Daily Disciples

April 1
Today's Reading: Judges 13-15; Luke 6:27-49
Today's Thoughts: The Right Desire
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" Genesis 3:1-9
Was Eve’s desire to be “like God” wrong? No. Many Christians today want to be more like God. We pray prayers like, "Let me follow You. Let me be conformed into Your image. Make me more like You. Please increase and let me decrease." Those are biblical prayers from hearts that truly seek the Lord. So why was the punishment so severe for Eve's desire? Eve was wrong in thinking that being disobedient would achieve her desire. Eve was deceived that she could become "wise" like God by doing it her way, instead of remaining in line with His ways. Eve exchanged the peace of God for a piece of fruit and severed her relationship with the Lord. As a result, that day she died spiritually, which led to an ultimate physical death. Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden as another consequence.
We should not be too critical of Eve because we struggle with the same temptations. When we make choices that are against God, we share the same feelings of fear, guilt and shame. And as we run away and attempt to hide "from the presence of the Lord,” He kindly and graciously calls to us and seeks us out. But God wants us to seek Him. He wants us to come to Him with a repentant heart and honest words. Despite where you may be with the Lord, He loves you. He doesn't want you to be afraid or to try to fix the problems you have caused yourself. He will cover you with the blood of Christ, and by His kindness He will lead you to repentance. Come to God, confess and be restored. He has so much more for you but stay in a close relationship with Him. If you choose to do it your own way, you are the one who will lose.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 31
Today's Reading: Judges 11-12; Luke 6:1-26
Today's Thoughts: Learning to Wait
And he said to the elders, "Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them." Exodus 24:14
Moses had led the children of Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, into the wilderness and now to the foot of Mount Sinai. As everyone settled in at the base of this mountain, God called Moses to come up to the top. As Moses prepared to leave, he gave specific instructions to the elders. “Wait here…” Wait. Hang out. Stay put. Do not go anywhere. Sounds like a simple message. But as is often the case, the people became restless and impatient. How long were they supposed to wait? Maybe they thought Moses would head up the mountain and then come right back down, kind of a short trip. Their measure of time did not meet God’s measure of time. How often does that happen to us? Very frequently in my experience!
We live in a world that is fast-paced, with instant messaging and real-time technology. We wait for very few things. We get impatient and anxious over the smallest time delays. Waiting in line to do anything seems futile and a waste of time. We pray for self-control just so we are not completely rude or offensive to those around us, especially those who may be holding up our schedule. But just as in the days of Moses, there are consequences to the behavior that comes from such impatience. The children of Israel decided to build a golden calf, throw a wild party around it, and make complete fools of themselves before God. We may not build a golden calf while waiting in traffic but many of us (if honest) must admit that we can get pretty foolish in how we handle our frustrations. Horns beeping, people yelling, gestures and faces display hostility…what has happened to us? The short answer: we have no concept of what it means to wait.
As Christians, we serve a God who is never in a rush. The Lord is patient and steadfast. If we treat our prayers like a slot machine or a 9-1-1 call, we will most likely be disappointed. The Lord will wait. So often, He is waiting on us to come to Him, or to come back to Him. He does not respond according to the world’s pace. He wants us to follow Him, not the world. Waiting on the Lord brings strength to our character. As His child, we should be diffusing the hostility with love. There is no better time to be a witness for Jesus than when we are being pressured to act like everybody else. Stop today and think about this message. If you find yourself in a line at a store, in traffic or anywhere that you are told to “wait,” pray for God’s strength to give you patience. Pray for the person standing before you in line or the Cashier before you get to her. Pray that it be an opportunity to glorify Him and be His witness.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 30
Today’s Readings: Judges 9-10; Luke 5:17-39
Today’s Thoughts: Refusing to Believe
Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" "Twelve," they replied. "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" They answered, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?" Mark 8:17-21
From Mark 8, we see how Jesus has compassion for 4,000 people who have been following Him for three days. He feeds them, not only spiritually through His teachings, but also physically as well. It is the second time that He has performed this kind of miracle in front of his disciples, the people following Him and those who oppose Him. The Pharisees were hard-hearted to such an extreme that they could not see or appreciate the spiritual or physical miracles. Instead, they continue to insist on a sign. The answer Jesus gave them was pretty amazing. He did not rebuke them by asking, “What do you call feeding 4,000 with only 7 loaves, with another 7 baskets left over?” No, Jesus does not try to reason with them. He allows them the right to continue in their position of doubt and skepticism. He doesn’t even speak in His own defense. He allows them to make a choice – to believe or not believe. Many times today, He deals with us in the same way. He is a gentleman, He will not force us to be obedient.
Sometimes we must deal with similar types of attitudes with the people in our lives – doubting and skepticism. Maybe these people have seen the Lord perform miracles in your life but they still harass you and want you to prove yourself. They might have even partaken of the bread that Jesus miraculously provided for you. Or maybe Jesus has provided miraculously for them as well but they refuse to acknowledge His provision as a miracle. As hard as it can be for us, the responsibility to change them or reason with them is not ours, but the Lord's. It is our responsibility to live in His power and presence, speaking His truth to others while leaving the results to God. We can take comfort and rest in the fact that God does not need us to defend Him. Keep praying for them diligently. And when the struggles come, ask the Lord to give you understanding, for He will continue to provide for you both spiritually and physically.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 28
Today's Reading: Judges 4-6; Luke 4:31-44
Today's Thoughts: An Answer to Prayer

Then he said, "O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink'--let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master." Genesis 24:12-14

The prayer that Abraham’s servant prayed is called a “fleece.” The New Unger’s Dictionary describes a fleece as “the wool of a sheep, whether on the living animal, shorn off, or attached to the flayed skin.” The miracle of Gideon’s fleece (Judges 6:37-40) consisted of the dew having soaked the fleece once, without any on the ground, whereas at another time the fleece remained dry while the ground was wet with dew. Literally, fleece means the wool of a sheep. However, today we call certain prayers a “fleece” because Gideon used a “fleece” (or the wool of sheep) to have God confirm His will in a specific manner to him: the fleece needed to be wet even though the ground was dry and then the fleece needed to remain dry even though the ground was wet.

Is it ok to pray for a fleece today? I have asked God for many fleeces because I wanted God’s clear direction in making decisions. There have been prayers that I have prayed for years without any need of a sign. But there have been others that I have prayed and received verses and confirmation, but I still wanted more clarification and direction. At this point, I pray a fleece and I have clearly seen God move to show me His will. Know that when you pray a fleece, you have a higher accountability to God. I have learned not to flippantly pray for a fleece. I ask for wisdom, I pray for wise counsel from others, I search His Scriptures and pray continually before resorting to a fleece. I am this hesitant because sadly I have to say that God has been more faithful to answer my fleeces than I have been faithful to be obedient with His answer. Dealing with the consequences of not following the Lord was more difficult than not knowing His will in a matter and just trusting Him for the outcome.

