Daily Disciples

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 35-36; 2 Peter 1
Today’s Thoughts: Life After Death

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. - 2 Peter 1:5-8

My friend’s husband passed away a few months ago. My friend has now found herself with a new identity of becoming a widow. The Lord asks us to take care of widows and orphans frequently in the Bible so I do feel an added obligation to listen intently and meet their needs.

My friend was talking out loud. There were times of definite grief in her words and then she would try to gain some strength to make plans. I was driving so it was easy to remain quiet as she cycled through these out loud thoughts until she said something that immediately broke my silence.

Her words, “Well, I am 53 and getting older. It’s ok to be a widow. I do not have much longer to live either. I will just be around for my kids until it’s my time to join him.”

I turned my head towards her and said, “You could have another 35 strong years! Age is not a factor in treating cancer or having heart surgery. My husband did heart surgery on a patient who was 98 years old and the patient did fine. Age is not a factor in determining what you can and cannot do!”

God called Moses into full-time, hard-core ministry at 80 and then He called Joshua at the same age. Who are we to say that we have reached an age to maintain status quo? Until the Lord returns or we literally go to Him, there is work on this earth to do, discover and explore.

I told my friend, “You need to get into an exercise class, take up a hobby, volunteer at something that fills your heart, become involved with a mission that focuses your prayers. Move, shift gears, be willing to change.”

If we want to admit it or not, there are certain circumstances in life that causes change. We need to embrace the change in honor of the Lord. Keep the faith and push forward.

I think that is why Jesus told us that the death of a spouse frees the remaining spouse. It is much easier to take on the loved-one’s death than to live without the loved-one.

As a former ICU nurse, I have had to deal with life and death issues a lot. Despite our belief system, all of us struggle with sickness, disease, stress disorders, aging bodies and eventually death. We pray for healing to the day we die because it brings rays of hope. Let’s make every day count instead of counting down every day. Let’s live our lives to the fullest, giving God the glory for the fullest of His faithfulness in giving us one more day. The term “life after death” is true in many aspects.

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: Ezekiel 33-34; 1 Peter 5

Today's Thoughts: Perfect in Suffering

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. - 1 Peter 5:10

The word "suffer" is not a word that brings comfort or peace. When we hear someone is suffering, we feel concern, sympathy and even sadness for that person. The definition for suffering means "to experiencea sensation or impression (usually painful)." The other fact that we as Christians must deal with is that God allows suffering. Nothing on this planet or in the universe happens without God's approval.

Why does this loving, gracious God allow tragedies that bring such suffering? Why does evil persist, even in homes and families who seek the Lord the most? These and many more questions are asked when we try to make sense of God's ways. Satan has taken full advantage of these events in our lives; at least he has tried to. Have you ever had thoughts like: "Why should I believe that doing things God's way brings me any assurance of protection or blessings?" Or, "If God loves me then why is He letting this happen to me?" The same logic applies when we turn those same thoughts to others. People hurt us, so let's not trust people anymore. Circumstances hurt us, so let's control everything we possibly can to prevent being hurt (Hurt, by the way, is just another description for suffering.).

The bottom-line answer is that we will never fully understand why God does what He does. We must live as He has told us to live—by faith. We must believe and trust that the Lord has a reason for everything that happens to us. When we dig into His Word and study His teachings, then we will have more peace in those times of confusion and pain. Today's verse is an example of how we can find peace and hope in times of suffering. We should pray this verse and meditate on it as we are going through those times of suffering. If we can look beyond our pain for the moment and pray to see the bigger picture that God has for us, then we can find hope and even peace in what we are going through. Even in the midst of great tragedies that tempt us to ask God "why," we can trust that He has a much greater plan than what we see in the short term. The question for us is whether or not we will trust Him or turn from Him.

Take time today to really meditate on the verse above. Take comfort and trust the Lord to "perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you" after you have suffered a while. Only God knows the timing of such things. Pray for the perseverance to endure.

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: Ezekiel 30-32; 1 Peter 4
Today's Thoughts: Hypocrisy
Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. - Galatians 2:11-13

The Apostle Paul was a bold man in his faith. He seemed to have no problem confronting Peter about his hypocrisy. At the time this letter was written, the Gentiles were new converts into the salvation of Jesus Christ. The Jews had always been God's chosen people, circumcised and set apart, and were never to associate (especially to eat) with the heathen Gentiles. The Jewish prominence and exclusivity was abolished when Jesus died on the cross for all sins, for all people. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles and he would not tolerate the contradictory behavior of his fellow Jews, especially from their leader, Peter. The leader has tremendous influence on the others, as seen in Barnabas' behavior in following Peter as well.

This holiday season will bring many families together for meals and fellowship. How will you behave in front of your un-believing family member? Will you stand firm as Paul and make your faith in Jesus Christ your standard of behavior? Or, will you go with the flow of the others and return to past traditions like Peter? A change is especially hard in families where traditions do not glorify God. If you are new to Christ, you may have a hard time with the old traditions, but will have a harder time going against them. Fear of ridicule and rejection are common to many of us who have had to go through these changes. It is much easier to just go with the family consensus and keep the peace. But is that what God wants you to do?

Regardless of where you find yourself in these situations, please remember to pray about them. Holiday gatherings tend to be times of deep-rooted family rituals—too much food, too much drink, too much indulgence of many kinds. As a child of God, pray for wisdom and discernment in these situations. God may not be telling you to be a Paul and confront all your family members. Paul confronted his brother in Christ, Peter. You, however, can set an example by simply not partaking in the behaviors that you know would not glorify Jesus. You never know who else will follow your lead. Do not criticize or judge. Hypocrites are those who judge others while committing the same acts. Let your actions be without hypocrisy. Pray in advance.

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: Ezekiel 27-29; 1 Peter 3
Today’s Thoughts: In Whose Strength?

“…then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth’” - Deuteronomy 8:17

I was talking to someone the other day who has been up and down financially more than I could personally handle. He has been very successful in more than one business venture, only to lose it all, and then start over again. This last venture; however, has cost him greatly. Great amounts of money have gone into something that now sits in a warehouse, with little hope of distribution. What is he going to do? In his own words, “I am going back to church.” The key point here is the word back. At one time, he and his wife were involved in their church, gave to missions, and looked for ways to use their financial blessings to bless others. Then, as the business grew, they got busier, and had less time for the things of God. Before long, they even stopped attending church.

