Blog Archives
Our Daily Bread – Planted In The House Of The Lord
READ: Psalm 92
They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing. —Psalm 92:14
After conducting a series of interviews with elderly people, author Don Gold published the book Until the Singing Stops: A Celebration of Life and Old Age in America.
Gold loved and admired his grandmother, and it was the memory of her that moved him to meet and learn from other elderly people. He recalls that on the way to one of his interviews, he got lost on a dusty country road in Missouri. When he pulled into a farm to ask for directions, a teenager came up, listened, shrugged his shoulders, and then replied, “Don’t know.” So he drove on. A few miles farther down the road, he stopped again at a farmhouse. The farmer, who was an old man, graciously gave him flawless directions.
Perhaps, Gold mused, that experience sums up what he was searching for when the memory of his grandmother sent him out to find people like her. He was looking for someone to guide him in his life journey.
If you’re “young,” seek out older people who have been drinking deeply from God’s love and goodness throughout their life. They have wisdom to share that will help you so that you also might flourish and grow in your faith (Ps. 92:12-14). —David Roper
Dear Jesus, take my heart and hand,
And grant me this, I pray:
That I through Your sweet love may grow
More like You day by day. —Garrison
Fellowship with Christ is the secret of fruitfulness for Him.
Copyright © 2012, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA.
Praying Bold Prayers
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith will it be done to you’ ” (Matthew 9:29, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria Osteen
A recent study showed that 90% of people believe in the power of prayer. People typically pray over their food, their kids, or they ask God for wisdom, strength and health. But oftentimes, people pray what I call “get by” prayers. They pray, “God, help me get by this year. God, help me endure this sickness. God, keep my child out of trouble.” There’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t limit what God can do. If you ask small, you’re going to receive small. But when you learn the Word, your faith grows, your confidence grows, and you’ll learn to pray bold prayers that honor God!
Instead of praying, “God, help me pay my bills,” pray, “God, help me pay my bills and have plenty left over so I can be a blessing to someone else.” Instead of praying, “God, keep my child out of trouble,” pray, “God, let my child become a leader and fulfill his destiny.” Instead of praying, “God, help me endure this sickness,” pray a bold prayer, “Father, I want to thank You that I’m coming through this sickness better off than I was before!” As you continue studying His Word, your faith will grow. You will know Him more, and you’ll be empowered by your union with Him to pray bold prayers and see those prayers come to pass!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, today I open my mind and heart to You. I receive Your Word which directs my steps and builds my faith. Help me to hear Your voice clearly so that I can pray bold prayers in line with Your will in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
© 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Our Daily Bread – Troubled Times
READ: John 16:25-33
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. — John 16:33
If you’ve never heard of Murphy’s Law, you’ve probably experienced it: “If anything can go wrong, it will.”
Murphy’s maxim reminds me of the principle Jesus shared with His disciples when He told them, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV). In other words, we can count on it—sooner or later we will hit troubled times. It’s not the way God originally intended life to be, but when the human race first succumbed to Satan’s seduction in the garden, everything on this planet fell into the grip of sin. And the result has been disorder and dysfunction ever since.
The reality of trouble in life is obvious. It’s the reality of peace that often eludes us. Interestingly, when Jesus warned His followers about trouble, in the same breath He also promised peace. He even told them to “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (v.33). The word overcome indicates a past event that has a continuing effect. Not only did Jesus conquer the fallen world through His death and resurrection, but He continues to provide victory, no matter how much trouble we may face.
So, although we can expect some trouble in this fallen world, the good news is that we can count on Jesus for peace in troubled times. —Joe Stowell
Dear Lord, thank You for always being with us.
We ask that when troubles invariably come,
You would renew in us once again the blessed
peace of Your presence. Amen.
In the midst of troubles, peace can be found in Jesus.
Copyright © 2012, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA
Our Daily Bread – Abide With Me
READ: Hebrews 13:1-8
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” —Hebrews 13:5
One of the highlights of English football (soccer) each year is the final match of the annual FA Cup Final. For more than a hundred years, the day has been marked by excitement, festivity, and competition. But what fascinates me is how the game begins. It starts with the singing of the traditional hymn “Abide With Me.”
At first that struck me as odd. What does that hymn have to do with football? As I thought about it, though, I realized that for the follower of Christ it has everything to do with sports, shopping, working, going to school, or anything else we do. Since there is no corner of our lives that should not be affected by the presence of God, the longing that He would abide with us is actually the most reasonable thing we could desire. Of course, the presence of our heavenly Father is not something we need to plead for—it is promised to us. In Hebrews 13:5, we read, “For [God] Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
Not only is God’s presence the key to our contentment, but it is also the promise that can give us wisdom, peace, comfort, and strength—no matter where we are or what we are doing. —Bill Crowder
Thank You, Lord, for walking with us every day.
You are our guardian, friend, and guide.
May we sense Your loving presence and always
know that You are close by our side. Amen.
Our greatest privilege is to enjoy Christ’s presence.
Copyright © 2012, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA
God Can Restore Whatever You Lost
Dear Friend,
Have you ever lost something of importance only to find it again later? –a wedding band, a watch, a photograph, an heirloom?
