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Daily Disciples
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Re: Daily Disciples
February 7
Today’s Reading: Leviticus 1; Matthew 24:1-28
Today's Thoughts: In Order
The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on the fire. Leviticus 1:7
I was reading a few weeks ago about Abraham preparing the altar for Isaac. Abraham had laid the wood in order on the altar before placing Isaac on it. The more I looked at the words “in order” the more I wondered why the wood had to be laid in a specific manner. How could wood be distinguished in such a way as to know if it was “in order” or not?
The Lord brought to my mind the other ways that He established His order for things. In Exodus 28:10, the names of the tribes of Israel were placed on the breastplate of the ephod in order of their birth. In Exodus chapter 40, Moses places the articles of the tabernacle in the order as God had instructed him. Even the showbread was placed “in order” on the table “as the Lord had commanded Moses.” (Exodus 40:23) We see God’s purpose for order in many places in Scripture.
Our God is a God of order and He takes it very seriously. Isaiah, the prophet, told King Hezekiah "Thus says the Lord: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.' (2 Kings 20:1) Hezekiah was not going to die because his house was not in order, but because he had a sickness unto death. The Lord wanted his house in order before he died.
This priority of order is also seen in the New Testament as Paul would tell the Corinthians to “let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) He was referring to how the gifts were being used in the church as relating to the conduct of the people.
Is your house in order today? Did you know that is an important part of our walk with the Lord? When our houses are in order, we have more peace and contentment than when they are in disarray. As women, we set the tone for the home and are accountable before the Lord for how we honor and obey Him in our responsibilities. Are you struggling with disorder?
Ask the Lord to reveal ways you can improve things that are out of order in your life. If God wants wood to be put in order, how much more does He want our homes and days in order? We just need to start asking Him to show us how. We need to be willing to give Him the first fruits of our days and let Him lead us in the rest of 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.
Today’s Reading: Leviticus 1; Matthew 24:1-28
Today's Thoughts: In Order
The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on the fire. Leviticus 1:7
I was reading a few weeks ago about Abraham preparing the altar for Isaac. Abraham had laid the wood in order on the altar before placing Isaac on it. The more I looked at the words “in order” the more I wondered why the wood had to be laid in a specific manner. How could wood be distinguished in such a way as to know if it was “in order” or not?
The Lord brought to my mind the other ways that He established His order for things. In Exodus 28:10, the names of the tribes of Israel were placed on the breastplate of the ephod in order of their birth. In Exodus chapter 40, Moses places the articles of the tabernacle in the order as God had instructed him. Even the showbread was placed “in order” on the table “as the Lord had commanded Moses.” (Exodus 40:23) We see God’s purpose for order in many places in Scripture.
Our God is a God of order and He takes it very seriously. Isaiah, the prophet, told King Hezekiah "Thus says the Lord: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.' (2 Kings 20:1) Hezekiah was not going to die because his house was not in order, but because he had a sickness unto death. The Lord wanted his house in order before he died.
This priority of order is also seen in the New Testament as Paul would tell the Corinthians to “let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) He was referring to how the gifts were being used in the church as relating to the conduct of the people.
Is your house in order today? Did you know that is an important part of our walk with the Lord? When our houses are in order, we have more peace and contentment than when they are in disarray. As women, we set the tone for the home and are accountable before the Lord for how we honor and obey Him in our responsibilities. Are you struggling with disorder?
Ask the Lord to reveal ways you can improve things that are out of order in your life. If God wants wood to be put in order, how much more does He want our homes and days in order? We just need to start asking Him to show us how. We need to be willing to give Him the first fruits of our days and let Him lead us in the rest of 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.
Re: Daily Disciples
February 6
Today's Reading: Exodus 39; Matthew 23:23-39
Today's Thoughts: Working Weary or Working With the Lord?
Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did. And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Exodus 40:16, Exodus 40:33
Have you felt overwhelmed by too much work? Many times, we are overloaded with overbooked calendars and too little time to do the things we have to do, not to mention the things we would like to do. Most of us are always busy trying to complete the tasks or jobs for the day.
Our society is works-based in every way imaginable. The eighties were a decade that made longer workdays the in-thing. Forty-hour weeks were considered short in comparison to the more popular sixty to eighty-hour weeks. Stay-at-home moms had to get busier too. Today, with advances in technology and a “faster is better” mentality, doing more is a must.
Even our kids are obliged to participate in extra-extracurricular activities, thinking they are necessary for higher education opportunities. As a result, many of us are worn out, stressed out, and burned out from so much work.
In studying the construction of the tabernacle and its articles, we do not read of any overwhelming or stressful problems. The Lord commanded Moses who commanded the people to do all that the Lord had spoken. Simply put, Moses did what the Lord commanded and finished the work. What are we to learn from this story? The work that Moses did was given to him by the Lord. Moses followed the instructions to the exact detail, nothing added, nothing omitted.
The Lord gave the gifts that were needed to do all of the designs and the Lord had already provided the required materials. The building of the tabernacle is a beautiful example of a perfect union between God and man. And the results were nothing short of miraculous.
Think for a moment about the work you are doing today. Did the Lord instruct you to do these things? Has God given you the tools and talents to carry out the work? Are you working in unison with God, following His instructions and doing all that He says? The things we choose to do outside of the Lord's plans for us will lead to fatigue, frustration and futility in our efforts. We get so busy just being busy that many of us do not stop to include the Lord in our activities.
Have you spent time with the Lord today? Is He part of your "work" day? Maybe there is a tabernacle project in your life and God wants to do something miraculous through you. Pray that today is the day you let God take over all of your work. Get together with Him and see what happens.
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 Reading: Exodus 39; Matthew 23:23-39
Today's Thoughts: Working Weary or Working With the Lord?
Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did. And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Exodus 40:16, Exodus 40:33
Have you felt overwhelmed by too much work? Many times, we are overloaded with overbooked calendars and too little time to do the things we have to do, not to mention the things we would like to do. Most of us are always busy trying to complete the tasks or jobs for the day.
Our society is works-based in every way imaginable. The eighties were a decade that made longer workdays the in-thing. Forty-hour weeks were considered short in comparison to the more popular sixty to eighty-hour weeks. Stay-at-home moms had to get busier too. Today, with advances in technology and a “faster is better” mentality, doing more is a must.
Even our kids are obliged to participate in extra-extracurricular activities, thinking they are necessary for higher education opportunities. As a result, many of us are worn out, stressed out, and burned out from so much work.
In studying the construction of the tabernacle and its articles, we do not read of any overwhelming or stressful problems. The Lord commanded Moses who commanded the people to do all that the Lord had spoken. Simply put, Moses did what the Lord commanded and finished the work. What are we to learn from this story? The work that Moses did was given to him by the Lord. Moses followed the instructions to the exact detail, nothing added, nothing omitted.
The Lord gave the gifts that were needed to do all of the designs and the Lord had already provided the required materials. The building of the tabernacle is a beautiful example of a perfect union between God and man. And the results were nothing short of miraculous.
Think for a moment about the work you are doing today. Did the Lord instruct you to do these things? Has God given you the tools and talents to carry out the work? Are you working in unison with God, following His instructions and doing all that He says? The things we choose to do outside of the Lord's plans for us will lead to fatigue, frustration and futility in our efforts. We get so busy just being busy that many of us do not stop to include the Lord in our activities.
Have you spent time with the Lord today? Is He part of your "work" day? Maybe there is a tabernacle project in your life and God wants to do something miraculous through you. Pray that today is the day you let God take over all of your work. Get together with Him and see what happens.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
February 5
Today's Reading: Exodus 36; Matthew 23:1-22
Today's Thoughts: Know, Believe and Understand
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
I remember the time that I stood up in Sunday School class and quoted John 3:16 by memory. My voice cracked and my knees knocked as I nervously recited the words of this verse. To this day it remains one of my life verses, not only for this life, but also for my eternal one as well. The love of God has given me the assurance of everlasting life because I believe in His Son and what He did on the cross. I know He loves me.
More than once we have had people come up to us after one of our teachings and share with us that they have finally believed that God truly loves them. Many people who have known the Lord for years and have served Him in faithful works do not fully understand or believe that God loves them unconditionally. The world is seeking to find true love, but in all the wrong places. True love can only be found in the One who created us, our Heavenly Father. For God so loved the world...and yet so many refuse to believe.
I pray today that you will know the love of God. It is His will for us to "know, believe and understand" who He is. (Isaiah 43:10) If you are struggling with knowing the love of God, ask Him to show you and to help you believe and understand who He is and who He wants to be in your life. Do not waste another day wondering...seek out the truth.
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 Reading: Exodus 36; Matthew 23:1-22
Today's Thoughts: Know, Believe and Understand
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
I remember the time that I stood up in Sunday School class and quoted John 3:16 by memory. My voice cracked and my knees knocked as I nervously recited the words of this verse. To this day it remains one of my life verses, not only for this life, but also for my eternal one as well. The love of God has given me the assurance of everlasting life because I believe in His Son and what He did on the cross. I know He loves me.
More than once we have had people come up to us after one of our teachings and share with us that they have finally believed that God truly loves them. Many people who have known the Lord for years and have served Him in faithful works do not fully understand or believe that God loves them unconditionally. The world is seeking to find true love, but in all the wrong places. True love can only be found in the One who created us, our Heavenly Father. For God so loved the world...and yet so many refuse to believe.
I pray today that you will know the love of God. It is His will for us to "know, believe and understand" who He is. (Isaiah 43:10) If you are struggling with knowing the love of God, ask Him to show you and to help you believe and understand who He is and who He wants to be in your life. Do not waste another day wondering...seek out the truth.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
February 4
Today's Reading: Exodus 34; Matthew 22:23-46
Today's Thoughts: Go to the Lord First
He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the LORD is not with Israel-not with any of the people of Ephraim. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow." Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?" The man of God replied, "The LORD can give you much more than that." 2 Chronicles 25:6-9
Amaziah was king of Judah and though he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, he did not follow the Lord wholeheartedly. One day Amaziah decided to muster his army, so he took count all of his able-bodied fighting men. Thinking he needed more troops, he hired another hundred thousand fighting men from Israel. Now at this time, the kingdoms of Judah and Israel were divided, each with their own kings. The Lord was with Judah because of His covenant with David but the Lord was not with Israel, especially as their kings were evil, wicked and against the Lord. So, the Lord sent a prophet, "a man of God," to speak with Amaziah about sending the men from Israel back home. Even though Amaziah did as the man of God instructed, his first concern was about the money that he had already spent. The response from the man of God should speak to our hearts even today; "The LORD can give you much more than that."