God is a personal God and He wants to answer specific prayers. He will lead you. He will answer you. He loves for you to seek His specific will. And He promises to answer when we call. If He doesn’t answer your fleece, then it wasn’t time to ask for one. Keep trusting as you ask, seek and knock. The door will be opened and you will know the answer, if you really want to know it or not! But, once you know, be careful to be obedient!
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 27
Today’s Verses: Judges 1-3; Luke 4:1-30
Today’s Thoughts: Verses vs. Voices
"The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written:" 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Luke 4:9-12
Many times my mind taunts me with thoughts like “If you are really God’s child, then why doesn’t He do this for you?” or “If God has really given you this spiritual gift for the body of Christ, why aren’t you any good at it?” Over and over, I hear thoughts that make me feel guilty or condemned and insecure in my Christian walk. I know the Word of God and yet, my mind doesn’t seem strong enough to just stay focused on the verses to overcome the voices. In essence, Satan attempts to discredit us just like he tried with Jesus. Satan said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God”… prove it! These are the same kind of words we as believers hear in our heads too. We question if we are really saved, we question God’s ability to use us and we question that the promises given to us in His Word are really for us today. In other words, we find ourselves testing the Lord’s ability to save us, protect us, use us and speak to us; thus, saying to Him, “Prove it.” But Jesus didn’t do that.
Jesus confidently used the Word of God to attack Satan’s use of the Scriptures directly. It is amazing that the Living Word of God (Jesus) quotes the Written Word of God (the Bible) to attack the words of the enemy.
Lately, I have been struggling with a trial that I have failed in the past. The circumstances and people have changed but the trial is the same. I felt myself heading down the same path as in the past. Crying out to the Lord, I said to Him, “OK, Lord, I’ve been here before and have lived through the consequences of failing this test. I know that You have been faithful regardless of my faithlessness. I know that You love me and You have every right to test my heart and try my motives to see which way I will go. Lord, I choose You. I choose to not test You or question You in this. I know that Your promises will come to pass and You don’t have to prove anything to me.” With that prayer, I knew that the temptation to fail had been lifted. Jesus is our example as He was tempted in the same types of trials (with different circumstances and people) but overcame them all. We, too, can overcome the taunting voices of the enemy to live a life pleasing to God by staying on His side and by fighting His way using His words.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 25
Today's Reading: Joshua 19-21; Luke 2:25-52
Today's Thoughts: Not of Works, But of Faith
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17
Martin Luther struggled with the book of James because he felt that the book discredited grace. After he, himself, tried to work so hard to prove his own faith, Luther came to the conclusion that salvation is by grace alone. He also realized that even our works are an act of God's grace. Verses like those above stumbled him because earlier in his life he tried to earn his salvation and to prove his faith through works, instead of grace. It is not works that save or justify or affirm your faith; it is a result of your faith that you desire to work for the things of God. When Luther ended up exhausted, burned out and lacking peace in his works, then he let faith be his guide to do what God called him to do. The Reformation is a result of his faith, not of his work. The Reformation resulted as a work of God through the faith of Martin Luther.
As the Bible says, God causes all things to work together for good. Today, there are countless churches and denominations reaching the world through the means and convictions that God has placed on each one's heart. God works through movements in His churches, but His works are still accomplished through individuals. That work is a result of the outpouring of love we have for the Lord. His burden is easy and His yoke is light. Titus 3:5 says "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us," meaning that we do works of righteousness but those deeds are a result of God's mercy, saving us and then working in us through faith. Today, allow the Lord to develop and strengthen your faith. Rest in His saving mercy and He will accomplish His work through your faith.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.
March 26
Today's Reading: Joshua 22-24; Luke 3
Today's Thoughts: Of Things to Come
But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. Thus you shall say to them: "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens." He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens at His discretion." Jeremiah 10:10-12
The prophet Jeremiah had a really tough job. He had to prophesy to the people of Israel the dreadful things to come if they did not put away their false gods and serve the one true God. His message was not a feel-good, motivational pep talk. The Lord clearly told Jeremiah exactly what to say to them and that they would hate him for it. They had no interest in hearing God’s word. They refused to believe in the destruction to come. Besides, there were other prophets who gave them the opposite message of hope and prosperity. They chose to believe them instead.
The Bible tells us of things to come. The prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled will one day come to pass. Are we listening with ears to hear? There are those who decide not to believe in such things and even though they believe in the Bible, they do not necessarily believe in all of the Bible. Whether we choose to believe it or not will not change the truth of what it says to us. It is the inerrant, infallible word of God. One day, in the twinkling of an eye, life as we know it will change forever. Maybe this will happen in our lifetime, maybe not. But it will happen to each of us, when we suddenly stand before Jesus the moment we die.
Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? Do you believe that He is coming back one day? Do you believe that His Word is truth and all that it says is truth? Too many Christians today live in such compromise that the truth is hard for them to define. One person's “truth” is not necessarily someone else's. Our world is one big melting pot of tolerance and gray areas; but God’s truth is constant and non-changing. We as Christians are called to shed the light of God's love in this dark world of darkness. Jeremiah did his best to give the people a chance to repent and return to the Lord. Even though they were God's chosen people, God would still have to deal with their sin. As Christians, we too are still called to repent and return to the Lord when we walk away. If we do not, the storms of life alone will threaten our faith and even our lives. We are in desperate need of a Savior—every day of our lives. Praise God that He gave us His Son and that the times ahead are in His hands. Just make sure that you are in His hands as well. Give Jesus your heart, your life and your all today.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 24
Today's Reading: Joshua 16-18; Luke 2:1-24
Today's Thoughts: The Promised Land
But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: "How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you? Joshua 18:2-3
Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land. He led them in battles against the existing nations in the land God promised them. The Lord continued to bless the Israelites in victories as they continued to take more territory, just as He had promised. In the beginning, their faith was strong. But as years passed, there was still the need to drive out the other inhabitants from their own allotted territories. Seven tribes hesitated to go forth and take their inheritance. The gift lay before them, so why the delay? Why did Joshua have to force them to go forward and take their gift?