The Lord warned the Israelites to be very careful when they entered the new land of promise and prosperity. They would be tempted to think that their success and wealth were of their own doing. Or they would forget God when they felt satisfied with their prosperity. They would serve mammon rather than God. But the Lord wanted them to remember that He was the One who brought them up from the land of Egypt. He was the One who delivered them from slavery and bondage. He was the One who brought them to this land of blessings. We can be so arrogant as humans. Not only do we start to think that we have made our own way by our own strength, but also we turn away from the One who blessed us so wonderfully. That is what happened to the Israelites and that is what happened to my friend.

When times are hard, we cry out to God for help. We press into Him. He is our only hope. We tend to be less attentive to God when we are doing well and life is cruising along. Regardless of where you are today, remember one thing: You have a Lord and Savior who only wants you. We have a Lord who desires to be with us, have a relationship with us, and wants us to desire Him above anything else in the world. He is a jealous God and He will do whatever it takes to get our attention. Draw closer to Him today. Pray that you do not fall away. If you have, then come back to Him. Do not get caught up in the things of life and lose sight of your relationship with Jesus. Stay with Him so He does not have to come get you back.

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: Ezekiel 24-26; 1 Peter 2
Today's Thoughts: Be on God’s Side

The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Say to them 'Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you said "Aha!" over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile, therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession.'" - Ezekiel 25:1-4

In the first half of the book of Ezekiel, God rebukes His people for their attitudes toward Him. The Lord uses words like stubborn, hard-hearted and rebellious to describe His people. The Lord speaks through Ezekiel and tells the people to understand that their choices come with consequences. If they make good and righteous choices that honor God, they will be blessed. If they make poor and wicked choices that honor themselves, they will be punished. As the story continues, the reader knows what choice the Israelites made because God starts talking about the judgment that is to come upon them.

In Chapters 25-27, God redirects His message and begins proclaiming judgment on the nations that punished the Israelites. God warned His people to turn from their sins and to turn back to Him. They did not heed the warnings and God allowed the other nations to invade Israel (just as He said would happen). But then God judged the nations that came against His people because they did not show respect towards the Lord or towards His people during their captivity. That is amazing.

If you are God's child, He desires that you walk with Him and love Him with your whole heart. If you do not, you will not lose your salvation but you will have to live with the consequences of making bad choices. Those consequences are usually inflicted upon us by other people. But those people will not get off easy in their unjust deeds and prideful attitudes towards you. They, too, will have to suffer the consequences for how they deal with you, God's child. God is always on your side. He wants you to walk with Him and He will go out of His way to warn you. God is amazing. I always want to be on His side for He always gets the last 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: Ezekiel 22-23; 1 Peter 1
Today’s Thoughts: Submitting to God

"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." - Acts 10:14-15

Do you feel comfortable saying "no" to God? We might not have the ability to admit it but we each say "no" to God in some way. Sometimes we say "no" by choosing to not witness. Sometimes we say "no" by refusing to volunteer. Sometimes we say "no" by ignoring the prompting of our heart. But most of the time we say "no" because we refuse to accept His will for our lives.

In Matthew 16:13, Jesusasked His disciples, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" The disciples answered His question by stating what others think about Him. "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter is the only one who answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus acknowledges to Peter that God, Himself, has revealed this to him. A few passages later, Jesus begins explaining that He will have to suffer. Peter again is the only one who speaks up as he disagrees with God's plan, taking the liberty to rebuke the Lord. Matthew 16:22-23 says, “Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’ Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” Peter has gone from a place of esteem to a place of rebuke. In Acts 10, we find Peter disagreeing with God again as he says, "Surely not, Lord."

We are flesh and our natural born nature rebels against the Lord at times. God can handle whatever position we take and He wants to reason with us on our position. Talk to Him and be honest. The problem comes when we place our thoughts and desires over God's, to a point of rebuking the Lord. We may not have the boldness to tell Him we think He is wrong, but our actions show the thoughts and intents of our hearts as we choose not to submit or yield or even listen to what He is trying to say. God's ways do not make sense to us and His thoughts are not our thoughts.. Peter was a man who had an honest relationship with God. His rebukes may not seem respectful but he kept himself in a position to keep listening until his will lined up with God's will.

What is the Lord trying to tell you today? Are you going through a set of circumstances that you refuse to acknowledge is God's will for your life? Are you fighting or submitting? Are you willing to listen or are you running? Let us all pray that we are on God's side. When it comes down to it, He is going to win. Don't you want to be on His team?

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: Ezekiel 20-21; James 5
Today’s Thoughts: Daily Victory in Battles

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. - 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

To understand the battle, we need to begin with acknowledging that we are in a war. Battles make up smaller components of the bigger picture. By definition, battles involve combat between two persons, between factions, between armies and they consist of any type of "extended contest, struggle, or controversy" (Webster-Merriam). As Christians, we are in a spiritual battle of some sort on a daily basis. In warfare, battles are fought on different fronts, for different reasons, and with varying degrees of intensity. The same is true in spiritual warfare. Our spiritual battles are real, even though we cannot physically see the attacker. But, we can educate ourselves on how the battles are fought and how they impact our lives on a daily basis.

We have to ask ourselves, "Why do we even want to fight?" It will do us no good to educate ourselves on the battle if we see no reason for the fight. War is very controversial today in the physical realm. Those attitudes, beliefs and convictions will transfer over to the spiritual realm. However, in the spiritual realm, there is a battle going on regardless of our opinion. We are either victors or victims. Jesus has come and conquered. The war is already won in the heavens. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:18 that, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." We now have the privilege of having an eternal relationship with God. Many of us enter into that covenant of salvation by grace. But Matthew 28:18 is not only about our salvation; but also it is about our every day victory, which adds up to victorious living in Christ. Every day victory is achieved by knowing, believing and understanding the battles that we are enduring daily, regardless if we are passive or active in the battles. Do you want all that God has for you on this earth right now, or do you want to wait until you get to heaven to receive the victory and blessings?

We can only receive the abundant life by understanding the battles that we are facing every day. We need to pray for spiritual eyes and we need to understand what weapons the Lord has given us to not only fight the battles but to win the war.