Sometimes we fail (or forget) to realize that our God is in charge and has ownership of all things, even all the money of the world. We can get so caught up in making things balance out that we think we do not need to depend on the Lord. Many of us hate to waste money or waste things of value. We try to be good stewards. We try to make the right decisions. But, sometimes we act before we pray and we make decisions that may not be God's will for us.
The best course in making decisions is to take them all to the Lord first. But if you find yourself in a place of looking backwards (as we all do at times), then ask the Lord to work it out and even to replace what was lost. You will be amazed to watch how God works through our situations, even our mistakes, and He can replace what was lost in the process. Do not bear the burden alone—take it to the Lord. He loves to rescue. The rest of the story of Amaziah? He went into battle after sending the hundred thousand troops home and the Lord delivered him the victory. He will give us the victory when we seek His help in all things.
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 Reading: Exodus 34; Matthew 22:23-46
Today's Thoughts: Go to the Lord First
He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. But a man of God came to him and said, "O king, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the LORD is not with Israel-not with any of the people of Ephraim. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow." Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?" The man of God replied, "The LORD can give you much more than that." 2 Chronicles 25:6-9
Amaziah was king of Judah and though he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, he did not follow the Lord wholeheartedly. One day Amaziah decided to muster his army, so he took count all of his able-bodied fighting men. Thinking he needed more troops, he hired another hundred thousand fighting men from Israel. Now at this time, the kingdoms of Judah and Israel were divided, each with their own kings. The Lord was with Judah because of His covenant with David but the Lord was not with Israel, especially as their kings were evil, wicked and against the Lord. So, the Lord sent a prophet, "a man of God," to speak with Amaziah about sending the men from Israel back home. Even though Amaziah did as the man of God instructed, his first concern was about the money that he had already spent. The response from the man of God should speak to our hearts even today; "The LORD can give you much more than that."
Sometimes we fail (or forget) to realize that our God is in charge and has ownership of all things, even all the money of the world. We can get so caught up in making things balance out that we think we do not need to depend on the Lord. Many of us hate to waste money or waste things of value. We try to be good stewards. We try to make the right decisions. But, sometimes we act before we pray and we make decisions that may not be God's will for us.
The best course in making decisions is to take them all to the Lord first. But if you find yourself in a place of looking backwards (as we all do at times), then ask the Lord to work it out and even to replace what was lost. You will be amazed to watch how God works through our situations, even our mistakes, and He can replace what was lost in the process. Do not bear the burden alone—take it to the Lord. He loves to rescue. The rest of the story of Amaziah? He went into battle after sending the hundred thousand troops home and the Lord delivered him the victory. He will give us the victory when we seek His help in all things.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
Februaray 3rd
Today's Reading: Exodus 31; Matthew 22:1-22
Today’s Thoughts: You Are Called by Name
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "See, I have called by name Bezalel… And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab… and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all who are gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you” Exodus 31:1-6
Do you know that the Lord has called you by name and that He has a specific purpose for your life? Do you know that not only has He called you but also that He has filled you with His Holy Spirit who will teach you all things? (1 John 2:27) Even if you answer “yes” to these questions, you may not fully grasp the meaning, most of us probably do not. The two men named in the above verses were appointed and anointed by God to complete a specific task to design and construct the tabernacle. Ordinary men performed an extraordinary and supernatural task. We also have the indwelling Spirit of God who wants to guide us in performing extraordinary and supernatural tasks. But, how?
We first must believe that God’s Word is true, without exception or compromise. He has promised us His Holy Spirit to be our Helper and Teacher (John 14:26) and further says that we are sealed with this promise (Ephesians 1:13). Throughout the Book of Acts several accounts are mentioned regarding the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, He enters in and lives within us through His Spirit. But the first step is to believe.
As we claim this promise as truth, we need to start asking for the same kinds of gifts as given to the two men in Exodus chapter 31. We should pray for wisdom, knowledge and understanding so that in all things we are seeking to do God’s will and to fulfill His purpose. Paul says in Ephesians 4:1 “to walk worthy of the calling in which you were called” and the only way we can truly know our calling is to seek a spiritual wisdom and understanding that only comes from God. Through His Holy Spirit, He will teach us and lead us to perform and complete the tasks He has chosen for us.
To summarize, if you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are filled with His Holy Spirit. But to truly live out your calling, you must believe in faith in what His word teaches and pray for the spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding to apply His guidance to your life. Bezalel and Aholiab were ordinary guys called for a supernatural purpose. They received, they believed and they performed. Start praying today for the Lord to train you to yield more to His Spirit and to teach you with His wisdom how to walk worthy of your calling.
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 Reading: Exodus 31; Matthew 22:1-22
Today’s Thoughts: You Are Called by Name
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "See, I have called by name Bezalel… And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab… and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all who are gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you” Exodus 31:1-6
Do you know that the Lord has called you by name and that He has a specific purpose for your life? Do you know that not only has He called you but also that He has filled you with His Holy Spirit who will teach you all things? (1 John 2:27) Even if you answer “yes” to these questions, you may not fully grasp the meaning, most of us probably do not. The two men named in the above verses were appointed and anointed by God to complete a specific task to design and construct the tabernacle. Ordinary men performed an extraordinary and supernatural task. We also have the indwelling Spirit of God who wants to guide us in performing extraordinary and supernatural tasks. But, how?
We first must believe that God’s Word is true, without exception or compromise. He has promised us His Holy Spirit to be our Helper and Teacher (John 14:26) and further says that we are sealed with this promise (Ephesians 1:13). Throughout the Book of Acts several accounts are mentioned regarding the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, He enters in and lives within us through His Spirit. But the first step is to believe.
As we claim this promise as truth, we need to start asking for the same kinds of gifts as given to the two men in Exodus chapter 31. We should pray for wisdom, knowledge and understanding so that in all things we are seeking to do God’s will and to fulfill His purpose. Paul says in Ephesians 4:1 “to walk worthy of the calling in which you were called” and the only way we can truly know our calling is to seek a spiritual wisdom and understanding that only comes from God. Through His Holy Spirit, He will teach us and lead us to perform and complete the tasks He has chosen for us.
To summarize, if you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are filled with His Holy Spirit. But to truly live out your calling, you must believe in faith in what His word teaches and pray for the spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding to apply His guidance to your life. Bezalel and Aholiab were ordinary guys called for a supernatural purpose. They received, they believed and they performed. Start praying today for the Lord to train you to yield more to His Spirit and to teach you with His wisdom how to walk worthy of your calling.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
February 2
Today's Reading: Exodus 29; Matthew 21:23-46
Today's Thoughts: Growing Up
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Cor. 13:11
When we first come to Christ, we are like babies. We crawl, then we wobble and stumble until we finally start to walk. Once we learn to walk, we want to walk faster, farther and without hindrances. Then we realize that the only way to go is upward, aiming for heaven. We do not want to move sideways any longer, but straight up. So we look up and try to figure out how to move up with the same pace… farther, faster, and without hindrances.
But God does not desire for us to move up as of yet. In John 17:15, Jesus prayed, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” Being taken out of the world would be to move up and to get out of here. That is the natural desire of our heart when we really come to know Jesus. We just want to be with Him and we just want to see Him and please Him. Wouldn’t it be great if the moment we met the Lord on earth, He brought us up to heaven?
We would accept Him in faith on earth but immediately see Him face-to-face in heaven. But…that was not His will nor His prayer for us. His desire is that we learn to advance from crawling to walking. His desire is that we walk by faith. Walking by faith does not come naturally. The believer’s stages of development are not easy but necessary. The Lord wants us to become mature, healthy, spirit-filled believers able to continue the work He began. Growing up is difficult because it always involves discipline. We are not born physically or spiritually knowing what is right and wrong.
Many times we need to learn through trial and error. God is patient and loving to guide us and love us through those hard times of discipline. So, the Lord’s plan for us is not to move up, but to grow up.
Pray about it: Oh Lord, thank You for being my Lord. You love me so much to help me through every stage of growth and maturity. Remind me that You are always on my side, guiding me and directing me to the next stage for my own good. Mature me so that You may use me. I love You Lord. Let my life reflect my love 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.
Today's Reading: Exodus 29; Matthew 21:23-46
Today's Thoughts: Growing Up
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Cor. 13:11
When we first come to Christ, we are like babies. We crawl, then we wobble and stumble until we finally start to walk. Once we learn to walk, we want to walk faster, farther and without hindrances. Then we realize that the only way to go is upward, aiming for heaven. We do not want to move sideways any longer, but straight up. So we look up and try to figure out how to move up with the same pace… farther, faster, and without hindrances.
But God does not desire for us to move up as of yet. In John 17:15, Jesus prayed, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” Being taken out of the world would be to move up and to get out of here. That is the natural desire of our heart when we really come to know Jesus. We just want to be with Him and we just want to see Him and please Him. Wouldn’t it be great if the moment we met the Lord on earth, He brought us up to heaven?
We would accept Him in faith on earth but immediately see Him face-to-face in heaven. But…that was not His will nor His prayer for us. His desire is that we learn to advance from crawling to walking. His desire is that we walk by faith. Walking by faith does not come naturally. The believer’s stages of development are not easy but necessary. The Lord wants us to become mature, healthy, spirit-filled believers able to continue the work He began. Growing up is difficult because it always involves discipline. We are not born physically or spiritually knowing what is right and wrong.
Many times we need to learn through trial and error. God is patient and loving to guide us and love us through those hard times of discipline. So, the Lord’s plan for us is not to move up, but to grow up.
