Victory247

“They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. After the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city”  Acts 14:19-20 (NIV)

Paul was speaking and ministering to the people in Lystra. The fickle crowd went from wanting to worship Paul, to being persuaded to throw stones at him. Sounds like Ohio State football, or Philadelphia baseball fans.

I can picture Paul lying on the ground with blood, bruises, and broken bones. They thought he was dead. He came back to consciousness, stood up, and went back into the city! He had a mission, a focus, a goal, a passion, and a lot of guts. I’m sure he didn’t feel like going back in, but he did.

There are days we know what we need to do, but we are pummeled. Hit by figurative stones from bosses, friends, co-workers, neighbors, enemies, illness…, and the heaviest ones from those we love. We feel bloody, bruised, and broken. We don’t feel like moving forward, we want to escape, sulk, complain, fight, or just quit.

How did Paul do it? Why did he go back in? He had the right perspective that life is a side-issue compared to eternity. Time is short, and he is just passing through to a great place. He also tapped into God’s strength. The prayer,“I can’t, but Lord, You can”, needs to be paramount in our minds. Feelings didn’t control Paul. His perspective, mission, and God’s energy did.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I can’t, but You can. Give me Your perspective and energy. Thank You for heaven. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”  2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)

This is my favorite verse in the Bible. Paul is sitting in a smelly and damp prison, writing his final words to his best friend, Timothy.

He’s reflecting back on his life and can truly proclaim that he “finished the race” and “kept the faith”.  The ultimate accomplishment!

But when he says “he fought the good fight”, reminds me that it wasn’t easy, in fact, it was difficult. The ‘fight’ infers that there were mistakes, conflicts, tough decisions and circumstances. But he continually climbed back onto his feet in God’s strength. I’m sure there were intense seasons of life that were socially, emotionally, mentally, physically or spiritually trying.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, give me the strength to ‘fight the good fight’ of doing right, helping others and seeking You. Convince me of the blessings that will follow. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

“The LORD reigns, He is robed in majesty, and armed with strength”  Psalm 93:1 (NIV)

Brainyquote.com defines the word “reign”; royal authority; supreme power; sovereignty; rule; dominion. There is an old saying, “big God, small problems. Small God, big problems.”

How we view God will effect how we deal with hardships. How we view God also effects our relationship with Him and others. If we are convinced that He really is almighty, and “armed with strength”, we feel much more secure.

It’s like being an employee at a large manufacturing plant, and our loving dad isn’t necessarily our direct boss, but He owns the whole company. That definitely would give us a sense of security.

Our whole being is impacted when we truly come to grips with “the Lord reigns”. Our perspective on pain, on life in general, and our perspective on praying, all get a serious upgrade.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, constantly remind me that You reign. Thank You that I can hand You all my needs and troubles, and You are able to use them to mold me into an improved version of who I am. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God”  Genesis 6:9 (NIV)

When I was first married I tried to think of creative dates to take my new bride on. If I couldn’t think of anything, there was always going to a good movie. I remember her telling me that a great date for her would be to just go on a walk with me. Not only was that inexpensive, it made sense. She wanted to walk and talk, so we could get to know each other better.

Walking together is a very good time to get to know and learn from another. Going to a movie is merely watching other people on a screen. There is no real communication going on.

Walking with God is a way to say that we are acknowledging His presence as we stroll through our daily routine, while chatting with Him intermittently.

Also, there are times when we can actually get away and take a walk. Those can be great times to pour out our hearts, share concerns, ask for guidance, and talk to Him about others. Those walks are especially great times to listen to what He has to say to us.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, teach me how to truly walk with You. Teach me how to listen to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Psalm 139:24 (NIV)

Sometimes we can be completely unaware of bad habits or offensive actions that have crept into our routine. We just go along our way of living in need of someone to point out flaws that socially hinder us. If a guy forgets to pull up his zipper or gets a piece of lettuce lodged in his front teeth, he needs someone to make him aware. In the same way, we can be oblivious of the things we say, or do, that need adjusting.

We need to be willing to ask God to point out those flaws, and then ask for His strength to change us. He can use others, bible principles, or He may just impress thoughts in our minds to act as a MIRROR for us to see our needed adjustments.

I have wondered why blood is bright red. It’s a warning that we have a leak that needs to be fixed. If blood was tan, the problem could go undetected for too long.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, point out my “offensive ways”, and “lead me in the way everlasting”. Please be gentle and patient. Thank You that You adjust me for my own good. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him”  Nahum 1:7 (NIV)

Nahum was a prophet, preacher of truth, back in the Old Testament days. His name means “comfort, consolation”, which is symbolic of the message he proclaimed. His intent was to comfort and console the afflicted people of Judah.