Maybe they were afraid of being on their own for the first time. Maybe they were afraid of the unknown. Maybe they just did not know what to do with their own land. What about us? How many times do we neglect to receive the gift that God is giving us? We pray and pray for something and then one day, God answers our prayer. But the answer involves stepping out in some way, maybe having to do it alone. We can see the answer clearly before us, but we hesitate to go forth. Maybe we are afraid, just as the Israelites were. Maybe we are more comfortable just praying for something instead of actually receiving it. Are we always ready for the change that can come when we pray for things?
I pray that I don't miss out on what God has for me. I pray for more faith when those fears creep into my thinking. I pray for wisdom to know how to pray for those things that will involve changes in my life. Think about these verses today and how they apply to your life. Is there something you are neglecting to possess? God has a life of promise lands for each one of us. Don't let fear or hesitation keep you out of them.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 22
Today's Reading: Joshua 10-12; Luke 1:39-56
Today's Thoughts: Missing the Lord
You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
Have you found yourself all alone at times? Your home may be filled with people and your schedule jammed packed with events but you feel all alone. Why is that? I have come to find myself in that place frequently. I really believe that the loneliness is a result of understanding the companionship with the Lord. Only Jesus can fill our cups, only Jesus can be our source of fellowship, and only Jesus can love us in the way that brings rest and peace to our souls. After knowing what it is to have true fellowship with the Lord, nothing (and no one) can take His place. When I find myself alone in a crowded room, I realize that I’m missing Jesus. He has not left me, for He promises to never leave me nor forsake me. Instead, the emptiness is a result of not finding time to be alone with Him.
Frequently in the Bible, Jesus spent time alone with His Father. He knew that He needed that uninterrupted time alone in prayer and fellowship. If Jesus needed time alone with God, how much more do we? The Lord promises that in His presence is fullness of joy. Having experienced that joy, we long for quality time alone with Him. Once we have tasted of the Lord, we know that nothing else tastes as sweet.
Ask the Lord to help you find time every day to be alone with Him. He hears our prayers and He desires to have fellowship with us. Jesus has made a way for us to come to Him freely. He will make a way for us to walk with Him daily if we are truly seeking Him.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.
March 23
Today's Reading: Joshua 13-15; Luke 1:57-80
Today's Thoughts: Physical Infirmity
You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. - Galatians 4:13-14
The Galatians were just one of the churches that Paul started on his missionary journeys. They were Gentiles who converted to Christianity, all because of Paul’s passion to preach and teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul was able to preach the gospel despite his own physical infirmities. Speculation as to Paul’s true afflictions (i.e. his thorn in the flesh) have been debated and discussed by many theologians, but Paul does not give specifics or details that draw attention to his weaknesses. He, instead, uses them as a means to give glory to God. In our weakness, God is strong.
How often do we allow our physical ailments to bring glory to God? It seems that the most concerning issues receive the most attention and prayer, and we are more than ready to seek the Lord’s guidance in those cases. Life-threatening diseases are often wonderful opportunities to bear witness of God’s awesome power, regardless of the path. But what about the day-to-day annoying ailments? A headache can make many of us cranky all day. A cold gives us just cause to be cranky for a longer period of time. What happens to our witness in those times? Do we give the daily annoyances to the Lord in prayer or do we let them rule our flesh? Paul knew how to give everything over to the Lord and he did not let those things stop him; he used them to further his mission for Jesus Christ.
Remember today that God is in everything that happens in your life. No matter what ails you, God is with you. He will use your afflictions to bring Him glory and to bless you and others. Sometimes God does the greatest work through our weaknesses and pain, but that only happens when we take our eyes off ourselves and put them on Jesus. Try putting your focus on the Lord instead of your pain, and let His Holy Spirit be your strength in weakness.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 21
Today's Reading: Joshua 7-9; Luke 1:21-38
Today's Thoughts: Success in God’s Rest
"I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down," says the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 34:15
Often times, there is nothing I would rather do after eating a good meal than to lie down. But, instead, I think of all of the things that need to get done. I keep myself going using food as the energy source to fuel my activities. I used to believe that this busy lifestyle was just a part of the American way and that to be successful, one must stay productive. After dedicating my time to God's Word instead of to keeping up with our society's ideas, I began to realize that God has a different definition of success. The Lord says that He will feed us and He will make us lie down. He wants us to rest!
Does God want us to stop working and stop being productive in our lives? No. A healthy balance of work and recreation are essential to our overall well-being, but when the work or activity takes control of our lives, we have a problem. Our society is filled with sick people at many levels. We are sick from stress, from bad diets, and from all kinds of unhealthy habits. Where does our Lord fit in to our lives? Where are His provisions in these things? Maybe we have ignored His warnings telling us to slow down and to come spend time with Him. How long can we keep going at a pace that excludes His Word and His rest?
Our God knows us well. He created us. He knows that He has to make us lie down or we will just keep going. Just know that our Lord will do whatever it takes to get us to stop and pay attention to Him. A life that goes along with the world's activities will face serious troubles until the Lord brings you back to Him. God knows what is best for you. Trust Him to feed you and give you rest. Today is the day to seek the Lord, repent and turn back to Him. Maybe you need to eat a good meal at His table, then lie down and spend that time just talking to God. Give Him your stress and your troubles and let Him be your God. He will give you rest. He will make you whole. And then you will find the true success He has for you.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 20
Today's Reading: Joshua 4-6; Luke 1:1-20
Today's Thoughts: Wild Grapes
What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then,when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? Isaiah 5:4
God used this story about a vineyard to describe the condition of His people. God was saying that He did everything possible to expect the best from His people. He provided them with the best land, complete protection, and the choicest weather conditions; but they chose to live according to their own wants and desires instead of His.
This same thing happens with the people of God today. He has provided for us the best pastors and teachers to be heard through internet, televisions, radios and mass book replication. He has given us freedom of speech and the mandate to learn to read. The Lord has over-educated us spiritually, but for some reason very few are truly seeking God and meeting His expectations. We go to church on Sunday to make ourselves feel better, but are we going to really know and serve God better? Our intentions are important to God who knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
I say this because I see more wild grapes in the church today instead of an abundance of good ones. We have sporadic fruit production instead of mass amounts. God has done everything for us but only a few are really sharing in the harvest. The others are willing to encourage and applaud those few. But it’s not about applauding but about sowing and reaping. We use our hands to applaud as well as to sow and reap; however, the angels are given the job to applaud. We are told to be the laborers in the harvest. We need to become fruit inspectors of our own vineyard. If the grapes are good, praise God! If the grapes are wild, ask the Lord of the harvest to send you out as a laborer. He is more than willing to answer that prayer and He expects great grapes in abundance from you.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 19
Today's Reading: Joshua 1-3; Mark 16
Today's Thoughts: Just Step Out in Faith
And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. - Joshua 2:11
Joshua sent two men to the enemy city of Jericho to spy out the land. Of all of the places they could end up staying, they lodged in the home of a harlot named Rahab. Once the king of Jericho heard of their whereabouts, he sent his men to go and find them, and the first place they went to was Rahab’s home. Instead of turning them in, she hid them and protected them from being caught. In return for her loyalty and faith in Israel’s God, she and her family were spared when the city walls of Jericho came down.