Pray about it: Oh Lord, thank You for being my Lord. You love me so much to help me through every stage of growth and maturity. Remind me that You are always on my side, guiding me and directing me to the next stage for my own good. Mature me so that You may use me. I love You Lord. Let my life reflect my love 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.
Re: Daily Disciples
February 1
Today's Reading: Exodus 27; Matthew 21
Today's Thoughts: Just Ask
So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." - Matthew 21:21-22
My sister called the other day complaining about her boss at work. She began telling me about the problems she was having on her job and how they were beginning to disrupt her home life. How many of us can relate to this? After listening to her stories, I realized that the root of the problem stemmed from a breakdown in communication between my sister and her boss. As the picture came into focus, I realized that my sister had issues (wants, needs, desires) that needed addressing. However, she was not telling all of this to her boss. In other words, she somehow expected her boss to know and understand what she needed. I told her that maybe she should tell her boss what her issues were and ask for help. Sounds easy enough, but for some reason, we just do not know how to ask for the things we want or how to discuss the problems we are having in certain situations.
What about our prayer lives? Do we ask the Lord for the desires of our hearts? Do we honestly tell the Lord our problems, even when they involve Him? Today's verses clearly instruct us on how to pray. We are to have faith and not doubt. We must come to the Lord in prayer and truly believe in our hearts that He hears us and will answer us. The faith to move mountains is amazing faith and is available to all of us, if we believe. Try not to get hung up on how to pray, what to pray and praying God's will. Just go to the Lord and ask, believe, and receive. Even though God already knows our hearts' desires, we need to ask Him for them because it increases our faith and blesses us in the process. Remember this: the Lord will answer as He sees best. That is why faith is so important in our prayers. We must trust in God's final answer, regardless of what we think. If our prayers are continuing without ceasing, alongside His Word, and from our honest hearts, then His answers will be received in our hearts of 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.
Today's Reading: Exodus 27; Matthew 21
Today's Thoughts: Just Ask
So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." - Matthew 21:21-22
My sister called the other day complaining about her boss at work. She began telling me about the problems she was having on her job and how they were beginning to disrupt her home life. How many of us can relate to this? After listening to her stories, I realized that the root of the problem stemmed from a breakdown in communication between my sister and her boss. As the picture came into focus, I realized that my sister had issues (wants, needs, desires) that needed addressing. However, she was not telling all of this to her boss. In other words, she somehow expected her boss to know and understand what she needed. I told her that maybe she should tell her boss what her issues were and ask for help. Sounds easy enough, but for some reason, we just do not know how to ask for the things we want or how to discuss the problems we are having in certain situations.
What about our prayer lives? Do we ask the Lord for the desires of our hearts? Do we honestly tell the Lord our problems, even when they involve Him? Today's verses clearly instruct us on how to pray. We are to have faith and not doubt. We must come to the Lord in prayer and truly believe in our hearts that He hears us and will answer us. The faith to move mountains is amazing faith and is available to all of us, if we believe. Try not to get hung up on how to pray, what to pray and praying God's will. Just go to the Lord and ask, believe, and receive. Even though God already knows our hearts' desires, we need to ask Him for them because it increases our faith and blesses us in the process. Remember this: the Lord will answer as He sees best. That is why faith is so important in our prayers. We must trust in God's final answer, regardless of what we think. If our prayers are continuing without ceasing, alongside His Word, and from our honest hearts, then His answers will be received in our hearts of 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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 31
Today's Reading: Exodus 25; Matthew 20:17-34
Today’s Thoughts: Awake out of Sleep
And [do] this, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation [is] nearer than when we [first] believed. - Romans 13:11
We are living in perilous times as Christians. Our freedoms are being threatened in more ways than any of us can fully grasp. The enemy is roaming about, seeking whom he may devour, and we are definitely his targets. But, his schemes are not always so blatant and clearly discerned. The greatest threat to us from the enemy is allowing ourselves to become complacent and operating on auto-pilot. We lose our passions to witness, our urgency for the lost to be saved, and even our first love, as Jesus talks about in Revelation chapter 3. But, it is not too late to wake up.
Today, our salvation is nearer than we first believed. Today is a day closer to the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Today could be the last day for us here on earth. Do we live with such a sense of urgency? Or, do we act as they did in the days of Noah? Noah preached for over 100 years as he built the ark. He warned the people of the day that was coming, a day of total destruction. But, the people did not listen and they carried on with their lives, even up until the rain started to fall and the door of the ark was shut. At what point did they wake up? It was too late. Let us not wait until it is too late. Let us look to the Lord today and ask Him to stir us like never before and to give us a sense of urgency and passion.
Let’s pray this prayer together: Heavenly Father, I confess that I have allowed complacency into my life as a Christian. I have allowed life’s comforts a place of priority, even over helping others. I know that I need to be awakened and stirred to see things through Your eyes and to have Your heart in these last days. Please fill me with Your Spirit this day and jolt my heart with a new awareness of the reality of these days I am living in. Please, Lord, make the rest of my days here on earth count for the kingdom of God. 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.
Today's Reading: Exodus 25; Matthew 20:17-34
Today’s Thoughts: Awake out of Sleep
And [do] this, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation [is] nearer than when we [first] believed. - Romans 13:11
We are living in perilous times as Christians. Our freedoms are being threatened in more ways than any of us can fully grasp. The enemy is roaming about, seeking whom he may devour, and we are definitely his targets. But, his schemes are not always so blatant and clearly discerned. The greatest threat to us from the enemy is allowing ourselves to become complacent and operating on auto-pilot. We lose our passions to witness, our urgency for the lost to be saved, and even our first love, as Jesus talks about in Revelation chapter 3. But, it is not too late to wake up.
Today, our salvation is nearer than we first believed. Today is a day closer to the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Today could be the last day for us here on earth. Do we live with such a sense of urgency? Or, do we act as they did in the days of Noah? Noah preached for over 100 years as he built the ark. He warned the people of the day that was coming, a day of total destruction. But, the people did not listen and they carried on with their lives, even up until the rain started to fall and the door of the ark was shut. At what point did they wake up? It was too late. Let us not wait until it is too late. Let us look to the Lord today and ask Him to stir us like never before and to give us a sense of urgency and passion.
Let’s pray this prayer together: Heavenly Father, I confess that I have allowed complacency into my life as a Christian. I have allowed life’s comforts a place of priority, even over helping others. I know that I need to be awakened and stirred to see things through Your eyes and to have Your heart in these last days. Please fill me with Your Spirit this day and jolt my heart with a new awareness of the reality of these days I am living in. Please, Lord, make the rest of my days here on earth count for the kingdom of God. 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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 30
Today's Reading: Exodus 23; Matthew 20:1-16
Today's Thoughts: Little by Little
Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land. - Exodus 23:30
In Chapter 23, God grants the Israelites various promises, including utterly overthrowing and completely cutting off their enemies. The Lord further states that He will bless their bread and water and take their sicknesses away. With the Lord on their side, the Israelites cannot lose. But in verse 30, the Lord says that He will fulfill His promises by driving out their enemies little by little. Why? Why doesn't God just wipe their enemies out like He did the Egyptians as they entered the Red Sea? What benefit is there to do it little by little?
Exodus 23:29 says "I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you." In other words, a place of instant abundance and blessings would be harmful for the Israelites. Blessings are not true blessings unless they come when we are able to handle them. Think of areas in your life that you would love to see the Lord work in you today. Maybe you need deliverance from sin that seems to have trapped you or maybe it is your finances. The list can go on and on. God wants to deliver you and bless you, but He will only give you what you can handle. God knows what is best for us. Even the blessings can become curses if we do not have the wisdom, maturity and honesty to handle them.
The Lord's timing is never too late nor too slow. He is patient and kind, assessing the whole situation, so that when He fulfills His promises in you, you will be able to receive them in peace. We want the quick fix or the instant gratification. We want the immediate and the miraculous. However, God's ways are not our ways and He desires to give us a future life in His promises. Little by little, complete victory will be yours by having faith and patience day by day.
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 Reading: Exodus 23; Matthew 20:1-16
Today's Thoughts: Little by Little
Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land. - Exodus 23:30
In Chapter 23, God grants the Israelites various promises, including utterly overthrowing and completely cutting off their enemies. The Lord further states that He will bless their bread and water and take their sicknesses away. With the Lord on their side, the Israelites cannot lose. But in verse 30, the Lord says that He will fulfill His promises by driving out their enemies little by little. Why? Why doesn't God just wipe their enemies out like He did the Egyptians as they entered the Red Sea? What benefit is there to do it little by little?
Exodus 23:29 says "I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you." In other words, a place of instant abundance and blessings would be harmful for the Israelites. Blessings are not true blessings unless they come when we are able to handle them. Think of areas in your life that you would love to see the Lord work in you today. Maybe you need deliverance from sin that seems to have trapped you or maybe it is your finances. The list can go on and on. God wants to deliver you and bless you, but He will only give you what you can handle. God knows what is best for us. Even the blessings can become curses if we do not have the wisdom, maturity and honesty to handle them.
The Lord's timing is never too late nor too slow. He is patient and kind, assessing the whole situation, so that when He fulfills His promises in you, you will be able to receive them in peace. We want the quick fix or the instant gratification. We want the immediate and the miraculous. However, God's ways are not our ways and He desires to give us a future life in His promises. Little by little, complete victory will be yours by having faith and patience day by day.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 29
Today's Reading: Exodus 21; Matthew 19
Today's Thoughts: Faith, or seeking a sign?
But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." - Mark 8:12
There are four gospels that describe the life of Jesus, from His birth to His death. Even though these accounts were written by different men at different times, many of their stories are literally identical in the details. Even though each gospel is unique in its own way, many of the miracles and events are shared throughout them. How is this possible? Have any of us ever told the same story the exact same way the second time? And anyone who tells the story next would no doubt make changes to it. The only way this is possible is through the Holy Spirit of God. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Yet many people still refuse to believe that the Bible is completely inerrant and perfect in its every detail.
