbs 23:12 Give yourselves to disciplined instruction; open your ears to tested knowledge.

An old saying reminds us God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. God expects us to be life-long learners. He gives us His Word and send teachers in our lives to provide His instruction. It is up to us to discipline ourselves enough to seek instruction and increase our knowledge. Every day is full of teachable moments. Will you be open to learn today?

Holy Teacher, I am a student in Your classroom of life today. Teach! May I be ready to learn! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-13-12

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

The church in Corinth had a great deal of strife. In Paul’s letters to them, he rebuked in love their arguing and petty behavior. He shared with them the true description of love that so many of us recite from 1 Corinthians 13. His final summation to them boiled down to one word – unity. Unity is not easy; it requires work. Many want to avoid complete restoration and try to move on by avoiding issues that cause division. When there is division; encouragement is difficult. How can you encourage someone you are avoiding? How will you know their needs? Being of one mind is tough when so many strong wills are seeking their way. The one mind we should have is the mind of Christ. When we begin a statement with the words, “I think we should…” there should be a pause to consider what Christ would think we should do. Peace…is it allusive? Without complete restoration, encouragement and unity, God’s peace is very difficult to find. Begin seeking His peace by making peace with others…today!

Father, I crave Your peace in my life, in the church and in relationships. Give me Your wisdom to know how to proceed to find COMPLETE restoration and unity that will bring Your perfect peace. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-11-12

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We all want perfection in our lives and an easy road on this journey of life; but God never promised that. He sent perfection for us through His Son and the Holy Spirit to walk with us no matter how rough the road. There is a time to proclaim faith and believe God for a miracle. There are also times to proclaim faith and believe God can be a miracle through you without saying yes to your request. Are you praying for something in faith that God keeps saying no? It is true He could be saying, not now. However, you cannot live your life waiting for the miracle to become who God calls you to be. He knows Your request and the desire of your heart. However, He also sees the big picture. He may be able to have a stronger impact for the world through your life of imperfection and struggles. Show the world that your strength is through Him. Make your weakness your greatness testimony to His strength!

Father, You know how much physical healing would mean to me; it is a desire of my heart. However, my greatest desire is to be who you have called me to be despite my limitations. Show me how to use my weakness to show Your strength! Your grace and love is all I need. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-10-12

Psalm 52:8b-9 I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. 
And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.

Praising and recognizing the majesty of God is our key to hope. When times are tough and you don’t know what to do, praise. Don’t pray over and over asking the same things, God knows what you need. He knows the desires of your heart. Learn to put your specific requests and concerns before the LORD, not as a child begging, but as a child approaching the loving Father with arms lifted to be picked up and comforted in His embrace. When you don’t know what to do, remember who you know!

Abba, You know my struggles. You know my hurts. You know my needs better than I do. I turn it all over to You in complete trust. You have power and dominion over all things ~ You ARE in control. Because Your Son died for me, I have access to that power and I know because I am HIS, You take care of me and fight for me. I have hope and comfort in Your mighty power and unfailing love. Amen

Daily Dose 9-9-12

Isaiah 3:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

God longs for us to live in wisdom and truth. A big part of that entails knowing Him and knowing His Word. God’s Word is like an instruction manual for life. It gives us definitive answers to guide our way. Dig deeper to seek wisdom and know truth! Satan will do whatever He can to tempt us into believing His snares will lead to our freedom. The only way to defend ourselves is to know what God says and use it, with the Holy Spirit, as a measuring stick to discern which path we should take. Don’t be deceived. Learn truth!

Father, Satan is able to make his traps seem so appealing. He even makes things look like they could be from You. Give me Your wisdom to know truth, and Your conviction to walk wisely with You! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-8-12

Isaiah 1:16-18 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. 
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; 
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

God is serious about sin! Yes, He loves us unconditionally. Yes, He is kind and gentle. Yes, He is full of mercy. However, He is just. He expects us to be obedient. He knows we are not perfect. Yet, He knows we can be better than we are and He wants to see us working toward that. Whatever sin you are playing around with, lay it down. Wash your hands of it, remembering Christ’s sacrifice. If you are sinning by being so absorbed by the schedules of life that you don’t have time to be the hands and feet of Jesus,  stop and look around. God always has a job for you in the lives of those less fortunate…get to work! Don’t wallow in what was, get up for what will be! God offers each new day as a clean slate…let Him write His message to the world through you!

Father, Thank You for forgiving my sin through Your Son’s sacrifice. Give me the strength and awareness I need today to stay away from sin, no matter how cleverly it’s disguised, and get to work on Your assignments! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 9-7-12

Psalm 51:17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

If we truly want to be like David, the man after God’s own heart, we need to be truly repentant of our sins. It seems so many of us do the pat, “Forgive me for all my sins,” section in our prayers. We treat so casually the transgressions that brought calamity to the Son of God. When we pray for forgiveness, we must realize the cost of that opportunity. Christ endured the horror of the cross and separation from God so that we could have salvation through Him and an intimate relationship with His Father. The next time you ask for forgiveness, take your mind to ridicule He tolerated, the beatings He endured, and the cross He was willing to bear. Remember! If you were the only one separated from God by sin, He still would have gone to the cross. Big sins, little sins – it doesn’t matter – sin is sin, and sin put Him on the cross. Acknowledge your sin. Let it break your heart enough to turn away from it. Watch in Your mind as His blood covers it and washes you pure and clean before our Father. Remember!

Father, I do not deserve to approach You. My sins, little and big, sent Your Son to the cross. There may not have been broken bones in His body that day, but His heart was broken over MY sin. I come to You with a broken heart over sins I have committed against You and that sacrifice. I remember what He did for me and I am overwhelmed. Thank You, Jesus! I love You!  Amen

Daily Dose 9-6-12

2 Corinthians 8: 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

Sometimes, doing the right thing is painful. It may not seem fair. It may sting your pride, or break your heart. We know we need to do what is right to please God, but what about other people? There are times when we can stand on principle and say, “God doesn’t require this of me,” and that could be true. However, there could be things in life that you do for people, not because you are commanded to, but because you are loved to. Is there something in your life that God has left open for you? He’s not requiring you to take the other step. It’s not a “do or die” issue, just something that you could do because it could have an impact on how someone else sees you. If you didn’t do it, would they even notice? Take a chance today! Step out of the comfort zone a bit. Do something, not because law requires it, just because it’s the right thing to do!

Father, Show me steps You put in front of me to take. Help me to see options You may not require, but things I could do to bring an extra blessing for others, even if it’s hard for me. I love You! Amen