Victory247

^” How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?”  Matthew 7:4 (NIV)

Many times we find comfort in complaining or criticizing others. It’s easy to do, especially when talking about someone that we feel threatened by, competing with, or someone we just don’t like. The challenge today is to draw closer to God when this feeling or temptation comes to us. At that moment “verbally stop in your tracks” and breathe a quick prayer, asking God to instead point out a flaw in ourselves. This challenge will bolster the personal character of any taker. It will amplify your communication with Him.

The famous Groucho Marx stated, “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member”. Humorous, yet profound.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, help me to see the ‘planks’ in my life. Thank You that You love me anyway. Give me the strength to do the same for others (love them anyway). In Jesus’ Name. Amen

“In their pride the wicked do not seek Him; in all their thoughts there is no room for God”  Psalm 10:4 (NIV)

In today’s verse we shouldn’t assume that going a day without thinking about God puts us in the “wicked” category. This verse is just pointing out one characteristic of the “wicked”. The key to a fulfilled life ISN’T walking around trying not to be bad. INSTEAD, true fulfillment comes to those who allow God to invade their minds, mentality, thinking.

We need to ‘make room’ for God in our brains as we go throughout our day; asking Him to help us make decisions, bouncing ideas off Him, talking to Him about life direction, and pleading with Him to form our perspectives on Biblical teachings (and seeking out more and more of these teachings through daily devotionals, personal Bible reading, sermons, bible study groups, or discussions with other people walking in faith).

Many of us have formed a rut of a daily routine. I had a good friend once say, “I really enjoy my rut”. We can periodically check out of the “auto-drive” mode, and give some silent prayers to God which will escort Him into our “brain-room”.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, remind me to make room in my thoughts for You and Your insights. Thank You for the fulfillment and blessings that will follow. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy”   Matthew 6:20 (NIV)

When we make decisions, use our time, or even do something for others, we seem to have the mindset of  “what’s in it for me?”.  It’s a common practice for a businessman to give away football tickets to a client to keep them using their services. Or for a mother to offer to babysit for a neighbor because she knows that next week she will need a sitter for her kids.

There’s nothing wrong with these practices. But the challenge is to do something for someone and give to others, expecting nothing from them in return. Do it  “just because”. This is what Jesus is talking about with ‘storing treasures in heaven’. If this “just because” motivation becomes a common practice, not only will we get rewarded in heaven, He also will impact our lives abundantly so that we can continue to do even more ‘storing’.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, show me opportunities to store treasures. Help me to check the motives behind my actions. Continue to mold and change my self-centered heart. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”  Matthew 5:8 (NIV)

When Jesus proclaims this statement, it kinda jumps out at you. ‘See God’? Now? In heaven? How? Where?!

We constantly do things and make decisions based on selfish motives. “What can I get out of this? What’s in it for me? I don’t have time for them because I’m way too busy with taking care of me“.

‘Pure in heart’ is a fantastic quality. Doing things just because God would want us to. Doing the right thing because it’s the right thing. Giving your time to those who need you, giving your money or possessions to someone who needs the help.

It seems like the more we take our eyes off ourselves, the more we can ‘see God’; understand who He is, how He thinks, what He is like.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, show me how to be pure in my motives. Help me to be more “others-oriented” so that I can see and experience You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”  Matthew 5:7

The word “kindness” comes up in the bible several times as an attribute that can be only truly generated out of depending on God. Kindness is one of those things that seems easy, but very difficult to consistently live out. Sure, it’s easy to be kind to someone we are trying to impress, trying to get to like us, or even trying to manipulate for our own gain. But real kindness happens when there is no hidden motive.

One time I asked a lady how hard it would be to quit smoking. She said that she could quit smoking easily, she just doesn’t want to. I scratched my head and wondered if that really meant, in a round-about way, “it would be very difficult for me to quit”. Same thing with kindness. It would be easy to be kind, we just choose not to most of the time.