One of the miracles told in all four gospels is how Jesus fed the people with a few fish and some loaves of bread. On one occasion He fed five thousand people and on another, He fed four thousand, having leftovers each time. In Mark chapter eight, the religious people are the ones questioning Jesus, asking Him for a “sign.” After all that Jesus had done in this miracle alone, the people still did not believe in Him. What other sign could He possibly give them? Jesus performed miracle after miracle for the three years of His ministry, in full view of everybody looking. He even foretold of His death, which happened just as was prophesied, but many would still not believe. I am sure the Lord sighs deeply even now, in those times when He shows Himself so clearly to someone, yet they refuse to believe Him. They want more proof.
There is a reason that Hebrews 11:6 states that faith is the only way to please God. The Lord knows how hard it is for us to really believe in Him and His promises. Look up and see all that Jesus is doing in your life right now. Do you trust Him or are you still seeking a sign from Him for more proof? If you are struggling in your faith, ask the Lord to increase your faith. So often in life, we get so far down the road before we realize what God did for us a long time before. If only we could realize His signs when He is working in our lives and praise Him for His faithfulness to us. Are you seeking a sign today? Seek Jesus first and you may just notice all kinds of signs that you have been missing.
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 Reading: Exodus 21; Matthew 19
Today's Thoughts: Faith, or seeking a sign?
But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." - Mark 8:12
There are four gospels that describe the life of Jesus, from His birth to His death. Even though these accounts were written by different men at different times, many of their stories are literally identical in the details. Even though each gospel is unique in its own way, many of the miracles and events are shared throughout them. How is this possible? Have any of us ever told the same story the exact same way the second time? And anyone who tells the story next would no doubt make changes to it. The only way this is possible is through the Holy Spirit of God. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Yet many people still refuse to believe that the Bible is completely inerrant and perfect in its every detail.
One of the miracles told in all four gospels is how Jesus fed the people with a few fish and some loaves of bread. On one occasion He fed five thousand people and on another, He fed four thousand, having leftovers each time. In Mark chapter eight, the religious people are the ones questioning Jesus, asking Him for a “sign.” After all that Jesus had done in this miracle alone, the people still did not believe in Him. What other sign could He possibly give them? Jesus performed miracle after miracle for the three years of His ministry, in full view of everybody looking. He even foretold of His death, which happened just as was prophesied, but many would still not believe. I am sure the Lord sighs deeply even now, in those times when He shows Himself so clearly to someone, yet they refuse to believe Him. They want more proof.
There is a reason that Hebrews 11:6 states that faith is the only way to please God. The Lord knows how hard it is for us to really believe in Him and His promises. Look up and see all that Jesus is doing in your life right now. Do you trust Him or are you still seeking a sign from Him for more proof? If you are struggling in your faith, ask the Lord to increase your faith. So often in life, we get so far down the road before we realize what God did for us a long time before. If only we could realize His signs when He is working in our lives and praise Him for His faithfulness to us. Are you seeking a sign today? Seek Jesus first and you may just notice all kinds of signs that you have been missing.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 28
Today's Reading: Exodus 19; Matthew 18:21-35
Today's Thoughts: Patience
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. James 5:7
I always cringe just a little (if not a lot) when I see the words "be patient." Not long ago we spoke at an event that had an interesting theme. The theme for this event embraced the honey "bee" and even the decorations had some kind of bee on it. There were stuffed animal-type bees, candy bees, and even flower corsages that a bee would love to buzz around. You get my drift. When we sat down at a table, there was a bee placed in front of each glass. The bee had a saying on it. Mine said, "be kind." The one next to me said, "be patient." I was so glad I got the "be kind" bee. Then, out of the blue, we were asked to move over one place and there it was—"be patient" staring back at me. I knew I was in trouble.
Since then I have had to wait on many things. Traffic seems extremely slow, far more than normal. This morning, we got stuck in a parking lot that was being paved and literally could not get out of it. We were running late for a meeting. And then, I went to the eye doctor. At five minutes past the hour, I heard him coming. Yea, he is right on schedule! Then, an emergency phone call came from nowhere. I waited 45 minutes. I sat in a semi-dark room and had a talk with God. He told me to be kind to everyone in that office and to keep waiting patiently. As I left, the doctor shook my hand, gave me a discount on the office visit, the receptionist gave me some free stuff, and another girl expressed to me that it had been a very long day for them. She sincerely thanked me for being "patient." I smiled, they smiled and I am pretty sure God smiled too.
When you get that little message and know in your spirit that you are being tested on something, like patience, stop and pray. The Lord had to remind me of the fruit that He wanted to bear through me - not about me, but about Him. Be alert to those things that God wants to do through you today. Stop and pray and let the Lord be your guide. You never know how it will turn out to bless someone else.
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 Reading: Exodus 19; Matthew 18:21-35
Today's Thoughts: Patience
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. James 5:7
I always cringe just a little (if not a lot) when I see the words "be patient." Not long ago we spoke at an event that had an interesting theme. The theme for this event embraced the honey "bee" and even the decorations had some kind of bee on it. There were stuffed animal-type bees, candy bees, and even flower corsages that a bee would love to buzz around. You get my drift. When we sat down at a table, there was a bee placed in front of each glass. The bee had a saying on it. Mine said, "be kind." The one next to me said, "be patient." I was so glad I got the "be kind" bee. Then, out of the blue, we were asked to move over one place and there it was—"be patient" staring back at me. I knew I was in trouble.
Since then I have had to wait on many things. Traffic seems extremely slow, far more than normal. This morning, we got stuck in a parking lot that was being paved and literally could not get out of it. We were running late for a meeting. And then, I went to the eye doctor. At five minutes past the hour, I heard him coming. Yea, he is right on schedule! Then, an emergency phone call came from nowhere. I waited 45 minutes. I sat in a semi-dark room and had a talk with God. He told me to be kind to everyone in that office and to keep waiting patiently. As I left, the doctor shook my hand, gave me a discount on the office visit, the receptionist gave me some free stuff, and another girl expressed to me that it had been a very long day for them. She sincerely thanked me for being "patient." I smiled, they smiled and I am pretty sure God smiled too.
When you get that little message and know in your spirit that you are being tested on something, like patience, stop and pray. The Lord had to remind me of the fruit that He wanted to bear through me - not about me, but about Him. Be alert to those things that God wants to do through you today. Stop and pray and let the Lord be your guide. You never know how it will turn out to bless someone else.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 27
Today's Reading: Exodus 16; Matthew 18:1-20
Today's Thoughts: Be Set Apart
But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him. - Psalm 4:3
Do you know that you are set apart by God and for God? We are sanctified, set apart and made holy, because the Lord has set us apart from the ungodly. This sanctification starts to take place when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and are redeemed by His blood. It is a lifelong process and God’s work within our life. We live in the world but are not to be of the world—we are to be set apart. Jesus prayed in John 17:17 that we would be sanctified by the truth, the Word of God. The Word of truth sets us apart from the world when we live by it and make it our daily bread. Even though as people we are all different and set apart from each other for various reasons, we are chosen by God to be set apart for Him. And sanctification is a process God uses to set us more and more apart from the world as we walk with Him daily.
Are you living a life set apart and made holy – sanctified – by the Word of God? Did you know that the Lord has set you apart for Himself? Take time today and look up verses on being set apart and sanctified. We need to take this calling very seriously and learn what a sanctified life really looks like. Pray that the Lord will guide you and that His Holy Spirit will teach you how to live a life set apart from this world, even though you live in this world.
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 Reading: Exodus 16; Matthew 18:1-20
Today's Thoughts: Be Set Apart
But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him. - Psalm 4:3
Do you know that you are set apart by God and for God? We are sanctified, set apart and made holy, because the Lord has set us apart from the ungodly. This sanctification starts to take place when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and are redeemed by His blood. It is a lifelong process and God’s work within our life. We live in the world but are not to be of the world—we are to be set apart. Jesus prayed in John 17:17 that we would be sanctified by the truth, the Word of God. The Word of truth sets us apart from the world when we live by it and make it our daily bread. Even though as people we are all different and set apart from each other for various reasons, we are chosen by God to be set apart for Him. And sanctification is a process God uses to set us more and more apart from the world as we walk with Him daily.
Are you living a life set apart and made holy – sanctified – by the Word of God? Did you know that the Lord has set you apart for Himself? Take time today and look up verses on being set apart and sanctified. We need to take this calling very seriously and learn what a sanctified life really looks like. Pray that the Lord will guide you and that His Holy Spirit will teach you how to live a life set apart from this world, even though you live in this world.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 11
Today's Reading: Genesis 27; Matthew 8:18-34
Today's Thoughts: God’s Promise
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." - Genesis 28:15
Today's verse is a promise that God made to Jacob. As Jacob lay asleep, the Lord stood over him and reaffirmed the promise that He had given his father, Isaac, and his grandfather, Abraham. The Lord told Jacob of how his descendants would be as the dust of the earth, scattered in all directions and blessed to be in God's family. God kept His promise and the rest of the Old Testament tells the story of His people, a people known as the children of Israel. (Israel was the new name given to Jacob by God.)
The literal context of this verse is stated above but the spiritual context is applicable to us today. Did you know that the Lord has a promise for your life, even in this verse? How does something written so long ago become relevant to our lives now? Many people miss out on the Old Testament message because they see no relevance to our modern lives. But the Holy Spirit makes the message critically relevant to our lives right here and right now. The promise that God gave Jacob is also a promise that He gives us. Hebrews 13:5 says that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. For Jacob, God had given him a specific promise about the nation of Israel, a nation yet to be born at the time of the encounter. What promise has God given you, or do you know? For starters, He promises to never leave you and that He will be with you and keep you wherever you go. God promises to always be with you. What an awesome promise!
Sometimes we just need to open the Bible and start reading. Maybe someone reading this right now needs to hear that God promises to always be with them. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and speaks to our hearts personally, a message just for us. The Bible is filled with stories and literal accounts of historical events, but in every story and every account, there is a personal message just for you. Please do not miss out on the spiritual message. You will find what you need if you seek for it: a promise, a confirmation, an answer. You will love the Bible stories, but when they become real to you in your life, and apply to you in some way today, your life will change and you will have an insatiable appetite for God's Word.
