Daily Dose 11-30-19

1 John 1:5-7 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

What does walking in darkness look like? Walking in scripture refers to the attitudes and actions by which we conduct our daily lives. If we are suddenly placed in the physical darkness of a room with no light, we usually have feelings of fear, paranoia and confusion. In a dark room, we are afraid of tripping. We grope around looking for something to hold on to. Walking in spiritual darkness, we are afraid of failure. We try to cling to work, possessions or relationships to validate our worth. In a dark room, we are afraid of who or what will pop out to get us – we have a sense of paranoia. In spiritual darkness, we constantly worry about the things that could go wrong in life instead of enjoying the blessings we have. We often destroy or impede relationships that could be blessings by putting up walls to protect us from being hurt by others. In physical darkness we are trapped, trying desperately to find an open door. In spiritual darkness, we allow satan to convince us our sins are too egregious to confess and find freedom. Walking in spiritual light, we cling to God to guide us through the rooms of our work, provide our needs, solidify our relationships, and we find our worth in Him. Walking in spiritual light, we have gratitude for our blessings and use them to glorify God. We break down walls in relationships so we can build one another up. We encourage instead of worry. Walking in spiritual light doesn’t mean we will never sin. It means we do not allow our sins to imprison us. We confess, accept the grace that the sacrifice of Jesus provides and we move forward. Darkness or light? Choose to walk in the light!

Father, I cling to You and long to walk in Your complete light. I am confident I will never walk in complete darkness. Just help me avoid the dimmer switches that satan wants to use to dim my faith. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-28-19

Psalm 119:114-117 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 
Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! 
Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. 
Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees.

No matter how tough life may be at times, God is with us through it all. His Word is a refuge when you feel life is waging war upon you. His Word brings inspiration to plant hopes and dreams to bloom within you. The same Word that inspires dreams gives you the tools and courage to fulfill dreams. God’s Word is not just a list of dos and don’ts; it is God’s love story for us to know Him and to know how to navigate the waters of this life that often bring crashing waves.

Father, There are storms raging around me, but I trust You to guide and protect me through it all. Thank You for Your Word and its power to guide me. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-27-19

2 Peter 1:3-8 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This life is a process. For Christians, everything we do should begin in faith and be culminated with love. In between, we grow in goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness and affection. Each trial we face and apply these attributes, we go a step further in becoming the people God designed us to be. Are you in a life struggle? Step up! Look for ways to implement these Godly principles. The outcome will lead you to a new spiritual level.

Father, Keep me focused on You and in Your Word. Don’t let me miss a step in the process You have intended for my growth. Lead me to new heights, topped off with more love! Amen

Daily Dose 11-23-19

1 Peter 1:22-24 (MSG) Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself!

The Message paraphrasing of this scripture is pretty blunt. The prior verses talked about the sacrifice Christ made for us and how our lives should be lived differently because of it. At the base of this different living is love. Love motivated Jesus to give His life because our relationship with God depended on it. In return, He has asked us to love one another. It sounds simple. It’s easy to claim that you love, but is that love walked out by the way you treat people? Loving like Christ means you love, pray for and bless those who reject you, despise you or, could care less if you lived or died. With each relationship where we learn to love like Christ, we reflect Him more.

Father, Bring Your thoughts to my mind again and prick my heart to love. To love the unlovely and those who reject or disregard my love for them is the ultimate test of how Christ is reflected in me. Help me mirror my Savior. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-17-19

James 1:2-7 (MSG) Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.

Trials and hardships, a gift? Some versions even say, pure joy? We often want to question whether or not James really meant to write it that boldly. Did he hesitate when the Spirit empowered him to pen those words? The book of James is probably one of the most practical and direct life-manuals in the Bible. For James to open it this way is no coincidence. It’s easy to profess your faith and tell others how great your God is when everything goes your way: good health, a job you love that pays the bills, people in your life who love you unconditionally, etc. However, what does it say about your faith when you profess your love and acknowledgement for God and his provision when life is tough? How do you face a health crisis or one in your family? What do you do if you lose your job or don't know what you want to do with your life? How do you embrace the companionship of God in the lonely days when there seems to be nobody with skin on who really cares? These are the days when God’s light can truly shine through us! Trials and hardships are an opportunity to show God and those who need to know Him that our faith is real. The yuckiness in life can be an exciting mission if you choose to live by faith!