It is interesting to note that up until this time, neither she nor the inhabitants of Jericho had actually seen any of the Israelites. But they had heard of them. They heard of their conquests in the desert and how the Lord had parted the Red Sea. At this point, the Red Sea parting had occurred some forty years earlier. The fear of the Lord caused this response from Rahab; she knew which side she needed to be on. God had prepared the way by moving on Rahab’s heart even before these two men entered Jericho. The Israelites were about to take over the Promised Land, not because of their strength, but because of the Lord’s promise and power.
The same is true for us today. As Christians, we are blessed to live in God’s promises. The Bible is filled with His promises for us. Sometimes, the new land is hard to see and even harder to walk through, but if we just step out in faith, we will see how God has taken care of every step we need to take. As the Lord leads you in His purposes for your life, you will see how He has prepared even those around you. As God would continue to tell Joshua, “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) Take this message with you today and go forth in all that the Lord is leading you to do. The Jordan River will part for you when the Lord sends you in.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.
March 19, 2013 - King James
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then came Peter to him, and said , Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon , one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay , his lord commanded him to be sold , and his wife, and children, and all that he had , and payment to be made . 26 The servant therefore fell down , and worshipped him, saying , Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion , and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out , and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat , saying , Pay me that thou owest . 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying , Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt . 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done , they were very sorry , and came and told unto their lord all that was done . 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth , and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Numbers 7:1-89
1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; 2 That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered , offered : 3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. 4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying , 5 Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service. 6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. 7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service: 8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders. 10 And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed , even the princes offered their offering before the altar. 11 And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar. 12 And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah: 13 And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 14 One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense: 15 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 16 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 17 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 18 On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer : 19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 20 One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense: 21 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 22 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 23 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer: 25 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 26 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 27 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 28 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 29 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon. 30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer: 31 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 32 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 33 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 34 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 35 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur. 36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer: 37 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 38 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 40 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 41 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered: 43 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 44 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 45 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 46 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 47 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered: 49 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 50 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 51 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 52 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 53 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud. 54 On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh: 55 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 56 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 58 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 59 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered: 61 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 62 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 64 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 65 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni. 66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered: 67 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 68 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 70 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 71 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered: 73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 74 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 75 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 76 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 77 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran. 78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered: 79 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 80 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 81 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 82 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 83 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan. 84 This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed , by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold: 85 Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 86 The golden spoons were twelve , full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels. 87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve , the lambs of the first year twelve , with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve . 88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed . 89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
Numbers 8:1-26
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying , 2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. 3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses. 4 And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick. 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying , 6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean . 8 Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. 9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together : 10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: 11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. 12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. 13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. 14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. 16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. 17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. 20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. 21 And the Levites were purified , and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them. 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying , 24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 26 But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.
Ecclesiastes 6:1-12
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth , yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say , that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. 6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? 7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled . 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. 11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? 12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
The King James Version is in the public domain.
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March 18
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 32-34; Mark 15:26-47
Today's Thoughts: Surrender in Thanks
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
What do you do when nothing but uncertainty and insecurity fill your mind? How do you overcome the sensation that your entire body is burning as a result of fear and panic? Whether we admit it or not, all of us will have to deal at times with circumstances that overwhelm us. We all go through problems that take us by surprise, come out of nowhere and make us feel trapped that we have to surrender to its way. It has been in these times that I have cried out to God from the depths of my heart, “Why?” My thoughts range from “What have I done wrong to deserve this?” to “Where is God?” My mind sorts through the circumstance until I am exhausted, while my body burns like a fire that melts my insides. For some of us, we share the pain we are suffering because we are searching for answers and trying to sort through our thoughts and emotions. For others, we attempt to control and mask the thoughts and emotions so no one will suspect the struggles we face.
Regardless of how we look or feel in a time of crises, we need to learn how to get through those times with the Lord. The circumstances may seem to trap us, but getting and keeping control are not the answers. The only way to find freedom when life has pinned you down and chained you in is through surrender.
The word “surrender” has mixed connotations. It is an easier word to accept than “submit” but it really does have the same meaning. During those times that our mouth is praying out of panic, our inward soul needs to learn to surrender and submit to the sovereign, all powerful, ever present God. In other words, your heart needs to speak words of praise and thanksgiving even though your flesh (including your mind) is pleading for God to rescue you. It is in this place of praise that an overwhelming peace begins to cover your heart, mind, soul and quenches the fire within you. To give thanks in everything is a hard action to apply. The Christian who can truly apply this principle to his or her life demonstrates a real maturity in their walk. It is in this place that the chains of oppression will be broken, setting the captive free.
Pray about it: Oh Lord, teach me how to sincerely praise You in the good times so that a wellspring of thanks may truly overflow from my heart during those frightening, overwhelming trials. I want to walk in power and peace. I know that they stem from a heart of praise. Help me to have that heart of thanksgiving for everything You are doing in my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 17
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15:1-25
Today's Thoughts: Crush, Kill and Destroy
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Satan is alive and well. His mission has been the same since the Garden of Eden: to crush, kill and destroy (just like the android on Lost in Space). He is good at twisting concepts and manipulating ideas into truths that are not real. Satan’s battlefield is in your mind and starts within your circumstances. He frustrates your plans, trying to crush that peace within your heart. When your attitudes don’t match, you have just become a hypocrite and Satan loves to make hypocrites out of Christians. Once you are aware of this scheme (which for some of us is a lifetime), you learn to pray and resist him by drawing near to God. You do this by learning how to discipline your behavior and choosing not to allow the fruits of the Spirit to be crushed. Praying, submitting to God and meditating on scripture are the next steps. But then Satan’s next plan of attack hits your mind. Now, Satan cannot read your mind but he can discern what you are thinking by your words and behaviors. He can also put his thoughts into your mind. I have found that many times I don’t need the devil to put bad thoughts into my mind because I can do that all by myself. I am capable of taking my own self out of the ministry or walking away from the Lord, with very little effort or attack from him.