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 Reading: Genesis 27; Matthew 8:18-34
Today's Thoughts: God’s Promise
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." - Genesis 28:15
Today's verse is a promise that God made to Jacob. As Jacob lay asleep, the Lord stood over him and reaffirmed the promise that He had given his father, Isaac, and his grandfather, Abraham. The Lord told Jacob of how his descendants would be as the dust of the earth, scattered in all directions and blessed to be in God's family. God kept His promise and the rest of the Old Testament tells the story of His people, a people known as the children of Israel. (Israel was the new name given to Jacob by God.)
The literal context of this verse is stated above but the spiritual context is applicable to us today. Did you know that the Lord has a promise for your life, even in this verse? How does something written so long ago become relevant to our lives now? Many people miss out on the Old Testament message because they see no relevance to our modern lives. But the Holy Spirit makes the message critically relevant to our lives right here and right now. The promise that God gave Jacob is also a promise that He gives us. Hebrews 13:5 says that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. For Jacob, God had given him a specific promise about the nation of Israel, a nation yet to be born at the time of the encounter. What promise has God given you, or do you know? For starters, He promises to never leave you and that He will be with you and keep you wherever you go. God promises to always be with you. What an awesome promise!
Sometimes we just need to open the Bible and start reading. Maybe someone reading this right now needs to hear that God promises to always be with them. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and speaks to our hearts personally, a message just for us. The Bible is filled with stories and literal accounts of historical events, but in every story and every account, there is a personal message just for you. Please do not miss out on the spiritual message. You will find what you need if you seek for it: a promise, a confirmation, an answer. You will love the Bible stories, but when they become real to you in your life, and apply to you in some way today, your life will change and you will have an insatiable appetite for God's Word.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
Daily Disciples - January 10
2022 Jan 10
Today's Reading: Genesis 25; Matthew 8:1-17
Today's Thoughts: Chronicle Your Blessings
Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: 'Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.' " - Exodus 16:32
Do you ever forget things? Have you ever tried something out of the ordinary, maybe even silly, just to remember something of importance? Some people tie strings around their fingers, some write post-it notes and stick them in plain view, and others go so far as to take memory classes or use self-help tools for memory enhancement. Let’s face it, we all deal with memory lapses at times, and most of us have forgotten at least one thing we wished we had remembered.
Think about how much information goes into our brains on a constant basis. We live in a world filled with constant stimuli with each piece fighting for a place of priority in our thoughts. Our days begin with so much to do that our organizers and calendars need more power. Sometimes I am amazed at just how soon I can forget something, regardless of the tactics, tools or tricks I might use to help me to not forget.
I am thankful that God understand, and He wants to help. The verses above demonstrate how important it was to the Lord that the children of Israel have a physical reminder of His faithfulness to them. The Lord instructed Moses on how to store the manna as a reminder of how He fed them in the wilderness for forty years. Sadly, as the Bible reveals their continuing story to us, these people would soon forget how good God was to them. But God did not want them to forget, and He does not want us to forget either. How do we remember the good things God does for us? There are so many awesome ways that the Lord demonstrates His love and faithfulness towards us such as: answered prayers, answers to prayers never prayed, surprise blessings, and all of those “must be a God-thing” events. How can we remember, especially when we find ourselves in a valley of darkness or a barren wilderness?
One of the best blessings in my life has been the habit of keeping a daily prayer journal. Writing out my prayers, my thoughts and feelings, and my personal evidence of God’s hand in my life has strengthened my faith and trust in Him. I can look back over past journals and read about the amazing times He intervened in my circumstances. A prayer journal becomes our personal testimony of how God has worked in our lives. Let’s commit ourselves to making this activity a habit and to keeping this daily journal as a testimony of how awesome our Lord and Savior is.
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.
2022 Jan 10
Today's Reading: Genesis 25; Matthew 8:1-17
Today's Thoughts: Chronicle Your Blessings
Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: 'Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.' " - Exodus 16:32
Do you ever forget things? Have you ever tried something out of the ordinary, maybe even silly, just to remember something of importance? Some people tie strings around their fingers, some write post-it notes and stick them in plain view, and others go so far as to take memory classes or use self-help tools for memory enhancement. Let’s face it, we all deal with memory lapses at times, and most of us have forgotten at least one thing we wished we had remembered.
Think about how much information goes into our brains on a constant basis. We live in a world filled with constant stimuli with each piece fighting for a place of priority in our thoughts. Our days begin with so much to do that our organizers and calendars need more power. Sometimes I am amazed at just how soon I can forget something, regardless of the tactics, tools or tricks I might use to help me to not forget.
I am thankful that God understand, and He wants to help. The verses above demonstrate how important it was to the Lord that the children of Israel have a physical reminder of His faithfulness to them. The Lord instructed Moses on how to store the manna as a reminder of how He fed them in the wilderness for forty years. Sadly, as the Bible reveals their continuing story to us, these people would soon forget how good God was to them. But God did not want them to forget, and He does not want us to forget either. How do we remember the good things God does for us? There are so many awesome ways that the Lord demonstrates His love and faithfulness towards us such as: answered prayers, answers to prayers never prayed, surprise blessings, and all of those “must be a God-thing” events. How can we remember, especially when we find ourselves in a valley of darkness or a barren wilderness?
One of the best blessings in my life has been the habit of keeping a daily prayer journal. Writing out my prayers, my thoughts and feelings, and my personal evidence of God’s hand in my life has strengthened my faith and trust in Him. I can look back over past journals and read about the amazing times He intervened in my circumstances. A prayer journal becomes our personal testimony of how God has worked in our lives. Let’s commit ourselves to making this activity a habit and to keeping this daily journal as a testimony of how awesome our Lord and Savior is.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 9
Today's Reading: Genesis 23; Matthew 7
Today's Thoughts: Adopted by a Great God!
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" Romans 8:15
I drove carpool today. Boy, the things I learn while having a few more junior high kids in the car are so valuable to me. I am also thankful because the kids are still at a point of listening to instruction if I say it clearly, simply and in as few words as possible.
Two of the boys are struggling with the same issue under different circumstances. Both of them feel that they are being misrepresented by their teachers and both are very disheartened by the teachers' decision in their matters. They both could clearly state the problem, the areas that they were at fault and why they feel that a different decision should be made. However, they both dealt with fear in speaking to their teachers about it.
Many times, we find the same struggles in our prayer life with the Lord. We understand the issues at hand and even accept the blame and resulting consequence. But we don't know how to express how we feel about it to the Lord. As a result, we experience depression and frustration, waiting for time to play itself out.
God tells us that He is our Abba Father. He wants us to know that He is our Daddy, desiring to hear from us. He didn't create us to be robots, but His children who can reason with Him. He tells us to draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. Our opinions matter to the Lord regardless of the poor choices we may have made to reach our situation. The Lord loves us and if we include Him in our struggles and frustrations, He works with us to get through the difficulties, sometime miraculously. If we don't share with Him and draw near, we will miss out on His intervention and in the nearness of His presence to walk through every part of life with Him. Do not fear; you have been adopted by a great God!
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 Reading: Genesis 23; Matthew 7
Today's Thoughts: Adopted by a Great God!
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" Romans 8:15
I drove carpool today. Boy, the things I learn while having a few more junior high kids in the car are so valuable to me. I am also thankful because the kids are still at a point of listening to instruction if I say it clearly, simply and in as few words as possible.
Two of the boys are struggling with the same issue under different circumstances. Both of them feel that they are being misrepresented by their teachers and both are very disheartened by the teachers' decision in their matters. They both could clearly state the problem, the areas that they were at fault and why they feel that a different decision should be made. However, they both dealt with fear in speaking to their teachers about it.
Many times, we find the same struggles in our prayer life with the Lord. We understand the issues at hand and even accept the blame and resulting consequence. But we don't know how to express how we feel about it to the Lord. As a result, we experience depression and frustration, waiting for time to play itself out.
God tells us that He is our Abba Father. He wants us to know that He is our Daddy, desiring to hear from us. He didn't create us to be robots, but His children who can reason with Him. He tells us to draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. Our opinions matter to the Lord regardless of the poor choices we may have made to reach our situation. The Lord loves us and if we include Him in our struggles and frustrations, He works with us to get through the difficulties, sometime miraculously. If we don't share with Him and draw near, we will miss out on His intervention and in the nearness of His presence to walk through every part of life with Him. Do not fear; you have been adopted by a great God!
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 8
Today's Reading: Genesis 20; Matthew 6:19-34
Today's Thoughts: Seek God First
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33
If you do not spend time with the Lord today, the devil will kill, steal and destroy any fruit of the Spirit. The most important thing that allows us to live a victorious Christian life seems to be the hardest thing to maintain on a consistent basis. We have to understand that the power of the Holy Spirit is released by abiding in the Word. If the devil can keep you from opening the Word, you will be ineffective and have little peace in knowing the will of God. The Lord wants to instruct you and keep you in the way you should go; but you must spend time with Him for Him to be able to lead you.
Repeatedly, the common excuse is that we are too busy. But by spending time with the Lord, He is then allowed in intervene in your life in such a way that gives you more time in your day. It is like tithing. You give and then you get. Time works the same way with the Lord.
No one was busier than Jesus. He had many things to do and many lessons to teach in a very short period of time. What did He do? Jesus made it a priority to spend time with the Father. He would rise early, before the dawn, just to pray. There was nothing that was more important than or as pressing as spending time with His Father. If Jesus needed to spend time alone with God, how much more do we need to spend time with Him? If the devil cannot make you bad, he will make you busy. Why? Because all those seemingly valuable things you are doing distracts you from the only thing that really matters for eternity. Even church-oriented events will not bear the fruit you are praying for without His counsel and His blessing.
Seek Him first - first thing in the morning, first before any plans are made and first in your thoughts and prayers. No other task can compare to finding God after seeking Him with your whole heart. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
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 Reading: Genesis 20; Matthew 6:19-34
Today's Thoughts: Seek God First
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33
If you do not spend time with the Lord today, the devil will kill, steal and destroy any fruit of the Spirit. The most important thing that allows us to live a victorious Christian life seems to be the hardest thing to maintain on a consistent basis. We have to understand that the power of the Holy Spirit is released by abiding in the Word. If the devil can keep you from opening the Word, you will be ineffective and have little peace in knowing the will of God. The Lord wants to instruct you and keep you in the way you should go; but you must spend time with Him for Him to be able to lead you.