Yes, Lord, I want all that You have for me on earth as it is in heaven. Give me spiritual eyes to see the world as You see it and do not let anything stop me from receiving good gifts from You. Educate me to live a victorious life in Christ because of Christ. In His name I pray, 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: Ezekiel 18-19; James 4

Today's Thoughts: Resist the Devil

Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. - James 4:7

As believers, we face so many obstacles that can take us away from serving the Lord. We have thoughts that control us, wants that consume us and feelings that move us. Because none of us were born understanding God’s ways, our natural inclinations work against living out a Spirit-filled life. Coming to Christ means that we lay aside our natural inclinations and ask the Lord to fill us with His wisdom instead. That process is known as submitting. To submit means to be under obedience. So we take what we want to do, what we feel is right to do and what we think is best and tell the Lord that we want His Will instead. Waiting on God and trusting Him begins.

To resist the devil means that, after we have submitted to God, we go to the Word of God to counteract our thoughts, feelings and wants. The devil is fully aware of who we are and how we think. As a result, he uses our desires to entice us to keep from submitting. We start questioning the love of God and His motivation. We begin to fear and hold on to our thoughts, feelings and wants, instead of trusting and letting go. We have to realize that the devil is alive and well. His desire is to use your fleshly desires against you so that you sin against God.

Jesus resisted the devil by the Word of God. Now, if the Living Word, Jesus, needed to speak forth the written Word, the Bible, to resist the devil and have him flee, how much more do we need to submit to God in this pattern also? Trust Him; in faith speak forth and pray the Word of God. Believe Him, submit to Him and the devil will flee from you. It is a promise–God’s promise!

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: Ezekiel 16-17; James 3
Today’s Thoughts: The Roman Road

“Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one." - Isaiah 44:8

Christians seem to have a lot of difficulty witnessing to unbelievers. It is easier to talk about the church we attend than to talk about Christ. The most common excuse that I have heard from Christians is that they do not know enough Scripture verses. This misconception is a lie from hell itself. From personal experience, I have not led anyone to Christ because of my Scripture knowledge, but I have led many to Christ because of my passion. Sharing the gospel is a verbal expression of your heart. If I am absolutely convinced that Jesus Christ is real and has changed my life, I will reflect that in my words and it will be evident in my actions. No one can challenge my own personal experience and testimony because it is mine. People hear with their eyes but no one comes to faith in Jesus Christ without hearing about Him. The Holy Spirit only needs a willing heart and an open mouth. His words will not return void because witnessing pleases the Lord and witnessing is God's will for our lives. Just say it.

However, with that being said, there are four scripture verses in the Book of Romans that have been very helpful to me while witnessing. These verses have been called the "Romans Road" implying that All Roads lead to Rome! And the "Romans Road" leads to God. These are great verses to become familiar with and to memorize:

Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 10:9-10 "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Oh Lord, give me an opportunity to share Your love with someone today. Open the doors for me to witness and give me the boldness to open my mouth to share about 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: Ezekiel 14-15; James 2
Today’s Thoughts: Who Do You Say That I Am?

And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" So they answered and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." - Luke 9:18-20

"But who do you say that I am?" As many people began to discuss and debate who Jesus really was, Jesus asked His disciples this question. Did the people closest to Jesus even know or believe in Him? Peter's answer was correct. Jesus was, and is, the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is the Messiah, the One who came to earth to redeem us from sin and save us from eternal darkness. But even though Peter confesses rather boldly in this statement who he believes Jesus to be, not too long after this, Peter would also deny Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62). In Jesus' greatest time of need, His closest friends deserted Him. So it is not just in words that we need to know and confess who Jesus is, but also our actions testify of our belief in Him. Do your actions line up with your words?

Today, take time and pray for situations that you may encounter with others who have questions about your faith. Pray for strength and courage to speak up and stand up for Jesus. Pray that you can be His witness. Only the Holy Spirit reveals the truth of Jesus Christ to our hearts. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to those you love and to use you as a testimony as to His saving grace and mercy. Pray that your words and actions will line up with His Spirit.

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: Ezekiel 11-13; James 1
Today's Thoughts: Count It All Joy

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. - James 1:2-3

In our Discipleship Program, we closely examine the biblical teaching on trials. How often do we find joy in the midst of our trials? Can we realistically count it all joy today? Does this statement by James even make sense? Let us examine these verses more closely and see if we can better understand what James is saying. One of the main reasons for us to read and study the Bible is not just to learn meaning and content, but also to learn how to apply its principles to our lives. So, what is God saying to us about trials, faith and patience from these verses?

Since this first statement comes right after the greetings in verse 1, we can assuredly note its importance. In these two verses, there are three main points: we will fall into different types of trials, our faith will be tested, and patience will be produced from the testing. James is not trying to be politically correct and he is not concerned about offending anyone. He is stating the facts. Today, we deal with all kinds of trials in our lives. The issue is not if we will have them, it is how we will get through them. When we feel as though the battle is too much and the struggles are too intense, how do we respond? Difficulties with marriage, kids, finances, health and daily issues of life can seem overwhelming at times. But James says to "count it all joy" when these problems come. We can only begin to understand the meaning of this statement if we look at the results in our own lives.

God's goal in allowing us to experience various trials is to make us grow stronger, to learn patience, and to develop a deeper faith in our walk with God. We can choose to "count it all joy" as we go through them because we have the assurance in God's word that the end result will benefit our faith. How many times have you looked back after a trial has passed and recognized the benefits it produced in your life? So often, we get the point after the fact. We tend to acknowledge the blessings after the trial is over. "Oh, now I see what God was doing." Trials and testing can produce patience. There is not much we can do about avoiding such things in life; however, we can decide how to get through them.

If you find yourself in trials today, ask the Lord to help you find joy through His Holy Spirit so that you will come through the testing with an increased patience, strength and 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: Ezekiel 8-10; Hebrews 13
Today's Thoughts: I Will Not Fear

So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:6

I have noticed recently that my dog has developed an unusual kind of fear. He hesitates at times as he walks over thresholds. He scopes out the door frame and the floor in front of him, especially when he is going outside. It all started when something jumped at him one day when he was going out the back door. To be honest, I think it was a small insect that startled him (yes, he is a big baby.). I watch him now as he cautiously looks at the ground, suspicious of danger lurking about. The other day, he stopped in front of a twig. I think he is becoming neurotic about this fear thing. I wonder if the Lord looks at us and how we fear things and thinks we are also a little neurotic at times.

