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Our Daily Bread – Forsaken?
Read: Psalm 22:1-8,19-26
Do you know which psalm is quoted most often in the New Testament? You may have guessed the familiar and beloved 23rd Psalm, but actually it is Psalm 22. This psalm begins with David’s poignant, heart- breaking words that were quoted by Jesus on the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34).
Imagine the situation David must have found himself in that caused him to cry out to God in this way. Notice that he felt forsaken and abandoned: “Why are You so far from helping me?” (Ps. 22:1). He also felt ignored: “O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear” (v.2).
Ever been there? Have you ever looked up into the heavens and wondered why it seemed that God had abandoned you, or was ignoring you? Welcome to David’s world. But for every plaintive cry David expresses, there is a characteristic of God mentioned that rescues him from despondency. Through it all, David discovers that God is holy (v.3), trustworthy (vv.4-5), a deliverer and rescuer (vv.8,20-21), and his strength (v.19).
Do you feel forsaken? Seek the Lord. Rehearse His character. And “let your heart rejoice with everlasting joy” (v.26 nlt).
my life. When those times come, please remind me
of Your character as You did David. Help me to
lean on You again and know that You are there.
His loving care is all around us.
Don’t Get Squeezed Into A Mold
Posted by Joel Osteen on 10/26/2012
When my father went to be with the Lord, I had to accept the fact that God’s purpose for my life was not the same purpose as my father’s. His calling was to help bring down the denominational walls and let people know about the fullness of the Spirit. When I took over, I felt pressured to be like my father, to fit into that mold. I thought I had to minister like him, run the church like him, and go down that same path. But when I searched my heart, I knew my calling was to plant a seed of hope, to encourage people, to let them know about the goodness of God. At first, it was difficult because some people had been in the church for 40 years. I thought, “I can’t be anything different. What would they think? They may not like me. They may not accept me.”
One day I read a scripture talking about David. It said, “David fulfilled his purpose for his generation.” I heard God say right down in here, “Joel, your father fulfilled his purpose. Now quit trying to be like him and go out and fulfill your purpose.” When I heard that, it was like a light turned on inside of me. I realized I don’t have to try to be like my father. I don’t have to fit into a certain mold. It’s okay to run my race. I am free to be me. After all, God doesn’t want us to be an imitation of somebody else; be the original God created you to be.
Friend, there is an anointing on your life, and it’s not so you can be like someone else. You are anointed to be you! But if you let people squeeze you into their mold and bow down to that pressure and change with every criticism, that’s not only going to take away your uniqueness, but it’s going to lessen God’s favor. It’s going to reduce His anointing on your life.
As the church started to grow and more people were watching on television, the critics came out of the woodwork saying, “He’s not like his father. He’s too young. He doesn’t have the experience.” Even now, “Joel is too much of this, not enough of that.” If you change with every criticism, you won’t have a chance. I believe one reason that God has promoted me is because I have tuned out the negative voices and done my best to stay true to who God has called me to be. I don’t try to compete with somebody else. I don’t let people control me and feel guilty if I don’t fit into their box. I don’t get upset because somebody said something negative. I look straight ahead. Like the apostle Paul, I do my best to run with purpose in every step.
I learned early on that in order to please God, you may have to disappoint a few people. The scripture talks about how some people loved the praise of people more than they loved the praise of God. One of the tests that we all have to face is when someone in our life that we love or look up to—a friend, a boss, a family member— wants us to go a certain direction when we know in our heart that God wants us to go another direction. We don’t want to lose their friendship. We don’t want to disappoint them. We want their approval. But if you’re going to fulfill your destiny, you’ve got to be strong. You have to have this attitude, “I want the praise of God more than I want the praise of people. I have an assignment. I have a purpose. I have a destiny. I’m going to become who God has created me to be!”
Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Truth In The Inner Being
by Joyce Meyer – posted November 01, 2012
The heading under this psalm reads: “A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.” David cried out for mercy because he had sinned with Bathsheba, and when he learned she was pregnant, he had had her husband murdered in battle.
After David confessed his sin, Nathan said to him, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord and given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that is born to you shall surely die” (2 Samuel 12:13–14).
That’s the first lesson I want you to grasp from this incident. When you fail God, you harm yourself, but you also bring dishonor to His name. Whenever you take a false step, there are those who watch and gleefully point their fingers. The two always go together. Not only do you bring disgrace on the name of the Lord, but you fail yourself. You knew the right but chose the wrong.
As if that were not enough, the evil one also whispers, “See how bad you are. God won’t forgive you. It’s too awful.” Of course, he’s lying, because that’s what he does best. Don’t listen to those words, because there is no sin you’ve committed that God won’t forgive. You may have to carry scars or pay the penalty, but God wipes away the sin.
There’s something else to learn from this: You need to face reality. You sinned. You disobeyed God. What will you do about your sin? You can plead excuses (and most of us are good at that), or you can follow David’s example. When the prophet said, “You are the man…” (2 Samuel 12:7), the king did not deny his wrongdoing or try to justify his actions. David admitted he had sinned and confessed.