Repeatedly, the common excuse is that we are too busy. But by spending time with the Lord, He is then allowed in intervene in your life in such a way that gives you more time in your day. It is like tithing. You give and then you get. Time works the same way with the Lord.
No one was busier than Jesus. He had many things to do and many lessons to teach in a very short period of time. What did He do? Jesus made it a priority to spend time with the Father. He would rise early, before the dawn, just to pray. There was nothing that was more important than or as pressing as spending time with His Father. If Jesus needed to spend time alone with God, how much more do we need to spend time with Him? If the devil cannot make you bad, he will make you busy. Why? Because all those seemingly valuable things you are doing distracts you from the only thing that really matters for eternity. Even church-oriented events will not bear the fruit you are praying for without His counsel and His blessing.
Seek Him first - first thing in the morning, first before any plans are made and first in your thoughts and prayers. No other task can compare to finding God after seeking Him with your whole heart. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 7
Today's Reading: Genesis 18; Matthew 6:1-18
Today's Thoughts: Our Daily Bread
Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
Today's verse is taken from what is commonly called the Lord's Prayer. When Jesus' disciples asked Him how to pray, He gave them this prayer as a model. Matthew 6 and Luke 11 record this prayer in its entirety. Like many people, I learned the Lord's Prayer as a child and I have prayed it thousands of times. But how many of us really think about what we are praying when we recite this prayer? How often do I ask for my daily bread?
I guess a better question might be: what exactly is "our daily bread?" Certainly our daily bread consists of those things that we need to survive, to live on. We need food, water, clothing and shelter. We need financial resources to get the things we need. So, we must pray that the Lord will meet those needs and give us our daily provisions. There is another type of "daily bread" that applies here as well - our spiritual bread. We cannot live abundant spiritual lives without a daily portion of God's Word. Learning to feed on His Word every day will give us the spiritual nourishment we need to live a victorious Christian life.
Ask the Lord today to give you His bread of life: to meet your physical needs here on earth, and to also meet your spiritual needs as you walk with Him. When you allow the Word of God to penetrate your heart and mind daily, you will be transformed. Make time for reading your Bible today and let the Lord feed you with His amazing Word. Start the transformation 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.
Today's Reading: Genesis 18; Matthew 6:1-18
Today's Thoughts: Our Daily Bread
Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
Today's verse is taken from what is commonly called the Lord's Prayer. When Jesus' disciples asked Him how to pray, He gave them this prayer as a model. Matthew 6 and Luke 11 record this prayer in its entirety. Like many people, I learned the Lord's Prayer as a child and I have prayed it thousands of times. But how many of us really think about what we are praying when we recite this prayer? How often do I ask for my daily bread?
I guess a better question might be: what exactly is "our daily bread?" Certainly our daily bread consists of those things that we need to survive, to live on. We need food, water, clothing and shelter. We need financial resources to get the things we need. So, we must pray that the Lord will meet those needs and give us our daily provisions. There is another type of "daily bread" that applies here as well - our spiritual bread. We cannot live abundant spiritual lives without a daily portion of God's Word. Learning to feed on His Word every day will give us the spiritual nourishment we need to live a victorious Christian life.
Ask the Lord today to give you His bread of life: to meet your physical needs here on earth, and to also meet your spiritual needs as you walk with Him. When you allow the Word of God to penetrate your heart and mind daily, you will be transformed. Make time for reading your Bible today and let the Lord feed you with His amazing Word. Start the transformation 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.
Re: Daily Disciples
Daily Disciples - January 6
2022
January 6
Today's Reading: Genesis 16; Matthew 5:27-28
Today's Thoughts: Fall on your Face
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him. >Genesis 17:1-3
Notice what the last verse says: "Then Abram fell on his face." The Lord has appeared to Abram and has begun to speak to him. As soon as Abram hears the Lord, he falls on his face. It does not say that he knelt down or bowed to the ground. It says he "fell on his face." We are not told from the Scriptures how the Lord appeared to Abram or how He spoke to him, but we can assume that Abram recognized the appearance and voice of God Almighty. At that moment, Abram lost all composure. Then, God talked with him some more. As the chapter continues, God continues to speak to Abram. What an awesome experience to be in the presence of God!
How do you react to the presence of God? When was the last time you fell on your face before the Lord? Many Christians today have never heard the Lord speak to them and have no idea of what it means to be in God's presence. Just saying you heard the Lord speak at all can bring raised eyebrows and concerned looks from other believers. Does the Lord still speak to His people? Can we really be in His presence and know it is Him? The answers are yes and yes. Yes, we can fall on our faces in the presence of holy God and yes, He will talk to us.
We wrote and taught a study called "Practicing the Presence of God," and in the study we included two sections on how to Practice the Presence of Hearing God's Voice. The response from Christians was enlightening and encouraging. Those who had never experienced an intimacy with the Lord learned how to worship and pray. Those who were not sure how to know if they were hearing God's voice learned how to find confirmation in the Word as well as other ways that God confirms His message to us. Most of all, we learned how to fall on our face in worship, how to come to His throne in reverence, and how to know His presence.
Today, find time to fall on your face and worship the Lord. Ask Him to speak to you through His Word and to confirm His message to you through His Spirit. Your day will be blessed and nothing else will matter as much as it once did.
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.
2022
January 6
Today's Reading: Genesis 16; Matthew 5:27-28
Today's Thoughts: Fall on your Face
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him. >Genesis 17:1-3
Notice what the last verse says: "Then Abram fell on his face." The Lord has appeared to Abram and has begun to speak to him. As soon as Abram hears the Lord, he falls on his face. It does not say that he knelt down or bowed to the ground. It says he "fell on his face." We are not told from the Scriptures how the Lord appeared to Abram or how He spoke to him, but we can assume that Abram recognized the appearance and voice of God Almighty. At that moment, Abram lost all composure. Then, God talked with him some more. As the chapter continues, God continues to speak to Abram. What an awesome experience to be in the presence of God!
How do you react to the presence of God? When was the last time you fell on your face before the Lord? Many Christians today have never heard the Lord speak to them and have no idea of what it means to be in God's presence. Just saying you heard the Lord speak at all can bring raised eyebrows and concerned looks from other believers. Does the Lord still speak to His people? Can we really be in His presence and know it is Him? The answers are yes and yes. Yes, we can fall on our faces in the presence of holy God and yes, He will talk to us.
We wrote and taught a study called "Practicing the Presence of God," and in the study we included two sections on how to Practice the Presence of Hearing God's Voice. The response from Christians was enlightening and encouraging. Those who had never experienced an intimacy with the Lord learned how to worship and pray. Those who were not sure how to know if they were hearing God's voice learned how to find confirmation in the Word as well as other ways that God confirms His message to us. Most of all, we learned how to fall on our face in worship, how to come to His throne in reverence, and how to know His presence.
Today, find time to fall on your face and worship the Lord. Ask Him to speak to you through His Word and to confirm His message to you through His Spirit. Your day will be blessed and nothing else will matter as much as it once did.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 5
Today's Reading: Genesis 13; Matthew 5:1-26
Today's Thoughts: Glorify Our Father
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16
I was meditating on this verse today and saw something different. Jesus has just finished teaching the beatitudes, "Blessed are the poor in spirit…. Blessed are those who mourn…. Blessed are the meek…." Then He summarizes this section by encouraging the believer to continue doing all those things that are making them poor in spirit, mournful, meek and persecuted because the prophets were treated the same way. This leads into being salt and light. Jesus is instructing the believer to remain salty and bright, to keep burning and stinging for Him. The transitions in the message flow beautifully and make perfect sense. However, when I would read Matthew 5:16, I wondered: "How would the ‘men' glorify the Father in heaven as a result of seeing the believers' good works? If these same men are the ones causing the believer to be poor in spirit, meek and persecuted, how can they be hurting the believer while glorifying God?"
Today, I realized that the believer is the one who is instructed to glorify the Father. We, as believers, are to remain faithful to continue on regardless of the reaction of the people. We are to remain diligent, to stay sharp and be alive in living for Jesus. We don't hide who we are or apologize for what we believe. We stand strong and continue. Not only will men see our good works which will bring glory to our heavenly Father, but also we glory in our heavenly Father that we are able to endure in His good works.
There will be times that others will also glorify the Lord because of your good works. Jesus' ministry caused others to thank God. But we don't look at others for affirmation to know that the Lord is blessing… we look to God. We need to be faithful to things God has called us to do and leave the results with Him, as we glorify our Father who is in heaven.
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 Reading: Genesis 13; Matthew 5:1-26
Today's Thoughts: Glorify Our Father
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16
I was meditating on this verse today and saw something different. Jesus has just finished teaching the beatitudes, "Blessed are the poor in spirit…. Blessed are those who mourn…. Blessed are the meek…." Then He summarizes this section by encouraging the believer to continue doing all those things that are making them poor in spirit, mournful, meek and persecuted because the prophets were treated the same way. This leads into being salt and light. Jesus is instructing the believer to remain salty and bright, to keep burning and stinging for Him. The transitions in the message flow beautifully and make perfect sense. However, when I would read Matthew 5:16, I wondered: "How would the ‘men' glorify the Father in heaven as a result of seeing the believers' good works? If these same men are the ones causing the believer to be poor in spirit, meek and persecuted, how can they be hurting the believer while glorifying God?"
Today, I realized that the believer is the one who is instructed to glorify the Father. We, as believers, are to remain faithful to continue on regardless of the reaction of the people. We are to remain diligent, to stay sharp and be alive in living for Jesus. We don't hide who we are or apologize for what we believe. We stand strong and continue. Not only will men see our good works which will bring glory to our heavenly Father, but also we glory in our heavenly Father that we are able to endure in His good works.