My dog has no ability to understand and cannot be reasoned with, regardless of how much I try. After all, he is a dog; but what about us? God has not only created us in His image, but also He has given us His Holy Spirit who lives within us. But fear has a way of creeping into our lives and before we know it, we fear situations, circumstances or people that are no real threat to us at all. Sometimes we are startled or caught off guard in a situation, and moments of fear can be a normal response. The problem lies in allowing the fear to remain. It can then take over, control the situation and even enter other areas of our life. Fear will keep us in a place of bondage, instead of freedom.

As I watch my dog tiptoe over a twig, I am reminded of how silly some of my fears look to God. What about your fears? Have you thought about the things or even the people who bring fear to your life? Maybe it is time to step back and really look at the cause of the fear. When and where did it begin? Has it gotten blown out of proportion? Are you hindered or even crippled by it? If so, please know that the Lord wants to set you free, beginning today. Ask the Lord to help you pray through it. Take a bold stand and say, ”Enough!” Life is too short and Jesus wants to give you freedom, liberty and victory. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”(2 Timothy 1:7)

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: Ezekiel 3-4; Hebrews 11:20-40
Today's Thoughts: Our Real Hope

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. - Hebrews 11:24-26

The world news is depressing. There seems to be so much suffering in the world. Why must we suffer? As children of God, why must we go through such painful trials and tribulations?

When we are going through painful times, there is no easy answer to those questions. But let's take a moment and just remind ourselves of what the Bible tells us. First of all, we are told throughout the pages of God's Word that we will suffer. Suffering is not an option. It is a fact of life. First Peter 4:12 tells us to not be surprised by the fiery trials. In other words, be ready for them. Do not be caught off guard when they happen. Moses chose to leave the palace and suffer the same types of afflictions that he had watched his people endure. Hebrews 4:15 comforts us by saying that we have a High Priest who understands our sufferings. No one suffered more than Jesus. No one understands our pain more than Him. We are never alone and never forsaken.

The next point for us to remember is this: Philippians 4:7 says, "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." The peace that Jesus promises is not always consistent with our definition of peace. The peace of God is a feeling of inner comfort and joy, which cannot be explained or humanized. How do we get such peace? We ask for it in faith. We pray. We seek Jesus. We continually lay our cares at His feet. We ask the Lord to give us an eternal perspective so that we can keep our focus on His purposes and not our own. Romans 8:17-25 is a great passage of Scripture that reflects this message of an eternal hope. The Apostle Paul speaks of our suffering with Christ, a suffering that all of creation must endure because of sin. "We ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23)

For us today, our only hope is in Jesus. His living Word is our eternal food. His Holy Spirit is our living water. His very presence in our lives will change our hearts and minds with a wisdom and understanding that goes beyond our earthly desires. Jesus never promised that we would not suffer, but He did tell us to be of "good cheer." Even though we will have tribulation in the world, we have His peace and He has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

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: Ezekiel 5-7; Hebrews 12
Today’s Thoughts: Miracles

Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." - Judges 6:13

This past weekend we hosted a radio talk show. We were told to pick whatever topic the Lord put on our hearts and then spend the hour discussing it with our audience. The Lord impressed upon us the message of miracles. How does God work miracles in our lives today? Does He do the same kinds of miracles as He did in the Bible? We asked these types of questions and discussed the answers. We pray that we shed some light on God’s desire to perform miracles in our lives everyday. We need to recognize miracles and give glory to the Lord when things happen that we tend to call “just a God thing.”

I gave an illustration that seemed to strike a cord with people. I talked about missing a freeway exit. I kind of spaced out and perked up past my exit. I got off the exit, turned around, and then missed the street I was to take. After missing both exits, I said, “Ok, Lord, You must have a reason for this. I thank You for whatever reason that may be.” I did not know what was going on but I knew it was not a coincidence. Someone called in and gave a story of getting off on an exit that they had not planned to get off on. When they returned to the freeway, an automobile matching their description almost exactly had just been totaled in an accident. This person knew the hand of God had just saved them. Miracle or coincidence? We believe that God is working in our lives on a daily basis, some things we see clearly, others we may never know about.

We need to believe in miracles because we need to be encouraged and have hope that our God is with us, protecting us, and doing supernatural wonders in our lives. We do not need an explanation for all that happens. Just give glory to the Lord and watch what He does in your life. Gideon would soon learn of God’s miraculous power as the Lord would use him to win the battle against the Midianites. Sometimes, we need to just ask and believe. God will respond.

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: Ezekiel 1-2; Hebrews 11:1-19
Today's Thoughts: Faith and Prayer

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. - Hebrews 11:6

God rewards faith. Christianity started with the faith of Abraham. Faith means that we do not see to believe. So, praying is an act of faith. When we pray, we are acknowledging that God exists and listens even though we do not see Him. God rewards our faith by answering our prayers.

I have noticed that when I first came to Christ, He answered my prayers pretty quickly. It was as if I was in "obedience school" and He wanted to reward my good behavior of including Him. As I grew in my faith, I next noticed that God answered some prayers quickly but other prayers, He did not answer at all. He was then training me to learn how to pray and ask for certain things differently. When I studied the Word to see God's heart on the matter or asked God to clarify my motives of why I was asking, He would answer those prayers as well as what I asked.

Now, after having walked with the Lord for many years, my prayer life has changed again. I have more of a conversational prayer life than an "ask and believe and receive" prayer life. Now, I talk with the Lord about my requests. I ask Him to reveal His heart to me about the matter and I wait to see if there is any change in my heart as I also search the Scriptures to hear His heart. The requests themselves have now become smaller in comparison to the relationship of talking and listening and learning from Him. There is no request or unanswered prayer that becomes more important than my ongoing relationship with Him. So my faith is rewarded in a completely different way than answered prayer; my faith is rewarded by enjoying His presence in the process.

God is good. Learn to seek Him in faith. It starts with prayer requests and continues until you are praying without ceasing. You will not be disappointed. How could we ever be more satisfied than with the very presence of God Himself?

