Includes...
Recently I felt like some things I had been praying about were being withheld. So, I began to seek God about what was happening. I asked him for understanding of the situation and what was really going on. Was God the one withholding things or what was happening?
It didn't take long; within about 24 hours he began to give me understanding of what was really going on. It wasn't him withholding, that is not who he is. We have an enemy who is trying to steal and delay what God is sending our way. As soon as I had understanding of the situation, I knew exactly what to do. God has taught me to never let anything be stolen from me, because if something is ever stolen, I give it away as a seed, rather than fight over it. And I do this trusting that God will make it right. As soon as I did this, I had a great level of peace and rest wash over me on the inside about the whole thing.
As I began to think about this some of the following verses came to mind...
Psalm...
One of the concepts we have discussed with our partners is not letting anyone wrong you or steal from you. Instead, turn it around by forgiving and giving to them and giving cheerfully. Cheerful giving is connected with God making all grace abound to us.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says...
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
During today's communion we are meditating on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 and thanking God that he can make all grace abound to us. And we are asking for his help to sow bountifully as we have decided in our heart and to do it cheerfully.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
I hope that you are becoming consistent in...
In John 16:33 NKJ Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart(be of good cheer) ! I have overcome the world.”
The Amplified version says, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]"
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that even when we have troubles we can still be of good cheer, because Jesus has overcome the world. And we are asking God for help to be of good cheer consistently.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In our workouts we will have troubles. There will be days when we are tired or have low energy. There will be days when we just don't have it. There may also be times when you have an injury or pain in...
Over the last year I have done quite a bit of real estate work and recently we have come across several properties that have natural springs as their water source, which reminded me of several Bible verses about springs of water.
Here are a few verses to meditate on today.
Psalm 107:33-35 He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, 34 and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. 35 He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;
John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Revelation 21:6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
Today's communion is...
Toward the end of Ephesians 4 there is a subtitle that says... Instructions for Christian Living, and the paragraphs that follow lay out very simple instructions for us. Today we are taking communion over this passage of scripture and asking God for help to walk this out.
Here is Ephesians 4:17-32
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off...
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
I view this time of year as a reminder to grow in trust. God is building a body or community, and in his body, trust is the glue that holds everything together. For each of us to be doing the special work he has assigned to us means trusting in God, becoming trustworthy ourselves, and finding people around us we can trust. When we lack trust, it doesn't allow us to rest and do what we need to do, because we are worried others won't come through.
In the Kingdom of Heaven God models for us the laws of trust so that we can also grow in them. Here some of the laws of trust...
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Trust is the Glue.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle...
A few years ago I had a lot of pressure on me so I started journaling at night before bed as a way to navigate through that time. My goal was to journal for 40 days in a row, because prior to that time I had always struggled to journal consistently. I found that journaling before bed was what worked best for me, and since I was shooting for 40 days I kept a record of what day I was on in each journal entry. When the 40 days were over I kept going and recently I crossed 1,000 days of journaling. Here are a few things I have learned about journaling and the approach that I use in my journals.
I always start my journal with filters at the top. These filters are short phrases that help us to remember and to navigate. Something I haven't talked about or taught yet is that I use 4 layers of filters at the top of each journal entry... A 10 year vision filter, a yearly filter, a monthly filter, and a weekly filter(this one comes from our yearly cycle...
In Matthew 26:40-43 Jesus had asked his disciples to keep watch and pray with him while he was in the garden under the pressure of preparing for the cross. But when he returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
God wants us to have willing hearts, that want to do what he asks of us, but our flesh is weak and can keep us from walking out the things that we know to do. We need power from him to walk out the things that we know to do.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God's grace is sufficient to help us walk out the things that we know to do. And we are asking him to help us not be led into temptation and for him to help is in our weakness, because his power is made perfect in our weakness.
Today's...
The other night I was reading Psalm 102 and the last verse seemed to jump out at me.
Psalm 102:28 says, the children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”
While thinking about this I was reminded of a few other promises God has made for our children...
Isaiah 54:13 All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.
Isaiah 61:9 Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”
Parenting is not always easy, so I find these verses to be very encouraging.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for these promises God has made for our children.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
I believe one of the goals of fitness should be moving like a kid again. This can be done through playing games, having fun, and training our ability to move, throw, run, and jump.
I am praying for...
Lately we have been talking about the power of praise to turn situations around. Yesterday we talked about praising God for who he is, and I think another important part of praise is praising Him for what he's done. When we praise people, it is usually for their character, abilities, or things they have done. We can do the same with God.
There is so much God has done, but here is a short list to get us started...
I think this also needs to be made personal. It would be good to spend some time today thinking back on all God has done personally in our lives.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude and praise for both who God is and all that he has...
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