Month: July 2014

The Lord’s Beauty Is In Nature… And It Proclaims His Power, Love, and Affection For Us… His creation offers up plentiful evidence of His Presence in our lives…
Psalm 19:1-2–The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.

Our human senses see, hear, smell, and taste the wonders of the world He has made for us; in a sense bringing us close  to Him…His Holy Spirit then speaks to us from the depths of our heart, offering His peace, love, and joy…Making it available to fill our empty, lonely hearts.
Psalm 105:4–Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.

Those who walk in the ways of the world, live in darkness, not able to see or hear the clues pointing to His Presence in our lives.
Isaiah 60:2–Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.
The Lord’s Holy Spirit, in His own perfect timing, draws us close at the right time and enables us to see Him…Lighting up our dark world, and allowing us to hear His still small voice…His light also  shines thorough us for others to see, which in turn draws them closer to the Lord.

But beware…There should be no pride in our function of reflecting His light on others…Because we are merely fragile clay jars carrying the precious commodity of His light.  We merely reflect His glorious light for all to see…Because He is the Lord…Not us!
2 Corinthians 4:7–We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

My Prayer For This Day:  

Lord, thank you for the beauty of your creation that is everywhere I look. I thank you for the beauty that  gives testament to the fact you are with me everywhere, and that I can rely on you to help me in the surrounding dark of the broken world I live in.. I am, in my weakness, often distracted by the darkness of the evil one and his  demons that prey on my fears and anxieties. Lord, I pray that you will deliver me from the darkness and keep me in your light, as we walk together through this day.

If we all could just push our prideful nature aside for just a moment, we would all admit that we yearn to fill that empty, lonely feeling that exists in our hearts…How to fill that void is the age-old quandary all humans find themselves in…How we each go about filling that hole in our heart is the challenge of our lifetime…

Our human sinful nature drives us to seek fulfillment and perfection by way of the false “fixes” that exist in the  fallen and imperfect world we live in.  Money, status, accomplishments, physical human relationships, and buying lots of material “stuff” is just a small sample of the things that the evil one throws at us in this world; in order to try to distract us from the one only true source of fulfillment of our heart’s desires…God…all of those other things lead only to frustration and failure in our quest to acquire peace for our aching hearts.

The world we live in has been in a broken and fallen state, tainted by sin, since man’s first sin in the Garden of Eden.  There is nothing perfect or lasting that can bring contentment to our soul without God.

Pursuing false pleasures creates a sense of contentment in our lives which usually is short-lived and disappointing…Leaving us with a sense of “that’s not it.”


The Lord put that yearning in our hearts to enable us to seek Him during our earthly lives  and to see the difference between the world’s falseness and the Lord’s true love and caring for us…He gave us the divine nature of making a choice…Finding fulfillment through Him, instead of the temporary pleasures of the evil one’s world.

That is why, try as we may, the only way to easing of the emptiness of our heart is through seeking and attaining the Presence of the Lord in our hearts and our minds.  The right way is to make Him the object of our heart’s true desires and to let Him satisfy that long burning quest for true heavenly perfection.
Psalm 37:4–Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

My Prayer For this Day: 

Lord, I stand convicted before you; in the fact that for so many years I sought the satisfaction of my heart through the ways of the world…I was trying to satisfy the yearning for fulfillment in my heart through the attainment of status, money, human relationships, and worldly stuff.  Lord, thank you for helping me to see that all that was meaningless, and that the only way to permanently fill the void in my heart was by opening my eyes to your perfection… Lord, thank you for helping me to return to your path of righteousness and love.

John 16:33–Jesus told His disciples:  “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
As Christians, we should expect continuing tension with an unbelieving world that is “out of sync” with Christ, His Good News, and His people.  At the same time, we can expect our relationship with Christ to produce peace and comfort, because we are “in sync” with Him.

The Lord is with you; and His spirit is inside you at all times; so that the trials you face each day will not be too much to handle, as you communicate your trust in His ability to love you and help you.  
Philippians 4:13–Paul wrote to the Philippians: “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

As you survey the situation in front of you, don’t fall into the trap the evil one sets for you;  by thinking “self-sufficient” thoughts on how you can handle this problem on your own…without God’s help.

This thought process allows your mind to run wild, out of control, and full of anxiety.  With your mind in that state (without the Lord’s peace) you won’t get far, and your troubles will multiply thinking like this.
Romans 12:2–Paul wrote to the Romans: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Instead, focus on the Lord, seeking His face, ask Him to lead you by the hand down the path of your trouble.  Think thoughts of trust and thankfulness, pray words of your love for Him as you ask for His help, and He will respond with His peace and give you strength, as He stays close to you.
Isaiah 26:3-4–You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

My Prayer For This Day:  

Lord, thank you for staying close to me, and holding my hand tightly, as we walk together through the chaos that is this broken world we live in. Lord, my many weaknesses make it impossible to navigate through the treacherous waters ahead on my own. My only hope is to hold tightly to your hand, have faith in you, and that your righteousness will be victorious against the trials, distractions, and temptations that the evil one places in my path. Lord, I trust you to guide me, strengthen me, and to help me stay focused on Your Presence. Lord, thank you for your refuge and your peace in these times of trouble and trials.

