Lord, help us use the tools that You have so graciously given us. Amen.
2…PUNCH HIM OUT
Good morning! Are you already weighed down today with the troubles and situations in your life? Me too. But recognizing this, we can do something about it. There is nothing more satisfying to the enemy than to render a Christian out for the count, even if it’s just for a day. Life can easily be compared to a boxing match. Every new morning, we start out in our perspective corners. As we enter our day, we come out into the center of the ring where the daily battle occurs. Satan will do everything he can to beat us down with his lies, schemes, and deception. He wants to put us in a pit of despair, causing us to retreat, broken and unable to stand strong. The good news is that we don’t have to live like this. Psalm 40:1-3 tells us what the Lord will do for us when we find ourselves beaten down in a pit of despair.
I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.
The Lord will hear our cries (our prayers) and pull us out of the pit (center of the ring) and give us a solid rock to stand on (Jesus) so that we won’t drop down into the pit that the enemy tries to keep us down in with a 10 count.
But that’s only the first part of what this Scripture tells us the Lord will do. Beside rescuing us from the enemy’s pit and his hopeful 10 count, which would leave us down and out, the Lord will also put a new song in our heart, a song of praise to our God. With that song of praise coming from our lips, there is no room for any darkness from the enemy, which will render him useless in our lives. If the enemy has you down, remember you are not defeated. Pray the promises that God gives us in these verses in Psalm 40. So, here’s to coming out of our corners and punching the enemy in the mouth, leaving him unable to tell his lies, or carry out his schemes.
Heavenly Father, thank You that we can render the enemy useless in our lives through the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.
3…ASK AWAY
Good morning! Do you remember asking your parents for things when you were little? Their answer was usually one of three responses: yes, no, or not now. We loved the “yes” answer, didn’t particularly care for the “no” answer, and the “not now” answer gave us a little hope. God usually gives us those same three answers to our prayer requests, but there is a huge difference on how we need to look at His answers.
As a child, because we thought like a child, we couldn’t see anything good coming from a “no” answer. As Believers, hopefully we can see that a “no” answer is just as good as a “yes” answer when it comes from God. Just like our parents, He has our best interest at heart. But unlike our parents, who were going with only what they knew at that time, God knows what your whole life looks like. We just have to trust that He has everything under His control. And He does!!
Jesus says in Matthew 7:9-11,
“Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask him!”
Did you catch that? God wants to give us “what is good.” But He also says that we need to ask Him. Have you ever thought that you might not have something because you never asked for it? Sometimes we don’t feel that what we are wanting is important enough to bother God and ask Him for it, so we don’t. But our generous Heavenly Father wants to give us what is good. He’s just waiting for us to ask!
Heavenly Father, help me understand the answers You give me are all good, even if Your answer is NO. And when necessary, remind me Holy Spirit that nothing is too big or too small to ask for because You want to be a part of every detail of my life. Amen.
4…THE GIFT OF TIME
Good morning! I’ve been reflecting a lot about life since my time in the hospital last week. In our lives, we are only given a set amount of time and there are no “do-overs.” I don’t know about you, but for me, not many days go by that I don’t wish I could have a do-over on something from that day and wished I had more than the twenty-four hours we are given each day.
Are you a list maker? I have been one my whole life. But as one of God’s children, I’ve learned how to deal with my lists better. These days when I look at my list, I asked the Lord to filter my list through His priorities. I’m wanting Him to cross out for me anything that doesn’t need to happen and mark those things that are a priority for today. I’m getting pretty good with my lists this way but still get thrown off from time to time with what He adds to my list. This usually requires me to go back to my list and remove something to make room for God’s add-on.
I love Psalm 90:12. It’s a good verse to use as a prayer when I’m dealing with time issues. “So, teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.” God wants to help us make the most of our time, so we can grow in wisdom. Verse 17 says, “And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and do confirm for us the work of our hands.” Just like this verse says, don’t we all want the life He’s given us to count for Him? We want the work that we do for the Lord to have meaning. As much as we want this, God wants it even more for us. So, as we go about our day, let’s focus on the precious resource that God has given us, time, and use it wisely.
Lord, help me to do the things today that would honor You. Since I know that once an hour passes, I’ll never get that hour back. So please give me Your guidance in using my time wisely and may my lists reflect Your priorities for me life. Amen.
5…IT’S BEST MULTIPLIED
Good morning! There is a country song that often pops in my head when I’m reading the words spoken by Jesus in the New Testament. The song is by Brooks & Dunn, entitled “Believe.” It was one of Alan’s favorite songs. The line of the song I’m referring to says that the old man was “finding more and more truth in the words written in red.” I think that statement might be true for all of us as we get older and our perceived time here on earth gets shorter. We pay more attention to the words of Jesus written in our Bible in red.
I learn best when I can see things in my head. I think that is why I love the parables that Jesus told. In Matthew 25:14-30, we read about the parable of talents. As the story goes, a man who was getting ready to take a journey entrusted his possessions to three slaves. To one of them he gave five talents, to another he gave two talents, and to the last one he gave one talent. As the story continues, we learn that by trading, the slave with five talents was able to turn those into 10 talents. And the one that was given two talents doubled his to four talents. But the one given only one talent hid his.
The difference between these three is what they did with what was given to them. We all have “talents” that God gives to us. But what do we do with them? Are we like the first two in this parable? Do we use the gifts God gives us as an extension of His love in serving others, or do we hide our talents and keep what God has given us to ourselves??? Just like in this parable, God blesses those who use and multiply what He has given them. So today, let’s be in the “multiplying” business!!
God, You have given us so much through Jesus. Each of us has been given specific talents and gifts. Help us to see exactly what those are and then how we can use them to serve You and others. Amen.
6…ALL IN
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