There will be times that others will also glorify the Lord because of your good works. Jesus' ministry caused others to thank God. But we don't look at others for affirmation to know that the Lord is blessing… we look to God. We need to be faithful to things God has called us to do and leave the results with Him, as we glorify our Father who is in heaven.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
anuary 4
Today's Reading: Genesis 10; Matthew 4
Today's Thoughts: It's Just That Simple
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. - John 1:12
The "He" and the "Him" in these verses is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He came to earth to save His people, but many of His own people rejected Him. For those who "received Him," Jesus gave them inheritance into the kingdom of God. All they had to do was "believe in His name." There was nothing else to do, not even their best religious works would be good enough to earn salvation. The same is true for us today as we have the Word of God to teach us about Jesus. The Gospel of John was written so that we would believe in Him, a simple message that requires simple faith. But is it really that simple?
The short answer is "yes." It is just that simple. All anyone has to do to be saved and inherit eternal life with God in heaven is to believe in His Son Jesus and the work He did on the cross. If it is that easy, then why doesn't everyone believe? Jesus would compare the faith required of us to the faith of a child. He desires for all of us to have childlike faith. Why? Because children just believe. They trust without proof of purchase. They do not carry baggage from years of pain, mistrust and betrayal. They do not know what it means to be skeptical, cynical or illogical. But we do. We get hardened by the world and its imprints on our lives. And, unfortunately, some have been hurt by Christians themselves. Even those of us who are Christians, who believe in Jesus, walk around without any power to change. Where is the victory that overcomes the world? In everyday life, it is not so easy to believe in a God we cannot see or hear or touch. When the world takes our time and attention, we have an even harder time believing beyond what we are dealing with at the moment.
If you feel overwhelmed with life, take a moment and set your eyes on Jesus. Ask Him to help you believe His promise to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Ask Him to help you believe that He has a future and a hope for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) Ask Jesus to fill you with His peace that He promised to leave with you (John 14:27). Stop trying to work it all out for yourself. And if you are having trouble believing, ask the Lord to help you even to believe (Mark 9:23-24). We spend so much time on other things; why not spend some of it with the Lord 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.
Today's Reading: Genesis 10; Matthew 4
Today's Thoughts: It's Just That Simple
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. - John 1:12
The "He" and the "Him" in these verses is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He came to earth to save His people, but many of His own people rejected Him. For those who "received Him," Jesus gave them inheritance into the kingdom of God. All they had to do was "believe in His name." There was nothing else to do, not even their best religious works would be good enough to earn salvation. The same is true for us today as we have the Word of God to teach us about Jesus. The Gospel of John was written so that we would believe in Him, a simple message that requires simple faith. But is it really that simple?
The short answer is "yes." It is just that simple. All anyone has to do to be saved and inherit eternal life with God in heaven is to believe in His Son Jesus and the work He did on the cross. If it is that easy, then why doesn't everyone believe? Jesus would compare the faith required of us to the faith of a child. He desires for all of us to have childlike faith. Why? Because children just believe. They trust without proof of purchase. They do not carry baggage from years of pain, mistrust and betrayal. They do not know what it means to be skeptical, cynical or illogical. But we do. We get hardened by the world and its imprints on our lives. And, unfortunately, some have been hurt by Christians themselves. Even those of us who are Christians, who believe in Jesus, walk around without any power to change. Where is the victory that overcomes the world? In everyday life, it is not so easy to believe in a God we cannot see or hear or touch. When the world takes our time and attention, we have an even harder time believing beyond what we are dealing with at the moment.
If you feel overwhelmed with life, take a moment and set your eyes on Jesus. Ask Him to help you believe His promise to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Ask Him to help you believe that He has a future and a hope for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) Ask Jesus to fill you with His peace that He promised to leave with you (John 14:27). Stop trying to work it all out for yourself. And if you are having trouble believing, ask the Lord to help you even to believe (Mark 9:23-24). We spend so much time on other things; why not spend some of it with the Lord 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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 3
Today's Reading: Genesis 7; Matthew 3
Today's Thoughts: Press Into Him
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret. - Luke 5:1
Have you ever been in the presence of someone famous and had an opportunity to get close to them - close enough to touch them? Fans at concerts get as close as they can to the stage and others wait in lines for hours just to get a glimpse of someone they want to see in person. People in these situations will keep pressing in until they see or hear that special person they desperately want to meet. Jesus had become such a person of interest that many people came from miles around to see and hear Him speak. They "pressed about Him" to get as close as they could. Was it because He looked good or had a great voice? Was there something about Him physically that attracted people? This verse says that they came to "hear the word of God." When was the last time you pressed into church and sat as close as you could to the pastor just to hear the word of God?
When we fall in love with the word of God, we fall in love with the Lord. In that place of love, we cannot get close enough to Him. We find ourselves on our knees, on our faces and in our closets praying to see His face and hear His voice. We desire an intimacy that is so special and so personal that nothing else matters. James 4:8 says that if we draw near to God, then He will draw near to us. Press into Jesus today. Draw close to Him. Find a quiet place to be alone with Him and ask His Spirit to fill you with His love and presence. Open your Bible and start reading His Word. Soon you will understand why the multitude pressed about Him just to hear the word of God. Today, start your day off with a prayer to know Him more and do not stop pressing into 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.
Today's Reading: Genesis 7; Matthew 3
Today's Thoughts: Press Into Him
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret. - Luke 5:1
Have you ever been in the presence of someone famous and had an opportunity to get close to them - close enough to touch them? Fans at concerts get as close as they can to the stage and others wait in lines for hours just to get a glimpse of someone they want to see in person. People in these situations will keep pressing in until they see or hear that special person they desperately want to meet. Jesus had become such a person of interest that many people came from miles around to see and hear Him speak. They "pressed about Him" to get as close as they could. Was it because He looked good or had a great voice? Was there something about Him physically that attracted people? This verse says that they came to "hear the word of God." When was the last time you pressed into church and sat as close as you could to the pastor just to hear the word of God?
When we fall in love with the word of God, we fall in love with the Lord. In that place of love, we cannot get close enough to Him. We find ourselves on our knees, on our faces and in our closets praying to see His face and hear His voice. We desire an intimacy that is so special and so personal that nothing else matters. James 4:8 says that if we draw near to God, then He will draw near to us. Press into Jesus today. Draw close to Him. Find a quiet place to be alone with Him and ask His Spirit to fill you with His love and presence. Open your Bible and start reading His Word. Soon you will understand why the multitude pressed about Him just to hear the word of God. Today, start your day off with a prayer to know Him more and do not stop pressing into 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.
Re: Daily Disciples
January 2
Today's Reading: Genesis 4; Matthew 2
Today's Thoughts: Master Your Anger
So the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Genesis 4:6-7
The classic story of Cain and Abel unfolds in Genesis chapter four. Two brothers (from the real first family) each presented the Lord with their offerings. Cain offered the Lord fruit and Abel offered a first-born from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's. Cain became angry and jealous of his brother's favor with the Lord. Today's verses give us insight as to how the Lord responded to Cain's anger. In essence, He warned Cain to be careful because sin was lying in wait for him. The Lord was giving Cain a choice to let it go, try again and be accepted, or to give in and allow sin to control him. Cain chose the latter option, which resulted in him killing his brother Abel and running from the Lord for the rest of his life. Sin did come to control him as the Lord warned!
Has anger ever led you to do things you would later regret? Has jealousy or envy stirred you to the point of sinning against someone close to you? These sins will eventually lead to destruction, unless we stop them from taking control of us. We must all take notice of the Lord's advice and beware of the sin that lies at our door. Sin leads to death if left to its own desires. If we allow sin to rule over us, then our actions will result in serious consequences. The Lord gives us this warning as a reminder that we "should rule over it." As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit who will make us aware of these dangers and will lead us away from dangerous temptations. He will help us to "rule over sin."
No one is immune to the emotions involving jealousy, envy or covetousness. But even if we are tempted with them, we do not have to be ruled or mastered by them. When we find ourselves in a situation that stirs these types of feelings or thoughts, we must start praying immediately. We must confess our thoughts to the Lord and be honest with Him, then ask Him to help us to let go of them. When we turn those things over to the Lord, He will give us the strength through His Spirit to turn the tables and rule over them. Left on its own, sin destroys. Do not give in to its desires. Listen to the Lord and let Him be your Master.
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 Reading: Genesis 4; Matthew 2
Today's Thoughts: Master Your Anger
So the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Genesis 4:6-7
The classic story of Cain and Abel unfolds in Genesis chapter four. Two brothers (from the real first family) each presented the Lord with their offerings. Cain offered the Lord fruit and Abel offered a first-born from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's. Cain became angry and jealous of his brother's favor with the Lord. Today's verses give us insight as to how the Lord responded to Cain's anger. In essence, He warned Cain to be careful because sin was lying in wait for him. The Lord was giving Cain a choice to let it go, try again and be accepted, or to give in and allow sin to control him. Cain chose the latter option, which resulted in him killing his brother Abel and running from the Lord for the rest of his life. Sin did come to control him as the Lord warned!
Has anger ever led you to do things you would later regret? Has jealousy or envy stirred you to the point of sinning against someone close to you? These sins will eventually lead to destruction, unless we stop them from taking control of us. We must all take notice of the Lord's advice and beware of the sin that lies at our door. Sin leads to death if left to its own desires. If we allow sin to rule over us, then our actions will result in serious consequences. The Lord gives us this warning as a reminder that we "should rule over it." As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit who will make us aware of these dangers and will lead us away from dangerous temptations. He will help us to "rule over sin."
No one is immune to the emotions involving jealousy, envy or covetousness. But even if we are tempted with them, we do not have to be ruled or mastered by them. When we find ourselves in a situation that stirs these types of feelings or thoughts, we must start praying immediately. We must confess our thoughts to the Lord and be honest with Him, then ask Him to help us to let go of them. When we turn those things over to the Lord, He will give us the strength through His Spirit to turn the tables and rule over them. Left on its own, sin destroys. Do not give in to its desires. Listen to the Lord and let Him be your Master.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
Daily Disciples - January 1
2022
January 1
Today's Reading: Genesis 1; Matthew 1
Today's Thoughts: Back to the Beginning
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-4
Sometimes I need to go back to the beginning of the Bible to get a new perspective on things. The book of Genesis is a wonderful book filled with all kinds of new beginnings. From the creation of the universe to the beginnings of civilization, I am always blessed when I start reading Genesis. Let's look at the first four verses to see how they can give us a fresh and new perspective for today.