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: Lamentations 3-5; Hebrews 10:19-39
Today’s Thoughts: Staying Spiritual During the Holidays

“And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at His birth.” - Luke 1:14

If the holidays are about our faith, family and food feasts, then why do we struggle the most with staying spiritual during these times? Shouldn’t these times bring us peace on earth and joy to the world? But the reality for many of us is that we become emotionally stressed out, financially maxed out and physically burned out trying to keep up and keep it all together. Day after day, we become burned out and stressed out and now, our faith becomes affected as we start questioning God, “Are You hearing me?” and “Why won’t You help me?” Like Eve in the garden, we question God’s goodness and His basic command. Eve exchanged the peace of God for a piece of fruit but we exchange His presence for presents. The serpent tempted Eve to compromise and we know that Jesus called him a murderer from the beginning. He is still up to the same old tricks. We are allowing the enemy to have too much influence at times. He kills our dreams, steals our peace and destroys our hope for the future. Jesus came to earth to reverse the process of death and yet our undisciplined lifestyle of choosing not to obey can lead to negative consequences in our lives.

To stay spiritually minded during the holidays, we need to keep our eyes focused on the Lord and include Him in our thoughts. Instead of talking to ourselves, we need to start talking to Him and then give Him the time to talk back. The enemy will use every scheme he can against us to distract us from maintaining a walk with the Lord. It has been said, “If the devil cannot make you bad, he will make you busy.” To combat the temptations to over commit in your time and finances, we must stay in the Word of God to renew our minds and to surrender to His will over our natural-born desires. Through the Holy Spirit, we can overcome and live a life pleasing to God that brings peace in the midst of chaos.

Joy to the world begins with each of us individually. Joy cannot come without the conscious awareness of the Lord’s promised presence wherever we go and whatever we do. By allowing our thoughts to think about God in the daily routines of life, we allow the Lord to have the ability to move through our actions. Only then can we truly maintain the Spirit of Christmas and sing the song, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 51-52, Hebrews 9
Today’s Thoughts: A Good Sharpening

As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. - Proverbs 27:17

Today's verse is one that is quoted often when referring to healthy and productive friendships. Just as iron is used to sharpen iron, a man or woman is used to sharpen his or her friend. What is this verse really saying? How do we apply this wise proverb to our friendships?

To sharpen a knife (even the basic kitchen knife) we must use a metal tool designed to sharpen the blade. Wood will not do the job, nor will plastic or glass. Certain types of stones were used in ancient times but many of the knives were also composed of stones or metallic substances. It takes a substance of similar strength and durability to handle the friction required to sharpen the object. Sharpening in itself is a process of fine grinding, requiring just enough to remove the dull edges. How does this compare to sharpening a friend? The knife is without a will of its own. It is in complete submission to the person doing the sharpening. Friends, however, have wills and opinions, and are much less likely to submit.

To sharpen the countenance of a friend we must first love them. When our motives are founded on love, our words and actions will reflect the love in our hearts. The Bible tells us to speak the truth in love and that without love, nothing we do really matters anyway. It is when we truly love a friend that we are willing to take the steps necessary to sharpen them. Just as with a knife, the process requires friction, some grinding and the removal of bad edges. And, just as with a knife, a person of similar strength and durability is required to handle the job. Sharpening involves heat, intensity and duration. A loving friend knows when heat and friction are needed, despite how long or intense the process. A loving friend is honest, even to the point of pain. If we are willing to submit to that friend, then we will be sharpened. Friends willing to work through these things in the Lord will bear much fruit together.

Do you have a friend who sharpens you? Are you the kind of friend who sharpens others? God has given us friends for His purposes. We have the greatest Friend of all as Jesus calls us His friends. He will sharpen us if we submit to Him. Friendships based on prayer and love will result in growth and maturity. Pray for your friends today. Ask the Lord to lead you in how to sharpen them. Also, ask the Lord to help you receive their counsel. If we place everything in God's hands, He will work through us in mighty ways. And one of the greatest ways to see God work is through our friendships.

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: Lamentations 1-2; Hebrews 10:1-18
Today’s Thoughts: A Blessing For Others

And Laban said to him, "Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake." Then he said, "Name me your wages, and I will give it." So Jacob said to him, "You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me. For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the Lord has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?" - Genesis 30:27-30

Jacob had two wives and eleven children and he wanted to return to his own land. The time had come for him to leave his father-in-law, Laban, but Laban was not ready to let Jacob go. Both men acknowledged the blessings upon Laban’s house as being from the Lord. Jacob lived with and worked for Laban for over 20 years and both men prospered greatly, but the blessings came to Laban because the Lord’s hand was upon Jacob.

The same should be true of the Christian today. Because we know the Lord Jesus, our lives should bring blessings to others. The blessings come in many ways, such as recognizable calmness in our presence and stability. Many times, others do not want to admit that their blessings are a result of the Christian’s convictions and prayers. The unbeliever’s pride causes them to take the glory for themselves. But as Christians, our lives do bless others. In time, God will get the glory as the fruit of our lives, as well as the testimony of our mouths, will clearly point to His intervention

Are others blessed because of you? Even if you are the only Christian in your family, God’s hand is on you and your home will be covered with your prayers. Continue to pray for your family and seek the Lord’s blessings over those who do not yet know Him. Press on to not grow weary in doing good. Wherever we go, we bring the Lord’s presence because His Holy Spirit lives within us. We need to acknowledge the Lord’s blessings not only in our own lives but also in the lives of those around us. Let your light shine to those around you and give God the glory for 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: Jeremiah 50; Hebrews 8
Today’s Thoughts: No Condemnation

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment [or condemnation], but has passed from death into life.” - John 5:24

Although there is a huge difference between conviction and condemnation, they seem to be interchangeable in the Christian life at times. When Christians are convicted, often this leads them into feeling condemned. The thoughts and feelings associated with the word convicted suddenly become closely defined to the words "convict or a prisoner". When convicted, we act as if God wants us to wear prison clothes, eat prison food and wake up behind prison doors to remind us of how we have fallen short. God does not want that for us. Neither word: condemned nor convicted, applies to the believer negatively.

The Bible defines these words differently. Condemnation has to do with whoyou are, either in Christ or not. Conviction has to do with whatyou do, to bring you closer to Christ. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, if His blood does not cover your sins, you are condemned. You have not passed over from death to life and you remain in your sins. However, if you are a Christian, you will never be condemned because Jesus has given you eternal life. Thoughts of condemnation are not from the Lord, not ever. Condemnation is about your spiritual state for eternity, not your daily thoughts or actions.

For the Christian, there is a clear distinction between conviction and condemnation. Conviction leads us closer to Christ as we confess and repent to Him. Condemnation makes us feel as if we cannot come to God as we concentrate on our own shortcomings. Condemnation is a tactic of the enemy. Pray that you do not fall prey to his lies. Romans 8:1 tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

If you know Jesus, He is for you. He is always on your side and He wants you to succeed at everything you do. Stay on His team by thinking His thoughts about you. Work with Him to change. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ because He has come to give you life in abundance.