So “be on guard” for Satan is seeking someone, like you, to devour. If you look weak, think weak, act weak, and your words express a weakness in your faith, then you will surely become his next target. Peter warns us to be sober and vigilant. Both words have similar Greek meanings: to watch and keep awake. Obviously this is more difficult for us because we don’t see into the spiritual realm to understand what’s going on. If we disregard the work of the enemy, we allow him to have the advantage over us.
After we pray, the Lord opens our eyes and gives us discernment to know what’s really going on. Too many Christians are apathetic and complacent. The enemy doesn’t have to bother with an apathetic and complacent Christian. That is just where he wants us to be, but God has so much more for us. The Lord has won the battle; we just have to put the armor on and pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” But when we are tempted, remember 1 John 4:4, “Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.” The Lord wants to give us an abundant life on this earth so why not start living it today!
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 16
Today’s Readings: Deuteronomy 28-29; Mark 14:54-72
Today's thoughts: The Gift of Salvation
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Why is a gift of salvation so hard to accept? Why do so many people look for their own way to heaven? Why do people try to make God fit into their own belief system? Regardless of the many who reject these two verses, they are truth. There is only one wayto heaven and the onlyWayis by receiving the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Despite the growing and ever present number of religious groups which believe otherwise, this truth will be the only one that matters when it is all said and done. Because in essence, we as mankind have a hard time accepting the “gift.” The old saying thatthere is no free lunchsets us up to trust only in those things we earn. Trust is the key word. Where do we put our trust? We either trust in the Lord or we trust in ourselves.
Many today try to blend a combination of the two. They trust the Lord to give them the gift of salvation because they work so hard to please Him. And these works and efforts can really look good. They attend church regularly, serve when needed, give as required, and try to live overall lives that maintain Christian moral values. But they give themselves too much credit. God does not want anyone to do anything for Him because He has already done everything for us. So how do we accept His gift? We need to realize that the gift has been given by grace, and to receive the gift, all we need to do is believe. We just need to believe in our hearts that Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins and that without Him we are spiritually dead and destined to spend eternity separated from Him. Believe in Jesus, not in man’s good works.
Are you tired and weary of trying to please God? Even if you have professed faith and accepted Jesus as your Lord, you still might be trying so hard to please Him. Today, we need to accept His promise and rest in Him. Let’s live today to the fullest in God’s gift by trusting Him in all things and all areas of our lives. Start by talking to Him. Give your heart to Jesus, give Him your burdens today and He will show you mercy. Worship and praise Him and your heart will begin to sense His joy and peace. Why would any of us desire to follow any other way?
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 15
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 25-27; Mark 14:27-53
Today's Thoughts: Whose Voice Are You Hearing?
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. - Genesis 3:6
It does not always seem clear to us when God speaks. However, when we become living sacrifices who continually worship, pray and seek the Lord, we become more willing and able to hear His voice. As we draw near to the Lord, He draws nearer to us and is faithful to speak in a way that brings peace, confirmation and often, He brings changes to our surrounding circumstances. We have to ask ourselves whom are we listening to? There are so many voices speaking and our minds seem to have a voice of their own. But which voice do you follow? Adam heard the voice of God when He gave the one rule of living in the Garden of Eden. He was told by God to not eat from one tree. But Adam listened to the wrong voice when faced with a choice of disobeying God's command. Eve bought the lie of the serpent's voice and mankind has suffered the consequences ever since.
Many people in our lives give us many conflicting messages. We each have a responsibility to know what the Lord is telling us, to listen to Him and to act on those commands. We have to make the Lord's Word our guide and not deviate from His truths regardless of how appealing other additional information may sound. If you have come to Christ, you have His Holy Spirit in you. He is there to lead you and guide you in the ways He has called you.
The Holy Spirit anoints you with His presence and with spiritual gifts which are supernatural. These gifts are not based on your skill or experience. So, you need to be dependent on the Lord to fulfill your calling. Your calling may be completely different than what your family thinks of you. Your calling may be completely different than what you thought it would be. Be sure to follow His voice. Be confident, knowing that He knows what is best. If you listen to other voices than God’s, you could suffer consequences that will have a negative effect on your life. Take your thoughts captive, stay in His Word and trust Him to lead you in the way you should go.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 14
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 22-24; Mark 14:1-26
Your Thoughts on Today’s Passage: Consider Your Ways
Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: "Consider your ways!" You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” Haggai 1:3-6
The prophet Haggai was sent to speak to the group who had come back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of the Lord. The Book of Ezra explains how the first group came back to begin the rebuilding process. Due to great opposition, the work came to a stop over the course of time. Haggai was sent by the Lord to re-start the work and get the people going again. The Lord was telling them to get their priorities straight. They had settled into their lives and homes but the temple was still not finished. They lived in paneled houses while God's house lay in ruins (Haggai 1:4). If they took a close look at their lives, they would see how their efforts had produced little.
Do you ever feel as though you work really hard, try to do the right things, yet nothing seems to come from it? Are you blessed? Do you see the Lord's hand in your work? If you feel as though you work to put your wages in a bag with holes, then maybe you need to "consider your ways." Check your priorities. Are you giving your first fruits unto the Lord? It is not just about your work for God that matters, it is about your heart before the Lord. Is He truly first in your life? Do you do things for Him because you love Him, or is it for other reasons?
These are the questions that we all must ask ourselves. Sometimes we get so focused on our own lives that we lose God's perspective. When that happens, we often begin to sense that things are not quite right. We do not see the blessings as we would expect or hope to see. As the Lord continued to tell His people through the prophets, “Repent and Return.” The message is the same for us today. Maybe it is time to put some new priorities in your life. Pray about what the Lord wants you to re-prioritize and ask Him to help you to make the changes He wants. Instead of pockets with holes, you will see storehouses that overflow with His blessings.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 13
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 19-21; Mark 13:21-37
Today's Thoughts: The Christian life is like climbing stairs.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
We realize early in our Christian life that we start on the bottom floor of the staircase. Our main goal is to get up to the top. While first beginning to ascend, the climb seems to go easy and fast. After all, the need for change was evident and our goals for coming to Christ were clear. Who wants to stay on the bottom step? As we keep climbing, sometimes we wonder if we will ever make it to the top. Our muscles ache and our heart pounds at times. We pray for an elevator or escalator to make the climb easier. But God makes sure that we consciously have to make a choice to go each step, and God is not in a rush. He waits patiently, lovingly and relentlessly for us to catch our breath and relax.
