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“When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise”  2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)

If we live our lives to just doing as good, or slightly better than the majority, then we can’t expect a lot out of life. Striving for a high standard is what God wants to empower us to do.

There once were two men walking out in the wilderness. They spotted a bear in the distance who was looking to attack. One of the guys quickly started putting on his running shoes. The other guy said, “why are you doing that? There is no way to outrun that bear.” The man replied, “I don’t have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun you!”

God made us all unique. Our goal is to allow Him to make us the best “me” we were created to be. Not just better than our neighbor.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, don’t let me be satisfied with just being and doing like those around me. Help me be the best “me” I can be. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“…and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”   2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

All of us have what I call a “self talk” going on in our heads. Some refer to it as our “thought life”.

Many times we just let it happen, but we need to realize we can interrupt that stream of thinking, or stop our wandering mind, and even make an effort to “self talk” correctly.

I can catch myself complaining in my head about everything that bothers me about my wife, friends, boss, parents, co-workers, kids, or even dog. Sometimes I keep it “in”, and sometimes I snap at those around me. My insides boil and I have no inner peace.

Stopping that process and sound track can change our whole outlook.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, remind me to stop those thoughts that erode my relationships. I need to give those thoughts over to You to ajust. Also, help me to put the skids on any angry, impure, and lustful thinking. I want Your blessed inner peace. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“…for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work”  2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (NIV)

When something good comes our way we tend to hoard and keep it for ourselves. All of us have the ability to help and encourage others, but we can get too caught up in our own needs being met.

I had a roommate in college who complained that he walks through campus and “nobody even says hi to me”. I was shocked because I felt like the students were amazingly friendly. Then, knowing how cold and impersonal he was, I asked, “do you say hello to anyone?”. He retorted bitterly, “no way, if they won’t acknowledge me, I won’t acknowledge them”.

To get friends we need to be a friend. To be blessed, we need to bless. To “get” we have to give.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for wanting to ‘bless me abundantly’. Give me the strength and awareness to give of myself so that You can take care me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield”  Psalm 91:4 (NIV)

There are times that we just need to feel cared for and protected. Many times we have a hard time really admitting that, I know I do. But the reality is that things get out of whack when we attempt self-reliance.

This picture of a baby bird being “safe” under the care of the adult bird, the loving and understanding God of the universe, really paints a picture of security especially when we feel like “everything or everybody is against me”.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, give me the strength to live a full life, and a safe place to retreat to under Your wing. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul…”  Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV)

Most days I go from one thing to the next on autopilot. Before I know it, it’s the end of the day and I am wiped out.

One thing I learned to do for my own sanity and inner health was to take a 5 minute vacation at least once in the middle of my day to STOP and just relax. Those are times to hand my day over to God and be ‘refreshed’.

After that quick time with God, praying or thinking about passages like Psalm 23, I will try to get in a light-hearted conversation with a friend or co-worker before I go back to my work.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, give me a refreshed soul in the midst of my busy day. Thank You that you can quiet my heart and mind. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“But He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold”  Job 23:10 (NIV)

Job was a guy I truly admire. He had way more hardship in his life then I could imagine.

He had an amazing perpesctive, knowing that God was invovled in his life and was using each difficult situation that came along to refine his heart and life.

Gold has to go through an extreme heating process to make it beautiful and refined. Job uses this gold example to the give us a “pearl of wisdom” in handling tough stuff that comes our way.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing what I’m going through, and that You can use my hardships to refine and complete me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness…”

(Romans 8:26, NLT)

Do you ever get focused on what you consider to be a disadvantage or weakness in your life? Maybe there’s something about yourself that you don’t like physically. You may have even been through an unfair situation: a relationship split, a bad business deal, or a bad break.

We all have things that can feel like disadvantages, things that make it harder on us. But just because you have a “disadvantage,” just because you’ve been through a tough time doesn’t mean you’re supposed to sit back and settle where you are. God still has something great for you to do! He wants to show Himself strong in and through you. The Holy Spirit wants to help you during those times when you feel weak. If you will stay in faith and not get negative toward yourself or your future, then God can take what you think is a liability and turn it into an asset.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I give You all that I am. I invite You into the weak places in my life so that You can turn them into strengths. Thank You for working in my life and filling me with faith and expectancy. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously”   2Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)

It only makes sense that if we sprinkle just a few seeds(‘sow’), then we can only harvest(‘reap’) a small amount. On the other hand, if we throw out a bunch of seeds, we have the potential for a bumper crop! I’m not a farmer or gardener, but I always thought the term “bumper crop” sounded like a whole lot.

The context of this verse is the Apostle Paul writing to the believers in Corinth about a gift they are planning to give. “Giving” is the sowing in God’s economy. The more we give our money, time, helping hand, possessions, encouragement, advice…, the more seeds we are sowing. This gives God a chance to produce a bumper crop of blessings and rewards in our lives.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, help me to look for opportunities to give of myself so that You can take care of all my needs and more. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”   Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

It’s so important to make sure our thoughts are becoming more and more like God’s thoughts. Just like a computer program, whatever you allow into your mind is what will come out in your attitude and actions. The more you read, study and memorize God’s Word, the more you will transform your thinking to be like God’s thinking. Remember the WWJD (what would Jesus do) bracelets? Dwell on that to help put your new thinking into action.

Choose today to focus on the Word of God and allow your mind to be renewed. As you focus on God’s thoughts, you will see your actions become more like His, and you will see His hand of blessing in every area of your life.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I submit to you all that I am. I ask that you renew my mind by Your Word’s so that my thoughts become more like Your thoughts. Please bless my life so that I can help those around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

We all have times when our plans don’t work out. We get delayed, interrupted, and inconvenienced. It’s easy to get frustrated and fight against everything that doesn’t go our way. But I’ve learned that every interruption is not bad. Every closed door doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. Every delay doesn’t mean you’re not where you’re supposed to be.

There is something called a “divine interruption” where God, on purpose, will delay us to protect us from an accident. On purpose, He will close a door because it’s not His best. Sometimes, God will allow us to be inconvenienced so we can help someone else in need. We have to be willing to press through difficulty so we can be at the right place at the right time.

The next time you’re interrupted, delayed, or inconvenienced, don’t start thinking, “This is a pain. This is getting me off schedule.” Get a new perspective. Look for what God wants to do because it could be a divine interruption or divine protection. Trust Him today because He is directing your steps.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me. I surrender every area of my mind, will, and emotions to You. Use me for Your glory today and teach me to discern Your ways. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.