Father, I do thank You for the challenges that bring me closer to You. Help me in the midst of tough times to see Your hand of help – don’t let me miss a thing! Let my struggles be a testimony to Your strength! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-11-19

Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This life is not intended to be lived as an individual sport. As Christians, we are a team. This country is flooded with sports fans who are dedicated to their teams. They proudly wear the colors of their team. Some never miss a game of play whether in the stands or watching from their televisions. They cheer the players on with great zeal. They learn the stats of the team and individual players. They recall with detail memorable plays and games. This rallying for the team is how God expects a church to be. We are united with the colors of the sacrifice of Christ. We should never miss an opportunity for worship and fellowship with our congregational team; it’s the training field for life. We should know the stats of life our teammates are living and be there to cheer them on, lending support through the tough times and rejoicing with them in victories. We should learn the stories shared in scripture and through the Hall of Faith of our churches of great teammates who have gone before. We should let those examples encourage us to stand firm in our faith and pursue great work for the Kingdom. Get out of the stands! The great scout Jesus Christ has recruited you for His team! Put on His jersey and get in the game! We are promised the victory – how great the score will be can be determined by how well we work together. You don’t want to miss the celebration at the end of the season of this life!

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the encouragement I have received throughout my life by teammates in the faith. I see Your fingerprints on their hands of encouragement for me. Help me to know who on my team needs Your encouragement through me. Thank You for the reassurance of victory, no matter how rough the game of life may be at times. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-10-19

Proverbs 27:12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

God gives us natural instincts to know when danger is near. Animals have a sense of impending danger that is often more acute than ours. However, for Christians, God has sent His Holy Spirit to heighten our sensitivity to spiritual danger. He tugs on our hearts to warn us that certain activities may not be pleasing to God. He sends red flags to warn us against perils that could cause calamity in our lives or bring division to our Church. Because God also gives us free will, we also have an “override” button. We have a choice when we stand at a spiritual crossroad of sin. We can choose to listen to the Spirit and steer away from the danger; or, we can override the Spirit’s warning and put ourselves in spiritual danger. The latter choice will always have consequences. The more we override the Spirit’s warning, the less we recognize it in the future. Pay attention to the warnings of the Sprit. Take refuge in the Word of God and prayer to protect yourself and others from satan’s snares!

Father, Thank You for Your Spirit to guide and protect me from the dangers of sin. Keep me alert to the Holy Spirit’s caution. Give me the courage and fortitude to choose Your will that will bring blessings and peace instead of conflict and strife. I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-9-19

Hebrews 9:27-28 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Under the old law, the priests were in charge of making the sacrifices for the sins of the people. They were the only ones allowed to enter the Most Holy Place of the temple. Because Jesus was perfect, the Son of God, His sacrifice was enough to cover all the sins forever. His blood flowed back in time to cover those under old law, and flows forward to cover my sin and the sins of generations to follow…that’s a powerful sacrifice! Because His sacrifice was so great, we were given incredible power. The Holy Spirit is no longer confined to the Most Holy Place of the temple; He resides within the hearts of those who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus! Because of His sacrifice, we no longer depend on priests to intercede for us; we have access to the throne of God through prayer to bring our confessions of sin and requests before Him. We can boldly approach God and have a close, intimate relationship with Him because Jesus purified us and made us blameless in His site! What a gift! The ultimate and final unwrapping of our precious gift will come when He returns to take us HOME! Maranatha!

Father, There are no words to express my gratitude for the precious sacrifice of Jesus! I am unworthy and humbled, but oh so excited to accept this gift and revel in my relationship with You! Thank You, Jesus!

Daily Dose 11-8-19

Psalm 106:42-46 Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power. Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin. Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented. He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy.

No matter how far away from Him the Israelites strayed, God remembered His covenant and rescued them. It’s easy to read scripture with a judgmental eye of these people. It’s so easy for us to say, “How could they worship idols when God parted the Red Sea for them?” Yes, it’s easy to read the book on the history or actions of others and question their faith. What about you? If people decades after you have departed this life are reading your history, what would they say? Would they see God showering you with blessings, yet read about you living in discontent? Would they see God’s constant provision, yet when a new challenge arises, your instinct is to panic and worry? Just as God’s chosen people should have reacted differently in situations, we too must learn to live as covenant people. Live in an attitude of gratitude. Approach new challenges with boldness, recounting to God how He rescued you in the past. Share the faith you have with others to show that you know God will provide. Live each day the way you want your history to be recorded!