A pastor once stated, “Some people think kindness is weak—not something for ‘go-getters’ to be bothered with. Big mistake! If we want God, who has ultimate control of how things go in the universe, to be kind to us, we’d better be kind to others”.  Just like in today’s verse, mercy comes to the merciful. Kindness gives birth to more kindness if we are asking God to help us be others-sensitive. And that’s when our insides start to flourish.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, give me the eyes to see the needs of others. Then give me the strength to do the difficult thing; to be kind. I want my insides to flourish and my life to be fulfilled, so please don’t let me miss out on this window to Your power. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people”  Hebrews 9:27,28 (NIV)

The bad news is that we are all going to die. The good news is that through receiving Jesus Christ into our hearts by faith, we can inherit eternal life (see “start the victory” on victory247.org). It is good to have a healthy view of death. As we walk with God, knowing that heaven is in our future, remembering that our time here is limited will have a productive impact on how we choose to live.

I know I can get stuck in my daily routine and go months under the false facade that death isn’t really real. Or my brain will just refuse to accept the fact of death. Actor and comedian Woody Allen once stated; “I’m very proud of my gold pocket watch. My grandfather, on his deathbed, sold it to me”.

The mentality of ‘life is short so let’s party’ will corrode our insides. But living to help others and please God on our journey toward eternal bliss in heaven, will grow a fertile inner-fulfillment. Logically it seems upside down, but God loves to defy logic.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, give me a healthy view of dying. Bless me as I attempt to bless others. Thank You that through accepting Jesus’ work on the cross I can rest assured that heaven is in my future. In His Name. Amen.

“These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires… But you, dear friends, must build each other up”  Jude 1:16,20 (NLT)

I know of many who communicate using the “three C’s”; complaining, criticizing, correcting. This can be as contagious as a bad cold. The “three C’s” are symptoms of an infection in our spirit. As we go throughout our daily routine, we need to listen closely to what we are saying and thinking. If this infection isn’t treated, our relationships and our inner-peace will corrode.

The cure for this is in verse 20, “build each other up”. Prayer, encouragement, and looking for the good in others are our high powered vitamins.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, alert me when the bad symptoms and infections creep into my spirit. Give me the strength to be an encourager. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me”  Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

Our past choices, feelings that question God’s existence, discouragement, being treated unfairly, all can play a part of those times we just don’t feel like doing what is right in God’s eyes. Maturity comes to those who “press on”, inspite of feelings, rationales, or emotions.

Faith isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision to walk with God regardless of emotions or circumstances. We aren’t hung out to dry and have to gut it out like the Nike slogan, “Just do it”. We can breathe a prayer for strength, then “just do it” with His might. Making those choices are opportunities to strengthen our inner character and social aptitude.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, help me to recognize those “opportunities” for personal growth by taking steps of faith, especially when I don’t feel like it. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

^“Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak”  Matthew 26:41 (New Century Version)

In Gethsemane the disciples were asked by Jesus to keep watch for an hour while He goes off to pray. I’m sure they were thinking, “no problem, Lord”. After that hour, Jesus returned to find them sound asleep. They had good intentions, but today’s verse is so true; ‘the body is weak’.

Many times we have good intentions, but when it comes down to it, we don’t ‘stay awake’. Jesus is giving out some great advice in this passage. Prayers for strength behind each good intention will go a long way. Those prayers give us His power to carry out our good intentions.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, give me good intentions and Your strength to live them out. “I can’t, but You can.” In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

The shepherd had a really tough job back in those days. He had to lead his sheep, and protect his sheep. This was all day, out in the hot sun. Also interesting to note is that sheep are very dumb animals who truly can’t make it on their own. He’s not calling us dumb, but compared to Him, we are.

I can imagine the conversation with the rebellious, self sufficient sheep; “Listen Mr. Shepherd, I can take care of myself from those lighting fast wolves with sharp teeth. And if I get stuck in a tough situation, I will use my slow, uncoordinated, awkward body to escape.”…”Well Mr. Sheep, I will take care of you and help meet all your needs.” “Okay Mr. Shepherd, that’s not a baaaad idea.”

The main tool the shepherd had was the staff. It had a hook on one end, and a sharp point on the other. The hook was useful to pull the dumb sheep out of holes, bushes, or other messes they would get themselves into. The pointed end was to protect and fend off attacks from predators like wolves.

God uses His staff in our lives. His hook is there to pull us out of messes we get ourselves into, or situations that seem impossible to overcome. Also, we can call on Him to protect us, with the sharp end of the staff, from a world of people who want to take advantage of us.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, like the sheep to the shepherd, help me to be dependent on You to guide, protect, and watch over me. Lead me to green pastures (Psalm 23:2). In Jesus’ Name. Amen.