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A person with no devotional life generally struggles with faith and obedience.
From Psalm 92:1-2: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”
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God waits for you to seek His counsel. If you act without discerning His timing, you may lose the smile of divine favor. He will not bless what He has not ordained.
From 2 Corinthians 5:6-7: “So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord–for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
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I awaken with a heavy heart today
Sleeping later than usual if I may
My thoughts are with those in dire need
Hoping their lives will blossom to please
When a person cares about others nearby
Feeling their sadness and sorrow going by
It causes me to really stop and think
Dashing my energy whenever I blink
I feel like running to those who suffer so
Forgetting the many miles that I must go
I reach for my Bible at this morning hour
Reading God’s word that forever towers
His amazing grace and love always fill me up
Plugging the vacuum of a sinner who’s corrupt
My Bible journey transports me to Psalm 31
Allowing the words to reach out, one by one
I pursue refuge with my almighty God, my Lord
Delivering to me His righteousness, like a sword
God has created a holy, mighty fortress for all
Carrying all of us to a safe place before we fall
Lord, remove me from this netting that holds thee
Allowing my troubles to fall as I drop to my knees
I extend my troubled hand out to His
Guiding me to bless Him and all that is
My Lord has redeemed me to stand firm
Sending me forth to help others in return
Waking up on a morning when my own heart was indeed very heavy, God transformed my attitude in His way. Before writing this poem, I was reading a short devotional, and the Biblical text sent me to Psalm 31:1-5. Use the link to read these inspiring verses.
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Faith is not merely you holding on to God–it is God holding on to you.
From 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
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With another year starting up, I have been contemplating and praying about how to manage my life in better alignment with God’s Word. While a new decade is upon us, I am more concerned about the year ahead. Better yet, I need to build my faith day-by-day.
Last year, I kept three key words close to my heart:
While I have been successful in managing my pre-diabetic condition, and my family has been a true blessing in so many ways, I still feel there is room for growth in my faith.
In reading Scripture, Jesus is always connected to us. At the same time, there is a need to reshape my daily habits by reading God’s Word with a deeper understanding and to be more consistent in prayer.
From John 15:1-2: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.”
From John 15:11: “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”
My mother (she will turn 82 this month) reminds me to make each day precious.
With faith at the forefront of my agenda for 2020, I will use a phrase to better emphasize keeping my faith on track and growing.
With God’s guidance, this Grace-driven foundation will consistently build up my spiritual energy.
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What is so special about simple rain?
Have you truly witnessed God’s gift of rain?
Everywhere, anticipation of rain
Withering crops crave God’s rainfall today
Farmers wait faithfully for rains to come
Without rain, hearts and plants start to decay
The farmland depends on these vital rains
Last year, little rain arrives to help out
Sunny skies chase away clouds too often
“Next year” cries out from thirsty lands of drought
Farmers sow their spring crops on faith alone
Waiting for nature to moisten the ground
Praying to the Lord, asking for His rain
Rain arrives, new life rising skyward bound
God sends righteousness, in the form of rain
Fulfilling prayers, easing farmers’ pain
From Isaiah 45:8: “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up, and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also; I the Lord have created it.”
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An early winter blizzard covers the immense ranching country. The harshness of the storm threatens everyone’s safety, both people and cattle.
Phone lines are disconnected, with most on the ground. Electricity is off except where well-prepared ranchers turn on generators to provide for their needs. All roads into each ranch are drifted shut with the heavy, dense snow.
One rancher is overly concerned for the welfare of his family and his cattle herd. The family is warm and safe inside their home, and they have enough groceries to last for several more days.
However, the cattle stand in harm’s way. Their water supply and feeding schedule have been disrupted, and the rancher worries about the length of the storm and the consequences for his 300 plus head of Black Angus cows.
At suppertime on the third night of the storm, the atmosphere is tense. The rancher’s son sees the worry painted on his father’s face. This faithful, little soul of a five-year old reminds his father with words filled with hope, “Jesus will be with us.”
Overnight the storm begins to abate and move on. In the morning, crews begin to slowly and carefully clear the roads. In a matter of hours, they will reach the isolated ranch.
Using his powerful four-wheel tractor with its giant dozer blade, the rancher clears a path to where his precious cattle are nestled against the wall of a massive shelter. While he makes sure the water is running, and the cattle receive their hay with a helping of rolled oats, he smiles and remembers the faithful words of his young son, “Jesus will be with us.”