I love the first four words: "In the beginning God…." That says it all. Sometimes I just need to be reminded that God has always existed. It is hard to comprehend the concept that before "the beginning," there was God, but it is a truth that we can embrace with love and respect. He is God and there is none other. "God," as used in this passage, is the Hebrew word "Elohim," which is plural (meaning more than one). Elohim refers to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, existing since the beginning of creation. It brings great comfort in being reminded that God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present, from beginning to end (Alpha and Omega), while taking care of us in the middle too.
The next amazing part of these verses describes how God separated the light from the darkness. The earth was dark and had no form or substance. But God is light and in Him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). God saw the darkness and knew that the whole earth needed His light. Thus, God brought forth His light for us. When we feel as though darkness surrounds us, we look upon Jesus and He is still bringing forth His light for us today. These verses remind us that God understands darkness and never intended for us to live in it. He created the light, separated the light from darkness, and said, "it was good."
When man sinned, darkness entered into our hearts and the light of God went out. God sent His Son, Jesus, to bring light into the world so that all who believe in Him might be saved from the eternal darkness. For those of us today who have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are filled with His eternal presence through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Everywhere we go, we shine His light. Isn't it great to go back to the beginning?
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.
2022
January 1
Today's Reading: Genesis 1; Matthew 1
Today's Thoughts: Back to the Beginning
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-4
Sometimes I need to go back to the beginning of the Bible to get a new perspective on things. The book of Genesis is a wonderful book filled with all kinds of new beginnings. From the creation of the universe to the beginnings of civilization, I am always blessed when I start reading Genesis. Let's look at the first four verses to see how they can give us a fresh and new perspective for today.
I love the first four words: "In the beginning God…." That says it all. Sometimes I just need to be reminded that God has always existed. It is hard to comprehend the concept that before "the beginning," there was God, but it is a truth that we can embrace with love and respect. He is God and there is none other. "God," as used in this passage, is the Hebrew word "Elohim," which is plural (meaning more than one). Elohim refers to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, existing since the beginning of creation. It brings great comfort in being reminded that God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present, from beginning to end (Alpha and Omega), while taking care of us in the middle too.
The next amazing part of these verses describes how God separated the light from the darkness. The earth was dark and had no form or substance. But God is light and in Him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). God saw the darkness and knew that the whole earth needed His light. Thus, God brought forth His light for us. When we feel as though darkness surrounds us, we look upon Jesus and He is still bringing forth His light for us today. These verses remind us that God understands darkness and never intended for us to live in it. He created the light, separated the light from darkness, and said, "it was good."
When man sinned, darkness entered into our hearts and the light of God went out. God sent His Son, Jesus, to bring light into the world so that all who believe in Him might be saved from the eternal darkness. For those of us today who have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are filled with His eternal presence through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Everywhere we go, we shine His light. Isn't it great to go back to the beginning?
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
December 31
Today's Reading: Malachi 1; Revelation 22
Today's Thoughts: Honoring the Lord
"For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 2:7
The magazines, newspapers and front page of the websites are filled with the most memorable events and significant people that have affected our lives in the past year. We can look back over the last year and see certain markers that changed our course and shaped our lives individually. Now with the New Year here, we not only reflect on the past, but also attempt to set goals for the future.
While being in this frame of mind, I started my devotionals this morning reading the book of Malachi. Malachi has four chapters with themes that are easy to remember: mouth, marriage and money. God is rebuking His priests because of the words of their mouths, their attitudes toward their marriages and their motives toward money. The priests were to be an upright and holy group of men representing the Lord. Outwardly, the priests did carry on their functions and requirements. But inwardly, their hearts were far from the Lord.
Considering the past year, we have to take the time to reflect on what we did and why. “Were my motives pure? Did others look at my actions and wonder why I was different? Did I give my best to the Lord or did I justify my offerings in giving the leftovers? Did my attitude in my marriage honor the Lord? What kind of words did I speak? Did my mouth glorify Jesus and edify others around me?”
After examining my heart in asking these questions, I found myself in repentance. How can anyone be that good? But that’s not the point. None of us will ever be sinless but each of us needs to be above reproach in our hearts before God. God does not hold our behaviors against us if our hearts remain right before Him. It’s when we think our behaviors justify our hearts that God rebukes us. The Lord is more than willing to work with a repentant heart.
In this New Year, be sure your heart is willing to be obedient. As you open your heart to confess, seek, yield and love the Lord, He will work with your behaviors that follow your yielded heart. We all want the Lord to bless us this New Year. We all pray that His face may shine upon us and give us peace. No matter how short we fall, His mercies are new every morning and His desire is to bless us indeed. As you reflect on the past and fix your eyes on the future, remember to consider the Lord. He has a plan for you as He watches over your coming and going, not only today but also for the this coming year.
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 Reading: Malachi 1; Revelation 22
Today's Thoughts: Honoring the Lord
"For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 2:7
The magazines, newspapers and front page of the websites are filled with the most memorable events and significant people that have affected our lives in the past year. We can look back over the last year and see certain markers that changed our course and shaped our lives individually. Now with the New Year here, we not only reflect on the past, but also attempt to set goals for the future.
While being in this frame of mind, I started my devotionals this morning reading the book of Malachi. Malachi has four chapters with themes that are easy to remember: mouth, marriage and money. God is rebuking His priests because of the words of their mouths, their attitudes toward their marriages and their motives toward money. The priests were to be an upright and holy group of men representing the Lord. Outwardly, the priests did carry on their functions and requirements. But inwardly, their hearts were far from the Lord.
Considering the past year, we have to take the time to reflect on what we did and why. “Were my motives pure? Did others look at my actions and wonder why I was different? Did I give my best to the Lord or did I justify my offerings in giving the leftovers? Did my attitude in my marriage honor the Lord? What kind of words did I speak? Did my mouth glorify Jesus and edify others around me?”
After examining my heart in asking these questions, I found myself in repentance. How can anyone be that good? But that’s not the point. None of us will ever be sinless but each of us needs to be above reproach in our hearts before God. God does not hold our behaviors against us if our hearts remain right before Him. It’s when we think our behaviors justify our hearts that God rebukes us. The Lord is more than willing to work with a repentant heart.
In this New Year, be sure your heart is willing to be obedient. As you open your heart to confess, seek, yield and love the Lord, He will work with your behaviors that follow your yielded heart. We all want the Lord to bless us this New Year. We all pray that His face may shine upon us and give us peace. No matter how short we fall, His mercies are new every morning and His desire is to bless us indeed. As you reflect on the past and fix your eyes on the future, remember to consider the Lord. He has a plan for you as He watches over your coming and going, not only today but also for the this coming year.
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.
Re: Daily Disciples
Daily Disciples - December 30
2021 Dec 30
December 30
Today's Reading: Zechariah 13; Revelation 21
Today's Thoughts: Refined and Tested
This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, “They are my people, and they will say, The LORD is our God.” Zechariah 13:9
I read a verse like this and ask the Lord, “Why do the ones that you choose and love need to be refined and tested?” In some strange way, I look at love so much differently.
It is not natural in the flesh to look at my children and think that I willingly plan to discipline them. I often succumb to discipline when their actions are not socially acceptable, and it embarrasses me. I really want to believe that they don't need me to discipline them and that they'll grow out of their stage. I want to believe that I can show love by having the self control to not discipline them and patiently wait for them to grow up. This is what my flesh wants to believe, that this is absloutely wrong because Gos is perfect love and He does not think that way. So, I need to align myself up with Him: both as a parent and as a child of God.
God says in this verse that He brings His own people into the fire. It is in the fire that we are refined like silver and tested like gold. If He is comparing us to precious metals, then we have to assume that the fire is pretty hot! The Lord does this for our good. He wants us to call on His name and know that He will answer because we are His people. His people have to be trained, disciplined, tested and refined to think His thoughts and to live in His ways. Because our flesh is so strong, we resist His work and end up turning from the Lord or blaming Him. We accuse Him of not being loving or caring. We wonder why He isn’t answering our prayers or rescuing us from those hot circumstances, without realizing that He is the One who has placed us there.
God loves you. He is all powerful and can absolutely rescue you but He cares more about you than you can care about yourself. He needs you to change to be more like Him. Unfortunately that takes time in the fire. Trust Him because this is only for a season. For when you are trained, you will produce a harvest of righteousness and a deep peace knowing that He is your God.
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.
2021 Dec 30
December 30
Today's Reading: Zechariah 13; Revelation 21
Today's Thoughts: Refined and Tested
This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, “They are my people, and they will say, The LORD is our God.” Zechariah 13:9
I read a verse like this and ask the Lord, “Why do the ones that you choose and love need to be refined and tested?” In some strange way, I look at love so much differently.
It is not natural in the flesh to look at my children and think that I willingly plan to discipline them. I often succumb to discipline when their actions are not socially acceptable, and it embarrasses me. I really want to believe that they don't need me to discipline them and that they'll grow out of their stage. I want to believe that I can show love by having the self control to not discipline them and patiently wait for them to grow up. This is what my flesh wants to believe, that this is absloutely wrong because Gos is perfect love and He does not think that way. So, I need to align myself up with Him: both as a parent and as a child of God.
God says in this verse that He brings His own people into the fire. It is in the fire that we are refined like silver and tested like gold. If He is comparing us to precious metals, then we have to assume that the fire is pretty hot! The Lord does this for our good. He wants us to call on His name and know that He will answer because we are His people. His people have to be trained, disciplined, tested and refined to think His thoughts and to live in His ways. Because our flesh is so strong, we resist His work and end up turning from the Lord or blaming Him. We accuse Him of not being loving or caring. We wonder why He isn’t answering our prayers or rescuing us from those hot circumstances, without realizing that He is the One who has placed us there.
God loves you. He is all powerful and can absolutely rescue you but He cares more about you than you can care about yourself. He needs you to change to be more like Him. Unfortunately that takes time in the fire. Trust Him because this is only for a season. For when you are trained, you will produce a harvest of righteousness and a deep peace knowing that He is your God.
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.
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