There are many times when we need to be comforted. Times that we need to regroup and get a good perspective on the struggles we are going through.

Realizing that God is good and worthy of our trust makes it easier to go to Him in prayer. Better than a caring and close friend, we can allow Him to console us. To talk through our hardships. It may not be an instant fix, but if we continually place our tough situations or difficult circumstances at His feet, we will find refuge.

Being honest and very specific in talking with anyone, makes the relationship more intimate and meaningful. It’s the same with God, be honest and specific, and convinced that He really cares.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I give You my hardships and difficult issues. Comfort and console me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take”  Jeremiah 31:21 (NIV)

American Heritage Dictionary defines guidepost, “a post with a sign giving directions for travelers, usually placed at a crossroad“. We are always looking for guidance and direction. There are small and major decisions that seem to be always pressing our way.

What should I do tonight? Who should I ask out? When should I leave? What occupation should I pursue? Should I change jobs, schools, girlfriends…? How we use our time is a continual issue. Our direction is based on what? Feelings, what most people expect, pleasure, ease…?

If we really think about it, this process can send us into a tailspin of frustration. Psychics make a lot of money from people who just want answers. We impatiently jump into decisions to avoid more stress. Alcohol and drugs are easy escapes from those decisions that pound our brains and force our hand.

God wants to give us a healthy guidepost. “Good direction in life is obtained by the building blocks of  daily, Godly choices”. The WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) mentality of decision making can effect the right now, and where we end up.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I want the most out of life. Give me a clear mind and conscience as I seek Your direction. I know You know what will truly fulfill me. Help me to be patient as I choose to do what’s right in Your eyes, so that I can relax in knowing that it makes it Your responsibility to getting me to the best situation. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day”  2 Corintians 4:16 (NIV)

Our bodies are slowly getting older. I recall the youthful days of breaking out into an all out sprint to chase one of my buddies who may be playfully taunting me. If I did that today, not only would I pull something, I would be sore for a week.

In today’s verse, that slow process is compared to the opposite effects of how our inner spirit can develop and mature over time. Like a leaky faucet. My mother would slightly open the valves of all our faucets if she left the house for several days during the cold winter. That slow drip would keep the pipe from freezing in our century old house. But if the drain plug was down, I would be amazed how that tiny drip could fill a large sink over time.

Thinking of God’s principles spelled out in the bible, praying, helping others, and practicing His presence on a consistent daily basis will, over time, change us. “Fill our sinks”, if you will. And a continual communication with Him will also keep our hearts from “freezing up”.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, though I don’t always see it, keep me tapping into You on a daily basis so that You can fulfill and complete me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot”  Proverbs 10:7 (NIV)

If I think back to my youth, there are people who I remember. Some make me cringe bitterly, others give me a warm flavor in my spirit.

I recall a lady, an aunt of a high school classmate, who wrote a note (back in the day of paper and pencil notes) telling me how proud she was that I played basketball with such courage. I had knee problems that I just learned to live with, and didn’t expect anyone to notice the pain and frustration I experienced every time I played.

I barely knew this lady, but I know she was a strong Christian. That to me was a good memory created by a righteous person. We all could think back on people who did an act of kindness, a timely word of advice and encouragement, or just a person that was a positive influence.

It’s exciting to know that God can use us to be a blessing that can permanently live in someone’s mind.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, give me the eyes to see the opportunities to be a long lasting blessing in someone’s memory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”  Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

It’s always interesting to think about darkness. I think God invented night and day so that we would understand the importance of His guidance and truths.

The other day I looked down toward my feet and noticed that I had two different shades of socks on. It happened because I got dressed in the dark. I didn’t want to wake up my wife so I used my “instincts” to get dressed. More mistakes happened in the dark.

As a kid, my friends and I would ride our bikes around the neighborhood. One dark summer night we were cruising around late. I decided to turn off the road toward our favorite park. Before I knew it, my Huffy bike abruptly stopped on a dime. I still can recall the shocked and baffled feeling that I experienced as I catapulted over my handlebars into a face plant. I got up to see that some genius decided to put a large chain across the path entrance to discourage cars from driving on the park lawn. It was thick and brown, and nearly impossible to see at night. More casualties happen in the dark.

I have found that in life, the more I talk to God and think about His Words, the more light shines onto my path. Mistakes get avoided, casualties and obstacles get side stepped. Sure, there will be mistakes and unavoidable tragedies. But that’s when the light allows things to make more sense.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, draw me close to You through prayer and Your principles, so that I can have more and more light on my path. Direct my daily decisions and choices. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.