Father, The list of my prayer requests gets longer every day. I have needs – You know each one. My heart is heavy for many I love who are enduring tough times. You are intimately involved with the details – use Your Spirit to guide us to live with that knowledge. Help me to live my faith boldly and not crumble under pressures. Thank You for Your past provisions and blessings! I am living in faith with peace and the expectation of Your next rescue! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-7-19

Hebrews 8:10b-12 (MSG) This time I'm writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts. I'll be their God, they'll be my people. They won't go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. They'll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean.

What has God written on your heart for you to know Him? On the surface, you may think it sounds as though there should be a major, earth shattering revelation if it’s from God. Not always true! God is a God of details, the smallest things are important to Him. He made the bumblee bee an engineering feat that by all formulas and design characteristics leave it grounded; yet, the bumblbee flies with precision to extract what is needed from plants to take back to its comb to make a very sweet, and uniquely-colored honey. What is it about you that is special? The best characteristics of you are God’s signature on your heart. If you think you are nothing special, look again. Ask God to show Himself through you – and pay attention! The best parts of you are not just you – it’s God introducing Himself to you and through you!

Father, I know my design seems quite imperfect at first blush. However, there are elements that make me – me, that are so much about You. Show me how to make more of you and less of me in my life. Place me in the situations where You designed me for You purpose – don’t let me miss it! Thank You so much for Jesus whose sacrifice cleans up the messiness of my heart so You signature can be seen! I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-3-19

Hebrews 5:7-9 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Have you ever poured out your heart in prayer to God for a situation that left you disappointed? Did you believe with all the faith you could muster and still saw the outcome you feared come to fruition? When we feel as though God let us down, we must remember how fervently Jesus prayed to not endure the cross. Have you ever prayed so hard your sweat turned to blood? Probably not, but Jesus did. He pleaded for another way for our salvation – God said no. In our faith walk, we must understand there will be times God says no. If He can say no to His son Jesus who was fully God and fully man, perfect in all ways, why should I expect any different? Does that mean prayer is pointless? God is sovereign and will do what He wants anyway? Never! Prayer is the link to the relationship with God that we need to celebrate the yeses in this life and endure the nos. There is always a much bigger picture behind the nos of God. For Jesus, it was the salvation of humanity. What is your bigger picture? It could be a protection for you or someone you love. What you want may not be best. It could be a call to a ministry to show others faithful submission to God despite circumstances. Pray for your yeses with all faith, knowing God is the Great Provider and can do all things. Pray through your nos with great faith, knowing you can do all things through Him who gives you strength.

Holy God, I submit to Your will. I know You see the big picture and I know You love me. It’s hard to hear no when I’m praying for good things, not just a selfish wish list. Open my eyes to Your will. Help me to see the big picture in the midst of disappointment, No matter what, I love You! Amen

Daily Dose 11-2-19

Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

In our society, we are programmed to constantly want. We want everything from success and power to the latest gadgets that promise to simplify our lives. Yet, what people really want is to be understood. We have a hard-wired component inside of us that craves relationship. Some are fortunate to find fulfilling relationships in life, yet the closest of earthly relationships cannot compare to an intimate relationship with Jesus. He will never disappoint, annoy, frustrate or belittle. He knows our weaknesses and compensates with His strength. He knows our insecurities and gives confidence. He knows our fears and protects. He knows our sins and provides redemption. No relationship on earth can give you what Jesus so freely offers.

Father, Thank You so much for Jesus. Thank You for being willing to let Him be my savior. I am so grateful He was willing to endure this life on earth so He can relate to my needs. I need more of Him shown in my life. Decrease me, increase Him through me. I love You!

Daily Dose 11-1-19

Hebrews 3:12-14 (MSG) So watch your step, friends. Make sure there's no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it's still God's Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn't slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul.

Faith is an action lived out day by day. Each day, satan attempts to distract us by throwing things in our life path that could trip up our belief in God. What in your life is satan using to divert your course? Are you or someone you love struggling with a health crisis that seems unfair? Remember, God IS the healer and He IS in control. We may not understand in this life why some receive physical healing and others don’t. If you allow a physical illness to diminish your faith, you lose in a double sense. Sometimes, God allows physical struggle to heal or strengthen a spiritual need. Hold on tight to Him. Believe Him in all things! Encourage others on your walk. Help them to live their faith each day. Every morning is a new opportunity to know God more and see Him at work in our lives. Don’t miss a minute!

Father, I am fully aware that You don’t always say, "Yes!” I have learned from experience that Your, “Nos” have often been for my protection. Some “Nos” I still don’t understand, but I trust You. Let me live day-by-day walking with You, holding tight when satan hurls things in my path to trip my faith. Navigate me through to live in Your will, walking on the path You choose! I love You! Amen