He wrote in the psalm quoted earlier: “For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment” (vs. 3–4).
If you follow Jesus Christ, not only are you declaring to yourself, to your family, and to the world your trust in the Savior, but you are also declaring your stand for truth. It’s easy for us to deceive ourselves, but God has called us to be totally, completely, and scrupulously honest in our inner being. Don’t look at what others may get away with or how they justify their behavior. We can’t blame others, the devil, or circumstances.
When you fail, remind yourself that the greatest king of Israel cried out to God and said, “My sin is ever before me” (v. 3). Those sins, failures, or shortcomings (or whatever you may choose to call them) will always be there until you admit them and confess them to the Lord; only then can you know the joy of living with integrity and in truth.
This is the message for you from this final meditation; this is the message of the entire book: Strive to live with truth in your inner being. You—you and God—are the only ones who know what’s in your heart. Live in honesty and truth.
Holy God, David prayed, “You desire truth in the inner being; make me therefore to know wisdom in my inmost heart.” Through Jesus Christ, I plead with You to help me desire truth in my inner being, to live in such a way that I’m as honest and as open with You as I can become. I know that the life You honor is the life You bless. Amen.
From the book Battlefield of the Mind Devotional by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
Our Daily Bread ~ A Fresh Glimpse Of Glory
Read: Psalm 145:1-13
Every summer, thousands of Good Morning America viewers cast their votes to select “The Most Beautiful Place in America.” I was delighted when the winner for 2011 was announced—Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in my home state of Michigan. Admittedly, I didn’t expect the winning location to be in my own backyard. It reminded me of the time my wife, Martie, and I visited Niagara Falls. A man nearby watched our tourist behavior and quipped, “Ain’t nothin’ to it. I see it every day.”
How easily we grow accustomed to our surroundings and dulled to things that are familiar—even places and experiences that once brought great delight. Although God’s glory is clearly displayed all around us, sometimes the busyness of everyday life blocks our view. We take for granted His amazing work in our lives. We lose the wonder of the cross. We forget the privilege of being His child. We neglect the pleasure of His presence and miss the beauty of His creation.
I love the psalmist’s declaration: “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works” (Ps. 145:5). Let’s take time today to meditate on God’s “wondrous works” and get a fresh glimpse of His glory!
Hill and vale and tree and flower,
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise. —Pierpoint
Mood Control
There’s a time to pray and a time to act. And even though it’s not easy, confrontation is often necessary. If you need to confront someone or something in your life, make sure you do it. If someone has treated you badly, you don’t have to let them continue to disrespect you, de-value you or mistreat you. Obviously it won’t help you, and it won’t help that person either. Confront them about it.
Maybe what you need to confront isn’t a person. Maybe it’s something you’ve let creep into your life uninvited, like negative thoughts, a bad attitude or habitual sin. The good news is that you don’t have to let it control you either—if you’ll confront it.
Confront Your Bad Mood
Many people let unstable moods and out-of-control emotions control their lives. They think that nothing good can happen in their life. If this is you, then begin new today and start saying every day: “I’m going to do something great with my life!” Get rid of small thinking and begin thinking according to what God’s Word says.
When Your Mood Sinks—Resist
When you first feel your mood sinking, that’s when you need to get a hold of yourself. As the Bible says, “Resist the devil at his onset. (See James 4:7). Even if someone’s done you wrong, forgive them in the first 5-10 minutes or you’ll sink deeper into that bad mood, and it will be harder to deal with and let go of. You don’t have to feel like doing the right thing to do it. Just make the choice to do it.
Stability Releases Ability
Stability is defined as the ability to quickly return to a calm, stable state when disturbed, disappointed or upset; the strength to stand or endure any situation and remain calm. One of the most wonderful gifts we can give others or ourselves is stability, or dependability. It’s a sign of choosing to trust God. Once we’re stable, we will have the ability to do what we’re called to do.
Rely on Him
Trusting in God is the key to moving forward into the things God has for us. The reason some of you aren’t getting anywhere with the call on your life is because you haven’t gotten some things straight in your personal life. You never know what’s going to happen when you get up in the morning for that day, but God wants us to rely on Him and look to Him.
A dozen opportunities may arise to get you offended or to say stupid and negative things, but no matter what you feel like inside—even if you feel like you’re going to blow up—you have a choice. Are you going to throw a fit, or are you going to go to God and ask Him to help you to change your mood?
When you immediately go to Him, suddenly something will change inside you. Once you get into the habit of this, you will start to see those moods and bad attitudes leave a little sooner. That “uninvited guest” may try to come back, but you will have already decided to not let him in!
This article is taken from the 2010 Love Life Women’s Convention five-part series.