At these times of rest, we look down and see what we have had to overcome just to get this high. God does not let us know how far we still have to go. But we still get overwhelmed, thinking about the remaining climb. We gaze at the top, keep looking up, and taking one step at a time. At some levels, the rest is nice with balconies and water fountains. At other times, only by faith do we keep climbing. We know that climbing back down would be a mistake but we think about it sometimes. Other times, we just want to sit right where we are without continuing in the climb, just hang out for a while in one place. We pass those on our way up the stairs who are hanging out in their spot, and then sometimes we step aside to let someone pass by who is heading back down the stairs. Those of us who continue upward know that the temptation to stop is not a valid option because we hear the Lord’s call to go higher. In our heart of hearts, we know that when we finally arrive, we will be so happy we kept climbing. There is no hurry, but no advantage to slowing down either. So we pray for a steady pace, understanding each level and making a conscious decision to move up and onward.
Where are you at today on the staircase to God? Are you hanging out, taking a break, or are you seriously contemplating heading back down? Keep a couple of things in mind: fix your eyes upward towards the top and listen for God’s voice. Not only is the Lord calling you to come, to keep moving, but He is also waiting for you. And the best part of all of it? He is with you in every step you take. So today, lift your head up and get moving. The prize awaits at the end.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.
March 12
Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 16-18; Mark 13:1-20
Today's Thoughts: What Do You Boast In?
Some boast in chariots, and some in horses; But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God. - Psalm 20:7
My friend had a blood test that came back questionable. I asked her mother about the doctor and the following steps that would be taken. Her mom’s answer ended in explaining to me the credibility of the doctor.
Intelligence, money and strength are three attributes that we love to measure in ourselves and others. Our intelligence can be measured by how hard one studied and the grades one received. We form an instant opinion when we hear certain colleges were attended with the credentials that were earned. Money tends to reflect our success. If someone is wealthy and manages their money well, we give credence as well as our respect. And strength is the last characteristic that helps us to form an opinion about someone. Are they athletic? Do they have high energy to get important things done? Do they have a disciplined body to maintain stressful positions and self control? These three things we assume we can boast about. These three things others boast about for someone else.
God does not value our intelligence, wealth or strength. God values a person who trusts and boasts in Him. All three of those characteristics are gifts—God given gifts. In light of eternity, they mean nothing and each one could be taken away in an instant through illness alone. It is great that we have good doctors to attend to us, but God is the Author and Sustainer of life. I would rather boast in the name of the Lord, my God than to put my trust in any person, despite their credentials. Turn to the Lord and seek His face. Know that you serve a God who gives gifts to men and the greatest gift given was Jesus. Do we really trust in Jesus each day? And do we boast in His name?
Pray about it: Lord, let me not boast in my wisdom, nor in my strength, nor in my riches. I want to boast in knowing You, believing in You and understanding Your ways. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

Today's Thoughts: The Perfect One
“How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John 10:22-24
Do you really believe that the Jewish religious leaders wanted clarity and confirmation that He is the Christ? No. Their mission was consistent in wanting Him to publicly declare that He was Messiah in order to justify attacking and eventually killing Him. Their motive doesn’t surprise me, but Jesus’ consistent patience, sincerity and honesty absolutely surprises me. He continually answers their questions and exposes their hearts. These religious men think that they are so perfect—perfect in their knowledge of the scriptures, perfect in judging and criticizing. And now they think that they are perfectly justified in killing the only Perfect person who ever lived. Jesus once again repeats over and over that they will not understand because they are not His sheep. Jesus’ sheep hear His voice, know Him and follow Him. Jesus tells us that His Father fully supports Him and loves Him. And so we know that no one will snatch us out of the Father’s hand either. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are united in their plans and purpose for sheep preservation. They are committed to the security and safety of the sheep. As His sheep, we have the responsibility to hear, obey and to follow where He leads. But if you know Jesus, regardless of how far you stray, He will eventually lead you back for nothing can separate you from the love of God.
Pray about it:Oh Lord, thank You for being my Good Shepherd. You know me, love me, call me by name, and lead me. You also tell me that nothing will snatch me away from You. I am so thankful that You will complete the work You started in me and that You will get me to where I need to be. Please help me to live by fully trusting You. I want the attitude of my heart and the meditations of my mind to be without fear, doubt, worry and insecurity. Thanks for taking care of me.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 10
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 12:1-27
Today's Thoughts: Can We Know His Thoughts?
Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7
Truly we, as believers, can know His plans before they happen. Many times, we hear others say, “I knew that was going to happen.” But how easy it is to say that after the fact! God is saying that we can know before.
I learned early in my walk with the Lord to be quiet before Him. I would read a Scripture passage until I felt God was speaking to me. I would determine that the Lord was speaking because the verse would seem special in some way, applicable in some way or I considered the verse to be a new thought. I would just stop and ponder and pray it back to God, asking Him to make His message clear to me for the day. In the quietness, the Lord would speak to my heart. It would start as an impression at first. I would pray about it and ask God questions about the impression until His wisdom became “louder or firmer” than my thoughts, questions and distractions. Next, I would step out in faith and test the message. If it is the Lord, He would confirm it through bringing it to pass or giving me similar messages through His Word or others.
Today, I pray this verse to the Lord, knowing that He will reveal His plan to me because I long to be His servant and want to live in His will. God is faithful and if you ask, He will answer. If you learn to be still, He will speak. If you listen, He will reveal His plan. After years of relating to the Lord like this, you will then know that you know His will before the fact, for He promises that He does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. So the first step is to find out if you are His servant.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 9
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 7-9; Mark 11:19-33
Today's Thoughts: Because of Who He is
The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Deuteronomy 7:7-8
Moses reminds the children of Israel that it was not because of anything they had done to be chosen as His people. God had made a covenant with Abraham and promised him that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars. God showed Abraham the land in which they would dwell. God also told Abraham that his descendents would have dark years of bondage. It would be several hundred years later before the Israelites would actually enter the Promised Land. But by the end of this appointed time, they consisted of twelve tribes and millions of people. God knew the end from the beginning. He knew how vast a nation they would be. He set His love on them because He is love, not because of who they were or what they did.
By God’s great mercy and grace, He chooses us today. He loves us beyond our understanding. He has plans for us beyond our imaginations, not because of whowe are but because of WhoHe is. When we begin to appreciate God’s character, then we can begin to rest in Him. We cannot earn rewards by impressing God with our works. We can never be good enough or do enough good deeds. In reality, it is not about us at all. It is all about God. Everything God does, He does because He is God. God is love. God is righteous. God is faithful. God is perfect in every way. God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present. God cannot be anything but who He is. Therefore, God will nevernot love us. God will neverlet us down. God can never go against His own character.