Make The Lord And His Presence The Central Focus Of Your Life…When you seek Him continually through-out the day, He will respond by giving you the Peace of His Presence, thereby putting distance between you and your worries and anxious thoughts.
2 Thessalonians 3:16– Paul writes: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.”

The evil one attempts all day long to ambush your thought life and separate you from the Lord and His Presence, Peace, and Grace; hoping to entice you into thinking that you have  to go it alone in life.

Stay alert for those ambushes, putting your trust in the Lord with thankfulness and praise for His Presence…Thus, you thwart the evil one’s attacks, knowing that having the Lord with you means that you need not be fearful, anxious or worried about anything. 
1 John 4:18–Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
If we are ever afraid of the future, eternity, or God’s judgement, we can remind ourselves of God’s love.  We know that He loves us perfectly…We can resolve our fears first by focusing on His immeasurable love for us, and then by allowing Him to love others through us.  His love will quiet your fears and give you confidence.

While in His Presence, the lord blesses you with with His Peace and Grace to help you handle the circumstances of the day…By turning your whole self over to the Lord, in trust and love for Him, you are bathed in His love and refuge.
Psalm 139:23-24–Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you,and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Sometimes we don’t let people get to know us completely because they are afraid they will discover something about us they won’t like.  But God already knows everything about us…and still He accepts us and loves us.  God is with us through every situation, in every trial–protecting, loving, guiding.  He knows and loves us completely. 

My Prayer For This Day: 

Lord,  thank you for the peace and joy that your love gives me each day. Lord, I have learned from your Holy Word that your peace is a peace that provides the strength to drive away the demons of fear, anxiety, and worry. Lord, I still suffer fears and worries everyday; but when I focus on you, they fade into the background. Lord, help me today, to keep my focus on you and protect me from my fears . Lord, You are my refuge and my strength.

Learn to seek and enjoy God’s peaceful and refreshing Presence in the still of the morning.  Enjoy peaceful solitude with Him alone; as He gives you a renewed mind and fresh spirit for the new day that is ahead.  Now is the time to come to Him and turn your worries and anxieties over to Him, in trade for His grace; that will give you the peace of mind, strength of soul, and   wisdom of mind,  to carry you through the upcoming day.
2 Samuel 22:31–God’s way is perfect.  All the Lord’s promises prove true.  He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Now is the time to stop your ceaseless striving to “go it alone” and to acknowledge that He is God and can do a much better job of running your life and make all things turn to the good for you.
Romans 8:28– And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Some Christian scholars have made human rules to run their lives, as if they  were God’s rules, and in doing so have lost sight of Him and His pure unregulated love.  Those rules can enslave believing Christians and and discourage many others from being Christians.

These rules focus on performance (works) rather than the Lord Himself, who is infinitely easy to approach. That is one of the main reasons He died on the cross…To free everyone from the bondage of excessive rituals and rules which reduced access to Him and made everyone think He was a God of anger, rather than a God of everlasting and infinite love.

In order to live our lives as Christ lived His life, we must know Him personally, and have a first person intimate relationship with Him. 
1 John 3:2– Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.

What better way to forge and establish a lasting relationship with Him, than to speak with Him from the heart, in the stillness of the morning, sharing our cares and worries, listening to what He has to say to us, and then to carry His Grace and His Presence with us out into the day.

My Prayer For This Day:

Lord, thank you for the wonder, beauty, and stillness of the new morning. Thank you for renewing my spirit, my mind, and my body for this new day of fellowship with You. Lord, thank you for your peace; a peace that I did not have… and was searching for so many years. Lord, I am joyful that we spend this special time alone with each other in the still of the morning, gathering your peace and strength to face this coming day together.

Spending time with the Lord, talking with Him, worshiping Him, and learning from Him, is essential and fulfilling for our heart and soul.  It must be the top priority in our life.
Psalm 119:26-27–I told you my plans, and you answered. Now teach me your decrees. Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.

Time spent with Him in the early morning hours; gives Him the time necessary to renew and refresh our heart and soul; getting them ready for the trials of the day ahead.  During that time, He gives us His grace that translates into peace, strength, and wisdom; to be used all day long.  Only He can give you that grace.
2 Chronicles 16:9–The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 

That is why we struggle if we just launch ourselves into the day without our morning consultation with Him.

This ration of grace allows us to carry Him with us all day long; keeping Him close to us, letting His Holy Spirit guide us and protect us through-out the day.

The amount of time we focus our heart and mind on the Lord; relates directly to the amount of peace, strength, and wisdom He gives to us; through His constant and ever growing Presence in our lives.