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: Jeremiah 48-49; Hebrews 7
Today's Thoughts: Stop Talking to Yourself

You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. - Psalm 139:3

Does God want to be involved in every decision we make? Is it necessary to pray about every little detail? Many would say that God doesn’t care, He saved you and He gave you a mind to think things through for yourself. I would completely disagree. After spending years of praying over the details in life, I have come to appreciate all He does for me just by including Him and looking for His fingerprints in my life.

But how does this work? Well, for a great starter, stop talking to yourself and start talking to the Lord. If you are late, talk to God about it. If you are confused, include God in it. Talk to Him as a friend, a counselor and a companion. He says that He is all those traits so get to know Him in those ways. In every relationship, there needs to be two-way communication. Prayer obviously is your part in the communication process with the Lord. But the Bible is God’s way of speaking back to you. So let’s say it is on your heart to buy a new car. Start talking to Him about it. Ask Him to change your heart if it is not His will or to lead your heart in the car buying process. Next, go to the Bible and ask the Lord to give you verses to guide you in this decision. If some verse pops out to you, pray over it and ask God to make His message clearer through that verse. If He does give you the go ahead, do further research with that promise. Keep talking to Him and keep going back to the Word, asking for specific direction. Whatever you include Him in, the Lord will work with you from dealerships to your finances. As you grow in the knowledge of God’s guidance, you will gain a peace in your decision of what to purchase. Regardless of the outcome, you will have assurance of God’s hand in the process. Walking through these decisions in our lives with God is the only way to assure peace. The more we include Him in every decision, the more we grow in our knowledge of Him, which leads to a closer walk with the Lord.

Are you in the midst of a trial or major decision in your life? Are you searching for answers in various places? Knowledge can bring peace, but the knowledge of God brings everlasting peace that continues to surpass our understanding. Start out everyday in God’s Word. Take time to put His Word in your heart and mind. Before the day is through, you will need to hear from the Lord on something that crosses your path. The knowledge of His Word will give you peace and assurance in ways you could never imagine. Try it and see what God will do.

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: Jeremiah 46-47; Hebrews 6
Today’s Thoughts: Down With a Shout

And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!” Joshua 6:16

The story surrounding the city of Jericho is amazing. The Bible tells us that the walls came down with a shout. Just imagine the fear that already existed within the people in the city. For six straight days, the Israelites arose early in the morning and marched around the city of Jericho. A regiment of armed guards in the front, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in the middle, and another regiment bringing up the rear marched around the city, never saying a word, just blowing their trumpets. Then, on the seventh day, they did it again, but not once, but seven times! And on the seventh time, at Joshua’s command, they shouted with their voices…and the walls came down. What an awesome display of God’s power!

We learn a lot from this story and this verse. We learn that God is sovereign and has a plan for all things. We learn that God’s ways are not our ways and that His works seem mysterious at times. We learn to trust Him, obey Him and wait on His timing, despite what we think. We learn that the battle is His, not ours. We may want to use all of our weapons and all of our own strength, but God can strike the enemy with one word or one shout! We learn that we serve an awesome God, for He is God alone and there is none other. Let Him take down your walls today. Follow Him, trust Him and obey Him. Stop looking for worldly proof and evidence, just put your faith in His Word and start marching to the beat of His drum.

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 Readings: Jeremiah 43-45; Hebrews 5
Today's thoughts: The Peaceful Fruit of Righteousness

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. - Hebrews 12:11

We know that the Lord disciplines those He loves but sometimes I wonder why He has to go to such extremes to love me so much? I have told the Lord that it is a good thing He told us that discipline is based on love because, at times, I would misinterpret the pain as something else.

I have noticed that through the process of chastening, I probably will not remember the circumstance that brought the trial, but I will remember the intensity of the pain. When God really gets a hold of me and starts working on changing me, I feel hallow and empty. During those times, I feel like a pumpkin. God cuts around my handle and scrapes me clean of all the seeds and stringy things. But I liked all those seeds, stringy things and even the dingy environment; at first, I grieve over missing the “old me”. But then, He goes a step further and takes the knife of the Word and starts carving at my hardened protected outside. Now my insides become exposed to the outside, and light has the ability to shine through. So often, I can barely handle such exposure and I feel embarrassment and vulnerability no matter what angle the light hits. During these times I cry, yell, pray and beg Him to stop, not understanding why I have to go through this painful process. But in His perfect timing, I realize that the peaceful fruit of righteousness has resulted in me. Finally, I pray for His light to be placed deep within me so others can see His good work.

We need the Lord. There should be nothing else we want to do but to love Him with all that we are and to serve Him with all of our lives. As we continue to walk with Him, we better understand that His purpose for us is best for us. We are called to endure these trials of life as we are becoming more like Christ, and being transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Jesus needs to become our everything. We need to ask Him to help us yield to His will in the discipline process and to resolve ourselves with His timing, being content with His will. Though the process is painful, He knows what is best and we can trust Him to finish the work He started in us.

Are you dealing with something painful today? Maybe you are wondering why God has put you in such a place. Regardless of the reasons for our sufferings, we must remember that He is our answer. Go to Him today and ask for His strength and guidance to lead you through this time. Begin thanking Him for His purposes in the work He is doing in your life. He will never let you down.

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: Jeremiah 40-42; Hebrews 4
Today's Thoughts: What Is Your Choice?
"And now look, I free you this day from the chains that were on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if it seems wrong for you to come with me to Babylon, remain here. See, all the land is before you; wherever it seems good and convenient for you to go, go there." - Jeremiah 40:4

The prophet Jeremiah foretold the coming destruction of Jerusalem. The people hated him for what he predicted, but the Lord's words were true. The day came when the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem and Jeremiah was taken captive along with many others. But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard in the Babylonian army, said to Jeremiah: "The Lord your God has pronounced this doom on this place. Now the Lord has brought it, and has done just as He said. Because your people have sinned against the Lord, and not obeyed His voice, therefore this thing has come upon you" (Jeremiah 40:2-3). Even the enemy invaders saw the judgment of God upon His people. Jeremiah; however, was given a choice. He could go to Babylon or stay with the people left in their land. Jeremiah chose to stay.