Celebrate What’s In You
Posted by Victoria Osteen on 10/23/2012
One morning in my prayer time, I was reading in Corinthians about the gifts that God has deposited inside each one of us. As I thought about the scriptures I was reading, I began to wonder what may be inside of me that God is still developing, things I wasn’t yet aware of. At the same time, I thought about how easy it is for people to focus on what others have and what others are doing that we completely overlook the potential in our own lives.
God has given each of us special gifts. Everyone carries tremendous value in this life. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others or think, “I don’t have the talent like that person does, so I’m not as important.” Or, “My gift isn’t public like that person, so it doesn’t count as much.” The truth is, we are all important; we all have a part to play in building His kingdom, and we have to learn to love who we are. We have to celebrate what God has placed within us and celebrate God growing in us.
We are all growing and changing every single day. Think about what you were like five years ago or even last year. You probably aren’t the same person, and of course, you will continue to grow and evolve as time goes on. But have you ever accomplished something in particular that made you stop and think, “Wow, I can’t believe I did that!” Maybe you overcame a major challenge or tackled a big project. Maybe you learned to let go of things that used to hold you back. Did you take time to celebrate that milestone? Does it serve as a reminder to you that you are still moving forward?
Remember, you are multifaceted. There are gifts inside of you that are still waiting to be developed. You are constantly growing and changing. Get excited about seeing your life unfold! Celebrate who you are today and who you are becoming in your future. Let your prayer be, “Father in heaven, thank You for what You are doing in my life. Help me to see the gifts You’ve given me. Help me be all that You have created me to be.”
“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (Ephesians 4:8, NKJV)
Our Daily Bread – Eloquent, Yet Humble
Read: Acts 18:24-28
I admire people who can articulate their beliefs and persuade others with their rhetoric. Some call it “the gift of gab” or “having a way with words.” Others call it “eloquence.”
Apollos had that gift. We are told that he was “an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). But although he taught accurately about Christ, he preached only of the baptism of John which was a baptism of repentance from sin (v.25; 19:4).
Apollos knew about Jesus’ teachings but may not have known about His death and resurrection and that the Spirit had now come (Acts 2). His teaching was incomplete because he didn’t know about being filled with the Spirit for daily empowerment.
So Priscilla and Aquila, a wife and husband who were friends of Paul, invited Apollos into their home to correct his teaching. Although he was highly educated and knew the Scriptures well, Apollos humbly accepted their instruction. As a result, Apollos was able to continue his ministry, but with newfound understanding.
Psalm 25:9 reminds us that God “guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way” (NIV). If we have a spirit of humility, we can be taught by God and be used to touch the lives of others.
More of His meekness, more humility;
More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,
More consecration for work He bids me do. —Gabriel
Crowned With Favor
by Joyce Meyer – posted October 24, 2012
In this Scripture, honor and favor have the same meaning. According to this promise you can have favor with God and with other people. But just because something is available to you does not mean you will partake of it. The Lord offers many gifts that you never receive and enjoy because you don’t activate your faith in that area.
For example, if you go to a job interview confessing fear and failure, you will be almost certain not to get the job. On the other hand, even if you apply for a job you aren’t fully qualified for, you can still go in confidence, knowing God will give you favor in every situation that is His will.
From the book Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.
The Double Portion
Posted by Joel Osteen on 10/19/2012
In scripture we see that for many years Elisha served the prophet Elijah. He was his protégé. Elijah had seen God’s favor in incredible ways. He is the one who called down fire from heaven and 400 false prophets were destroyed. One time, Elijah prayed that it wouldn’t rain. For three and a half years, there was no rain. He was one of the most powerful, anointed people that ever lived. When he was getting very old and about to be taken to heaven, he said to Elisha, “What do you want me to do for you for serving me faithfully all these years?”
Elisha could have asked for something simple. He could have said, “How about a couple weeks off?” or, “How about that new iPad? I’d really like that.” He could have said, “My request is that I’d be able to carry on your ministry.” But, Elisha was bold. He looked at Elijah and said, “What I really want is a double portion of your spirit.” He was saying, “I want to do twice what you’ve done. I want to do twice the miracles, have twice the anointing, twice the favor, twice the influence.”
Elijah could have looked at him and said, “Boy, who do you think you are? You sure are greedy. You need to be a little more humble.” No, Elijah basically told him, “You just keep serving me faithfully and what you have asked will come to pass.”
Do you know the scripture records that Elisha did exactly twice as many miracles as Elijah? But if Elisha would have been timid and thought, “I can’t ask that. That wouldn’t be right,” we wouldn’t be talking about him today.
Remember, God has placed seeds of greatness on the inside of you. He wants you to leave your mark on this generation. You’re not supposed to live and die and nobody miss you. Break out of your box and start asking God for the hidden dreams He has placed on the inside. Ask Him for the double portion. Be bold and step out in faith. Keep believing, keep hoping, keep dreaming and keep following His plan because His ways always lead to the double portion!
I Am Lady Fab 