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