Today, we have a choice as well. We can go with the Babylonians and pursue the things of the world, or we can remain in the place where the Lord has placed us. Sometimes the land we are living in is filled with hardships and afflictions. Sometimes we are tempted to choose the things that promise relief, even when they may not be God's will for us. Choosing the harder path does not come naturally for us, but it is usually what is best in the end. We must remember that our time here on earth is but a vapor, a brief moment. But eternity lasts forever and ever.

One of God's greatest leaders boldly proclaimed in Joshua 24:15, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Make your choice today to serve the Lord. Do not stop serving Him during the hard times. Hold fast and firm to the choice you make today. Our Lord is faithful and just to get us through to the end.

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.
Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 37-39; Hebrews 3
Today's Thoughts: Get out of the Boat

Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" knowing that it was the Lord. - John 21:12

Do you ever find yourself wanting to ask a question when in reality you already know the answer? Jesus had already appeared to His disciples several times since His resurrection. But the disciples were still waiting for direction on how to go forward. So in the meantime, some of them decided to go fishing, their occupation before they followed Jesus. On this particular morning, as they were returning from their fishing, they looked up from their boat and saw a Man cooking breakfast on the shore. They did not need to ask who it was; they knew it was Jesus. I wonder if that moment punctuated their last fishing trip, as Peter jumped out of the boat to make his way towards Jesus. He did not have to ask Whowas waiting on him; he just knew.

At times in our Christian lives, we look back at those things we used to do. We may even question whether we should go fishing again. Maybe we keep going back to old ways and habits, even though we know we should have gotten out of that boat a long time ago. If Peter and John had not stopped fishing and had stayed with their boat, what all would they have missed? They left it the first time Jesus asked them when He said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) Now, they are leaving their boat for the final time, never to return to their former lives again. From this moment on, they would live and die for the message of the gospel of their Lord Jesus Christ.

Maybe today you need to look up from your boat. How far are you from the shore? You are never too far away from Jesus. If you look for Him, you will find Him. When you see that Person who seems familiar, you really do not need to ask who it is. Jesus is always with you, wanting to feed and comfort you. Maybe He is asking you to get out of the boat and come towards Him. Maybe He wants to make you “fishers of men.” Is it a “maybe” or a “definitely”? I think we all know the answer to that question too. Today is the day to stop asking and start knowing and get moving.

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: Jeremiah 34-36; Hebrews 2
Today's Thoughts: Our Great High Priest

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. - Hebrews 4:14-15

For the Jews, there was no higher office than that of the High Priest. The High Priest held a position of religious supremacy and honor. He was the one responsible for the cleansing of sins for the people on the Day of Atonement. On this holy day, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies. Through the acts passed down from Moses and Aaron (animal sacrifices, the sprinkling of blood, and prayers offered on behalf of the people), the High Priest would make atonement for their sins. In the book of Hebrews, we learn how Jesus Christ came to earth as the final High Priest. Not only was He the High Priest, but also He was also the Sacrifice. His death on the cross ended the need for the man-held position of High Priest, sacrifice and the Day of Atonement. Jesus took care of it all.

Not only was Jesus the High Priest, the Sacrifice and the Savior, but also He was still a person in flesh and blood. For us today, this point is so very important to grasp. Because Jesus was here on this earth in a human body, He understands everything we go through. Jesus experienced feelings, hurts, weaknesses and temptations, just as we do. He knows what it is to suffer, to hurt, to be rejected, ridiculed and mocked. Jesus got angry at the Pharisees, He cried over Lazarus and He showed great compassion to a prostitute. But, Jesus was God. He did not sin. He was the perfect, spotless Lamb—the ultimate and final Sacrifice. Why did Jesus go through all of this for us? Love. He loved us then. He loves us now. He has always loved us. He wants us to be with Him, now and forever. The only way to be with Jesus is to believe that He is the Son of God, the Son who came to earth as a Man, and who offered His life on our behalf as the final atonement for all sin.

Take time today to start reading the book of Hebrews. If parts of it seem hard to understand, pray for the Holy Spirit to open your minds to comprehend the Scriptures. Pray and meditate on those verses that stick out, or the ones that seem the hardest to grasp. If you will commit the time to the study of God's Word, you will grow closer to Jesus in more ways than you can imagine. You will see Him as One who understands you better than anyone else and who loves you more than anyone else can.

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: Jeremiah 32-33; Hebrews 1
Today's Thoughts: Hope for the Promises

“Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.” - Jeremiah 33:14

There are times when I wonder if God will ever answer certain prayers of mine. There are prayers that I pray knowing that the Lord has put them in my heart. I have verses of Scripture and biblical illustrations to support these same prayers. I keep journals that detail the dates and descriptions of the promises the Lord has given me. But still I wait and wonder, not about the what but about the when and the how. Where is my faith?

These are the times when I stop and reflect more closely at what I know about my God. I must remind myself of His character traits. Unlike me, He is perfect in every way—so perfect that He is not capable of doing anything out of His character. For example, one of God’s character traits is love. 1 John 4:7-8 says that “love is of God” and that “God is love.” Therefore, everything God does is motivated by love. If the Lord has me waiting and has not answered certain prayers, then His reasons for waiting are based upon His love for me. Another example of God’s character traits is that He is truth, perfect truth. Titus 1:2 says God cannot lie. He is incapable of lying; therefore, everything He has promised me will come to pass. God keeps His promises. But I must remember that He controls the timing, the process and the outcomes, for He is God.

When I step back, I can understand more clearly than when I am in the midst of being anxious over things. We all have seasons in life where we wonder if, and when, God will answer certain prayers. It is in these times that I find myself being tested most in my relationship with the Lord. Do I really know Him and believe Him and trust Him? I go to His Word and start asking for help and comfort. I confess my lack of faith. I am honest about my anxieties and worries. Then, I know I just need to be still and know that He is God. Before long, I am praising Him and my hope has returned. Don’t give up and don’t give in to the temptation to be discouraged and dismayed. Remind yourself of just who God is, what His true character is, and let His Word fill you with hope and joy for the promises that He has given 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: Jeremiah 30-31; Philemon
Today’s Thoughts: Seeing Jesus

When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. - Matthew 17:8

Have you ever gazed upon something so spectacular that you lost yourself in the moment? The beauty of God’s creation can bring such moments. I remember the first time I stood on the ledge of the Grand Canyon. I could barely fathom what my eyes were seeing. I could only thank the Lord, not just for this awesome sight before me, but for the blessing of being able to see it with my own eyes. In itself, the human eye consists of some of the most amazing biological and physiological designs in all of creation. The intricate details of how the eye actually works are of continual study. Despite man’s ever-increasing knowledge and technology, we are still limited in understanding the depths of this incredible sense. Only God knows how our eyes work because He is the One who made them, just for us.