If you have, you know the jubilation that floods your heart when what was lost is restored to you.
Today, I want to share this good guarantee:
God wants to restore the thing you thought was lost in your life.
I’m not just talking about objects and possessions. God wants to restore the everlasting: your relationships, dreams, career, even your faith.
This happened to Jacob; day after day, he felt the sting of loss due to his own deceptive ways, and he thought like many of us that those things would never be restored. Jacob is cemented in scripture among the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But he got there through deception and manipulation.
If you’ve ever experienced broken relationships, disappointing outcomes, moral failures, an identity crisis, the loss of a dream, or a divided family, I want you to LOOK UP!
Jacob dealt with all this and more, and God restored him.
Now it’s time for your Jacob moment . . .
If you need something restored today,
I want you to let these words sink into your spirit:
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord . . .” (Psalm 121:1-2)
Twenty years went by after Jacob ran from his family to avoid the wrath of his twin brother. He was no longer the young trickster, and now he wrestled his own conscience. He wrestled the what-ifs of life. And ultimately, he wrestled God.
Some of you are wrestling with God right now, “Lord, when is my past going to stop influencing my present? Are you big enough to give me back what I’ve lost? Because I’ve tried it in my own strength, and it’s not working!”
One touch from God in your life can change everything. He can do more in one moment than you can do in 20 years.
One touch from God will bring healing.
One touch from God will repair broken places.
One touch from God will restore dreams.
One touch from God will reach your child.
One touch from God is all it takes. LOOK UP . . .
Free From Shame
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Let my heart be sound (sincere and wholehearted and blameless) in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame” (Psalm 119:80 AMP)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria Osteen
Did you know the Word of God will protect you from shame and embarrassment? God’s laws, or statutes, were established for your good. God sent His Word to guide and protect you. When you follow His commands, you can be sure that you are making clear, sound choices. You can have confidence knowing that you are making the very best decisions.
When negative, accusing thoughts come, you have to know that those are not from God. They are from the enemy. In fact, the Bible calls him the “accuser of the brethren.” That means he’s trying to make you feel guilty, shameful and condemned. He’s trying to make you second guess yourself. But remember, the enemy is already defeated! Because of what Jesus did on the cross, you are free from shame! The enemy has no legal power over you unless you open a spiritual door to him. Keep the doors closed by submitting yourself to God and His Word. Ask the Lord to give you a whole and blameless heart to follow His commands. As you do, you will walk in His protection and guidance and live free from shame today and all the days of your life!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, thank You for Your Word which guides and protects me. Thank You for giving me the ability to make right choices according to Your Word. Give me a sincere and blameless heart that I may serve You all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
© 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
Dorian Gray
READ: Matthew 23:23-31
For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of . . . all uncleanness. —Matthew 23:27
The Victorian novel The Picture of Dorian Gray illustrates how the person we project to others may be very different from who we are on the inside. After the youthful and handsome Dorian Gray had his portrait painted, he dreaded the prospect of growing old, and he wished the portrait would grow old in his place.
Soon he realized that his wish had been granted. The portrait, which mirrored his troubled soul, aged and became more hideous with each sin Dorian committed, while he himself remained youthful. His outward appearance did not match his corrupted heart.
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for displaying a similar hypocrisy. Many of them took pride in showing off their spirituality in public. Yet on the inside, they were guilty of many secret sins. Because of this, Jesus compared them to “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of . . . all uncleanness” (Matt. 23:27).
We are tempted to cultivate a false image for others to see. But God knows our hearts (1 Sam. 16:7; Prov. 15:3). Through confession and prayerfully opening our hearts to God’s Word and the work of the Spirit, we can experience an inner goodness that is reflected in godly actions. Let God transform you from the inside out (2 Cor. 3:17-18). —Dennis Fisher
Father, it’s easy to put up a front and hide
from the public what we are really like. We’re
grateful that we cannot hide from You. You
know us. Please change us inside and out.
Only Christ can transform us.
Copyright © 2012, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA.
The Secret Things
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God…” (Deuteronomy 29:29, AMP)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Are you going through a situation in your life that you don’t quite understand? During these uncertain seasons, it’s natural to question things in your mind. But in order to move forward, we have to look forward with our hearts. We have to look beyond the questions and continue to trust in Almighty God.
Serving God means we’re going to have some unanswered questions. You may never understand why a relationship ended sooner than you would have liked. You may never understand why you lost a loved one. You may never understand why you went through something difficult or why your prayers didn’t get answered. But at some point, you have to decide to put your questions aside and go on with God. We have to decide to trust His character even when our circumstances don’t make sense. The Bible tells us that adversity will come, but God is the one who promises to lead us into victory. He has promised that He’s going to turn that difficulty around and use it for your advantage. He is faithful to His Word, and you can be sure that He will fulfill every promise He’s made to you.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, I choose to trust You with my unanswered questions. I choose to release any doubt and confusion to You. Help me to focus on Your Word which is truth that sets me free. Thank You for Your goodness and for the blessings You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
© 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries
I Am Lady Fab 