He cherishes the fact that  we give Him the sacrifice of our precious time  during each day.
Hebrews 13:15–Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 

He rewards that sacrifice of time with an equal amount of His grace.
Ephesians 6:24–May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

My Prayer For This Day:
Lord, thank you for always being available for me to spend time with You. Our time together, whether in the early morning, or in small prayers during the day, always helps me stay strong in the face of trials, and full of peace in time of crisis. Thank you Lord, for being a sanctuary for me wherever I am, and for reminding me that you always act in your own perfect timing.  Thank you, Lord, for making all things work to the long range good; according to your purpose for me.

He surrounds us with the beauty, peace, and power of His Presence…Always…
And nothing can separate us from that Presence.  
It is guaranteed.
Romans 8:38-39–Paul wrote to the Romans: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us  from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord”

But people, because of their basic human sinful nature, are inconsistent in how they seek and find the Lord’s Presence in their lives.

Some look to the Lord when they are only in trouble, when trials and circumstances force them to depend on Him.  Like when we pray to the Lord only when we have exhausted our ability to control events in our lives.

Some feel His Presence when times area good and they feel thankful and blessed. When times are good, and we are in control, it is easy to be thankful.

Because God knows each one of us intimately, He knows exactly what we need to make us aware of Him and  draw us closer to Him.  That may mean trials (to get our attention) or blessings (to make us thankful).  We need to be on the lookout (be aware) of  those kinds of events in the day; designed by Him; to draw us closer to Him and His Presence.

When we are aware of this concept, we can be thankful and give praise to Him regardless of the circumstances; whether they be good or bad.  We should not back away from any of these circumstances, because they are gifts from Him.  We should humbly come to Him, thank Him, and include Him into all of the events of our  day, good or bad.
Colossians 2:6-7–Paul wrote: “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

My Prayer For This Day: 

Lord, thank You for being with me this morning, planning the events for this day according to my needs. Thank You providing the strength and wisdom I will need to make it through this day. Lord, I know there will be adversity, but I also know it will not be more difficult than my abilities to endure. Lord, I know that Your trials are meant to increase my dependence on You, and I thank you for that, and the fact they are designed to draw me nearer to You.

God is sovereign over all creation, in dimensions too vast for man to completely comprehend.  Yet He is willing to share His immeasurable Presence with us; if only we ask, and draw close to Him.
Acts 17:27-28–Paul told the Greek Council: “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

The Lord’s Presence is overwhelming in comparison to man’s puny worldly ways and footprint. But that difference is what He wants us to perceive.   

The worldly man compares everything to his self-perceived stature of status and power.  But when  truly compared to God’s stature, he cannot comprehend, so he does not see at all, even though God was the one who created his existence, and is standing right next to him.
James 4:8–Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
1 Timothy 6:9-10–But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

When we have our eyes opened by the Holy Spirit, we can see and experience the power, beauty and grace of God and His creation.  When our eyes have been opened to the glory of the Lord’s  Presence in our lives; we can share the wonders of His Presence to others around us.

Look for the Lord in the stillness of the morning…Before the distractions of the day start pulling and testing your faith.
Psalm 27:8–My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”

By renewing and refreshing your soul with the Lord; you are preparing your mind and heart  for the trials of the day. By using the Lord’s gift of grace, and the strength and wisdom that comes with it, you can counter the obstacles on the path through the fallen world we all live in.  These obstacles are meant to distract you from your focus on the Lord and His ways.
Romans 12:14– Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.

By asking for God’s grace in the morning , you can approach the coming day, knowing that the Holy spirit is controlling your thoughts;  helping you to think the Lord’s thoughts, and changing your mind’s tendency to think worldly thoughts; which is part of our human sinful nature.
Romans 12:2– Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

This morning refreshing of your mind and heart infuses you with the light of the Lord, shining it on all the places and people you encounter during the day.  This brings peace and joy to yourself and those around you, regardless of your circumstances.
John 8:12–Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Colossians 3:12-13–Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

My Prayer For This Day: 

Lord, thank you for Your Presence with me this morning; helping me to prepare for the day ahead of us. Thank You for the renewal of my mind, and the refreshing of my body, which equips  me to have the thoughts of Christ when I face the situations of this day. Lord, thank You for the strength and wisdom that comes only from You, which helps me live this day according to Your will and  purpose.

God is the only unchanging constant source of stability in this broken world we live in today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
Revelation 22:12-13– And the Lord spoke to John, “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

By staying focused on the Lord and staying in His Presence; we can draw upon that stability; which is the source of peace and joy in the midst of a chaotic world filled with sin and evil.

God created a world of beauty, order, and abundance for us; but since the Fall, that world is full of uncertainty, pain and disappointment for all that have strayed from the path the Lord has set for them.

While on this earth, we all must face that uncertainty , and it is our choice to live in the world and it’s sin; or to live in the protective arms of the Lord, focused on His love, peace and joy found there.
John 16:33–and Jesus said this to His disciples, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 

My Prayer For This Day:

Lord, thank You for staying the same through the ages; Your love for me never changes, Your love never fails. Lord, Your stability in the storm is what I have searched for and needed my whole life. Lord, thank You for the certainty of my salvation and my place with You in Heaven. Lord, be with me today as we face the trials of this broken world together. Lord, thank You for Your peace, joy, and strength as we go out into this day.