The Bible clearly teaches us God’s character. When we spend time in His Word, we learn more and more about Who He is. We learn of His activities throughout history and how He dealt with the people. We are given amazing insight into His plans and purposes through His prophets. We learn of His never changing love and faithfulness in ways that pierce our hearts. And most of all, we learn of how He transacted His covenant of love to us by sending His Son to die on a cross so we could inherit the land He has for us. As the song goes, “Not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done, not because of what I’ve done, but because of Who You are.” We need to get to know who the Lord is and who He wants to be in your life today.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.
March 8
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 4-6; Mark 11:1-18
Today's Thoughts: Stop to Hear His Voice
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21
Which way? This way or that way? Today, there are so many paths we can follow. We have the advice of our family, friends, the media and then there is our own instinct. But how do we know the right way? How do we discern which way is really best for us?
The other day, I counseled a woman who was convinced that she was doing God’s will by serving the church. She gave of herself, her finances, and her time. She experienced the Lord’s help as He gave her great ideas and even multiplied her time to keep going. But, soon, she came to me full of bitterness, disillusioned by the people and the staff. She felt confused and angry. She asked questions like, “How could this be God’s way? How could they so disregard her following the Lord? And where was He in their actions?”
We ask the same questions, “Which way Lord? What is Your will, Lord?” and then we follow the direction He gives. But sometimes, we find ourselves angry and resentful. How come? What happens? Frequently, God answers our prayer and uses us and guides us. However, once He has shown us what He wants, frequently we stop asking for further wisdom and counsel and just go on our own way in the name of the Lord. This verse talks about God speaking from behind us. And why would God need to speak from behind us unless we have run ahead of Him? So often, He leads us to a certain place, position, or calling, then we run ahead. When we run ahead, we lose His way and make it our way. That is what happened to my friend who was seeking counsel. She knew that the Lord had one job for her to do. When that job was completed and very blessed, she determined in her heart to do more. More wasn’t asked of her by the church or by the Lord. And it is because of the “more” that she grew angry. God now called to her from behind to lead her forward in a new direction or way to walk.
God is faithful. He will lead you and answer you when you call out to Him. Just remember to keep asking continually as you proceed. Always follow His leading. If you begin to experience anger, bitterness and judgmental thoughts, you have probably run ahead of God. Stop until you can hear His voice from behind you. He will lead you back into His way and help you to walk in it.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 7
Today’s Readings: Deuteronomy 1-3; Mark 10:32-52
Today’s Thoughts: A Blind Man’s Prayer Request
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Mark 10:47
In Mark 10:46-53, Jesus left the city with a large crowd following close behind. Most likely this crowd was creating a great deal of noise and excitement. A blind man begging for help would be sensitive to hear the activities as the people scuffled by. It is amazing that a blind beggar would know about “Jesus of Nazareth” and somehow would know that Jesus could help him. The blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” While Jesus walked on earth, He answered that kind of prayer frequently. It must have been music in our Savior’s ears, because that is why Jesus came, to grant mercy to blind beggars like you and me. Jesus stopped, called to him and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” This man could have asked for money or help with some other desperate need, but instead he asked specifically for his sight. Jesus said that his faith healed him as the beggar immediately received his sight.
There are many situations and circumstances in our lives where we are blind to the will of God. But how many of us cry out to God for mercy? How many of us really bring our specific need to the Savior to ask for His touch? Too many times, we are faithless to ask for what we really want. Too many times, we hear that Jesus is near but are apprehensive to call out to Him. This blind beggar received what he asked for. This blind beggar knew that Jesus could touch him and change him. He did not hold back but yelled into a crowd full of people. Jesus says in Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”We need to take Jesus at His word. We need to understand that God desires to grant mercy and He wants us (the spiritually blind) to see. Are you in need of His mercy today? Tell Jesus what You want Him to do for you…tell Him that you need Him today. Just think, it is not necessary to yell or push through a crowd – He is just a prayer away.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 6
Today's Reading: Numbers 35-36; Mark 10:1-31
Today's Thoughts: Child-Like Faith
“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Mark 10:15
My sister and I had a good laugh the other day as we shared a conversation she had with her granddaughter. There was a minor problem with her car engine so my sister reached in the glove compartment for the owner’s manual. As she was looking through the pages, her granddaughter said, “Mamaw, why are you looking in that book?” To which my sister replied, “Because I want to fix this problem with my car.” At that point, little 4 year-old Emma ran into the house and came out with her own book. “Here, Mamaw, this book will tell you how to fix your car.” My sister looked at the book and said, “It is your Bible, Emma.” “Yes, Mamaw, everything you need to know is in this book, even how to fix your car.” What great faith!
I wonder how much more God would fix in our lives if we truly lived out what the Bible teaches us. Little Emma is right when she says that her book has all of the answers. God’s Word has the answer for every question we have and for every step we need to take. The only thing we need to do is to have the faith to believe it and obey.
Pray for that child-like faith today and ask the Lord to plant His Word on your heart and mind. “Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.” (Joshua 1:8)
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 5
Today's Reading: Numbers 32-34; Mark 9:30-50
Today's Thoughts: You Can Be Sure
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:19-21
My son went through a season of time when he would ask me the same question. "Mom, how do we know that what we believe about God is true?" I encourage those questions because I am glad that my son is honest with me and can openly question these things. I pray that the answer I give him always comes from the Lord. I am so thankful that I worship a God who can handle any controversy, doubt or question. In 1 Peter 3:15, the Lord tells us to "always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." So, if we are not asking those questions ourselves, we may not always be ready to have an answer for someone else.
How do we know that our belief in Jesus is true? Some people base their faith on a feeling. Others would say that it is based on all the years of tradition that have withstood the test of time. And some would say, "Because it works for me." But the reason why we know that Christianity is true is because of the sure word of prophecy spoken of in 2 Peter 1:19-21.
Prophecy (or the prediction of future events) proves that God holds time and events in His hand. Fulfilled prophecy clearly shows us that God knows the end from the beginning. The Old Testament prophets predicted the coming of Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to earth, He fulfilled 333 prophecies, which is why one of God's rules in the Law of Moses was to stone someone who was a false prophet. God does not make mistakes. He would not speak through someone and give false words for the future. God is completely in control and nothing surprises Him. If God said it, we can believe it. When we understand that we can trust Him with our future, then we will know that we can and do trust and believe.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 4
Today's Reading: Numbers 29-31; Mark 9:1-29
Today's Thoughts: Dealing with Our Sin
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do... For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:15, 18-19
I read an article about a family's fight against pornography. The husband (and father) had become addicted to pornographic websites, which led him into an assortment of related sinful activities. After repeated confrontations and family interventions, he chose to continue this path of destruction. The end result was a family torn apart amidst tremendous pain and confusion. One of the saddest facts of this story is that he was active in his church, served as a deacon, and had a great reputation in the community. Is this story an anomaly, a rare case that happens infrequently in the Christian church? Or is it more common but hidden? This article quoted statistics suggesting that almost half of all Christian homes are affected by pornography. Unfortunately, the Internet provides easy and secret access to these types of websites.