What will it be like on that day when we stand before Jesus and we lift up our eyes to see Him? How can such beauty and glory even be imagined? As the song says, “I can only imagine.” On earth we are limited in these physical bodies. There are those who have no sight, having never seen anything through their eyes. Countless others will lose their sight for various reasons. And, of the rest of us, many will lose components of our vision, whether near-sighted, far-sighted or color blind. Age has a way of dimming the lights of life. But one day, those of us who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will see “no one but Jesus only.” In that day, there will be no physical limitations to keep us from seeing our Jesus, in splendor and majesty more breathtaking than anything we have ever seen on this earth.

Today, take a moment to thank the Lord for what you can see here on earth. Ask the Lord to keep you from seeing the things that do not glorify Him. Our eyes are the windows to the world and we need to guard what we allow them to look upon. Open God’s Word today, then read and meditate upon the Scriptures. Then close your eyes and ask the Lord to show you what He wants you to see. Spend time in prayer and lose yourself by being in His presence. Turn your eyes upon Jesus today and let Him show you what He wants you to see.

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 Verses: Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3
Today’s Thoughts: Get God’s Attention

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity. Jeremiah 29:11-14

The verse above from Jeremiah 29 may be one of the most popular sections of Scripture within the whole Bible. For me personally, it was one of the first that I ever committed to memory. So often, there are times in my life when I just need to hear that the Lord is thinking about me and that He wants to give me “a future and a hope.” Many times, I have difficulty grasping the truth of that statement. The God of the universe, the Lord of heaven and earth, actually has time to think about me? Is that really possible? Not only is it possible but also there is so much more: He wants us to call upon Him, pray to Him, seek Him, find Him, search for Him. God Himself wants us to want Him.

One morning I got up early to pray and knew I needed to spend some time on my knees, literally. As I positioned myself on the floor, my dog soon discovered where I was and proceeded to demand my attention. He began nudging me, licking my face and pressing his body into a position where I could no longer deny his presence. He was insistent to the point that I continued in prayer while petting my dog. I must admit he is irresistible in his persistence and extremely affectionate. In those moments, I sensed the Lord impress upon my heart that He was doing the same thing to me. I knew in that moment that the Lord wanted me to give Him the same kind of attention. He wanted me to know that His love is unconditional, irresistible and affectionate. And He just wants to be loved back. He wants my prayers, but He also wants my never-ending desire to seek and search for Him, to never settle when I may not sense His presence. He is always with me, but sometimes I need to press into Him and not give up until I get His attention.

Just like my dog knew how to get my attention, knowing that I would respond with love and affection, the Lord knows how to get our attention and our response should be the same. But we need to learn how to respond to Him. We need to call upon Him, seek Him and press into Him. We need to give Him our love and affection. He just wants our hearts but He also wants us to sense His nudging. The next time your child or your pet demands your attention, especially in the areas of love and affection, just remember that the Lord is seeking the same kind of attention from you. And no one gives it back better than He does.

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.

November 2
Today's Reading: Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2
Today's Thoughts: He is Worthy

And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" - Revelation 5:2

Who is worthy? Who is worthy to do the work of God? Who is worthy to fulfill the plans of God? John tells us in verse 3 that, "no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it." When I first read that verse I thought, "Where is Jesus? Isn't He worthy?" But I was wrong in comparing Jesus to any other created being. Those who are in heaven, on earth or under the earth are all created by God. No created thing is worthy or equal to God Himself.

Next we find John weeping, filled with sorrow that no one could open the book. Do you frequently find yourself weeping over your own inadequacies as well as over the shortcomings of others? It fills our hearts with grief that we can't do all that needs to be done, be all that we know we have the ability to be, or serve the Lord with limitless devotion. We are limited by physical boundaries: our flesh, our sin and time. So when one of the elders said to John, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals" (verse 5), we find such hope and joy that Jesus is not limited. He has overcome, and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, He is helping us to overcome our shortcomings also. Jesus is God and He is worthy to accomplish all the works of God.

We stand before the Lord as a saint only because the blood of Christ covers our sin. The Lord Jesus gives us, unworthy sinful man, the strength to stand before a Holy God. On earth, we too cry with John but one day, we will stop crying. The Lord Jesus will come to our side to say to the Father, "They are worthy—because I died for them."

Oh, trust the Lord today. Allow His power to flow through you. Tell Him you are willing to be that vessel for Him to accomplish all His works.

He is worthy to accomplish all you need, if you are willing to allow Him to work.

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: Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2
Today's Thoughts: He is Worthy
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" Revelation 5:2

Who is worthy? Who is worthy to do the work of God? Who is worthy to fulfill the plans of God? John tells us in verse 3 that, "no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it." When I first read that verse I thought, "Where is Jesus? Isn't He worthy?" But I was wrong in comparing Jesus to any other created being. Those who are in heaven, on earth or under the earth are all created by God. No created thing is worthy or equal to God Himself.

Next we find John weeping, filled with sorrow that no one could open the book. Do you frequently find yourself weeping over your own inadequacies as well as over the shortcomings of others? It fills our hearts with grief that we can't do all that needs to be done, be all that we know we have the ability to be, or serve the Lord with limitless devotion. We are limited by physical boundaries: our flesh, our sin and time. So when one of the elders said to John, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals" (verse 5), we find such hope and joy that Jesus is not limited. He has overcome, and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, He is helping us to overcome our shortcomings also. Jesus is God and He is worthy to accomplish all the works of God.

We stand before the Lord as a saint only because the blood of Christ covers our sin. The Lord Jesus gives us, unworthy sinful man, the strength to stand before a Holy God. On earth, we too cry with John but one day, we will stop crying. The Lord Jesus will come to our side to say to the Father, "They are worthy—because I died for them."

Oh, trust the Lord today. Allow His power to flow through you. Tell Him you are willing to be that vessel for Him to accomplish all His works.

He is worthy to accomplish all you need, if you are willing to allow Him to work.

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.