This story is tough to reconcile, especially when we think about how many families are impacted by this sin. It is also tough to realize that we, as Christians, are dealing with all types of sins. Pornography is only one example. Regardless of who we are, we struggle with sin and its consequences. Even the apostle Paul said that he knew that "nothing good" dwelt within him. He struggled with his flesh, just like we do. But unlike the man in the story, Paul dealt with his sins differently. He confessed them and he repented to God. Paul knew that his only hope was in Jesus. He knew that by the blood of Christ his sins past, present and future—had been washed away. Because he kept his struggles against his flesh before the Lord, he was able to walk in the light of Jesus. It is when we hide our sins, try to justify them, make excuses for them, or completely deny them that we are mastered by them.
Regardless of what you struggle with today in your flesh, please do not hide it from God. He already knows everything about you, even your deepest thoughts and desires. All He asks is that you come to Him and confess. Tell the Lord your thoughts and feelings, how you honestly feel, and then ask forgiveness. You may have to do this several times a day. But it is through this process of continually crying out to God, consistently bringing these hidden things to the Light, that healing comes. Do not give up. Jesus did not come for the righteous; He came for sinners. Jesus does not ask us to heal or fix ourselves. He does not ask us to do anything but come to Him. He will do the rest.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 3
Today's Reading: Numbers 26-28; Mark 8
Today's Thoughts: Let the Lord Decide
”Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father's brothers." So Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father's brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. - Numbers 27:4-7
In front of one of our public schools, there is a banner that says, “We celebrate fairness.” My son commented on it the other day and said, “But life isn’t fair." There is a time in each of our lives that we realize that the ways of the world are not always right, good and fair. And each of us does have to come to terms with the ways of the world. However, because we are believers, we do not have to accept the things at hand but we can go to God for everything that troubles us, especially when life does not seem fair.
These daughters in Numbers 27 realized that it would be unfair to not receive an inheritance from their father just because they are girls. The possessions went to the men in those days and not women. No one considered it a dilemma because when the girls got married, they received land under their husbands. But these ladies didn’t want to settle for their husband’s land. God had given land to families and their father’s land would now go to another family. This was not fair. They wanted their father to receive from the Lord as everyone else. God agreed.
When we face issues in our lives that do not seem fair, we need to go to God. Even though the world is not fair, Jesus has overcome the world. We should not just accept the ways of the world or the laws of the land when they vary from God’s Word or His Promises. These girls knew the laws of God and asked for specific interventions on their behalf. Often, laws are written for the majority but our God also listens to the minority. Come to Him if you are struggling and let the Lord decide what is “fair” for you.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.
March 2
Today's Reading: Numbers 23-25; Mark 7:14-37
Today's Thoughts: The Fast I Have Chosen
"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Isaiah 58:6
I remember the first time I ever fasted. I spent most of the time looking at the clock and thinking about my stomach. But I have kept the practice of fasting regularly, despite the discomforts in my body. Throughout the years, I have committed to several different types of fasts and for different, yet specific, reasons. I have experienced mountain-top highs and dark-valley lows during times of fasting. I have learned that fasting in its essence is a time of cleansing and purifying, which means I spend a lot of the time confessing and repenting of my sins. When all is said and done; however, fasting has been one of the most powerful tools in my walk with Christ.
The main thing I had to understand very early in my experiences with fasting was that if I tried to do it on my own, then failure seemed to be the result. I have proclaimed fasts for reasons that were not from God. I have determined the type and the length of a fast, then seen it completely fall apart in my weakness. Now when I fast, I try to make certain that it is the fast God has chosen, otherwise, I end up feeling worse.
Today’s verse gives us an example of the type of fast God chooses for us. Fasting is an excellent weapon against the enemy’s strongholds and bondage in our lives. God appoints certain times of fasting for us to find freedom from wicked bonds and heavy yokes that burden us down. The question for us: are we willing to make the sacrifice for spiritual freedom? It is not easy, but it is so worth it. Are you struggling with an area of bondage? Do you feel burdened and cannot seem to overcome? Pray for clear direction as you ask the Lord to lead you in to a specific fast for your situation. He may impress upon you to fast from certain foods or television shows or daily activities. I believe God honors any attempt we make at fasting, whether it is a food fast or something else. I also believe that He needs to be involved from the very beginning; otherwise, we may ditch it earlier than planned. Pray about fasting and see what God shows you. This may be just the break you have been waiting for.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

March 1
Today's Reading: Numbers 20-22; Mark 7:1-13
Today's Thoughts: Match Outside to Inside
Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?" He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men--the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." Mark 7:5-8
I was speaking with someone the other day who used to take part in Bible studies. Although she did not tell me exactly why she is not presently involved in a Bible study, she did share with me an observation that I knew was at the root of her issue. She commented that people act a certain way in church but a different way outside of it. Obviously, she was bothered by the Christian’s hypocritical behavior. Many of us look really good on the outside but are falling apart on the inside. In other words, we put on a good show. The problem is when we try to put on an act before the Lord. We honor Him with our lips but our hearts are far from Him. Jesus wants the truth of what is in our hearts, not how we portray ourselves on the outside. Clearly He sees the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
The Pharisees kept the law and man's traditions to the strictest of standards. Their hands were ceremonially cleansed before they touched any bread to eat. Even their utensils were cleansed with the same ceremony. The outside looked spotless to the point that they believed themselves to be more spiritual and pure than those who did not perform these rituals. The same is true for people in the church today. Many Christians work hard at being righteous and look the part to those around them, but God knows what is in their hearts. If our activities are whitewashed by man's traditions, then the fruit of that will be seen in our behaviors. There will be a lack of sincerity and realness with people. Not only does the Lord see through it, but so do others.
Where is your heart today? Are you worshiping with your lips or with sincerity in your heart? Do not just keep going through the motions, whether in your ministry services, church activities or daily checklist of religious do's and don'ts. Get real with the Lord today. Be careful in following the traditions of man to the extent that the Lord is far from your heart. Pray that your outside will match your inside and ask the Lord to remove your fears about how real that might look. If we all would commit to this process, we might just see a lot more people in Bible studies and church.
Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
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