Psalm 39:1 - Speak words of kindness or don't speak at all!

“I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle …”

Psalm 39:1

We should always watch our tongues and what we say. People are listening. We want them to be drawn closer to the Lord after being with us. We don’t want them to be turned away from Him by what comes out of our mouth. Thinking of things this way shows us that words are powerful. The Word says that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Pause and think before you say anything. Ask yourself if what you are about to say is beneficial or not. Jesus spoke words of love and kindness. His words were full of life. We should strive for our words to be of love and kindness too. We want our words to be full of life. We want to bless those we love and those that are around us. God has given the gift of the Holy Spirit to those that are His. The Holy Spirit can really help us with our words. If we are about to say something that the Lord doesn’t want us to say, the Spirit will often give us a check in our spirit that we shouldn’t share it. Follow those checks. He knows best and has put them there for a reason.

Father, guard our ways, lest we sin with our tongues. Restrain our mouths with a muzzle. You have given us your Holy Spirit as a gift. May the Holy Spirit give us a check in our spirit if we are about to say something we shouldn’t. May we heed those checks as we know that You are so much wiser than we are. We want our words to be words of love, kindness, blessings, and life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

Galatians 5:24 - Our flesh and its passions and desires should be crucified

“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Galatians 5:24

We are to be crucified with Christ. Our flesh with its passions and desires should be crucified. We should have the victory over sin. When I read this verse today it made me think of my eating habits. A couple of years ago I started eating healthy and exercising and lost over 70 pounds. I was able to remain healthy for quite some time. Unfortunately, since April of this year, I have gained 50 of those pounds back. I stopped exercising and developed a sweet tooth. I cave in to overeating. And often eat to my hearts delight. I know that I need to make healthy choices when I eat. I also need to exercise to help my immune system. I am thankful to the Lord for giving me this scripture today. I needed it. “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). It goes on to say “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). I can’t do this on my own, but with the Holy Spirit’s help and power I can. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Father, we thank You for the Holy Spirit’s help in our lives. We all have different passions and desires in our flesh. No two people are alike. But You desire for all of us to be crucified with Christ. You want us to have victory over sin. You want us to live and walk in the Spirit. May we be able to say “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” And may You get the glory for each and everything You deliver us from. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

John 10:4 - Hearing God's Voice

“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

John 10:4

Isn’t it kind of neat that when someone calls on the phone although you can’t see them you recognize their voice and you know who you are talking to? If a stranger calls you ask yourself, “who is this?” and you wait until they tell you who is calling. God is like this too. He wants to go before you in your endeavors. He wants you to follow him. He wants to lead you by His still small voice. He’s given you the Holy Spirit so you can discern and know when He is leading and what His perfect plan and will is. If the voice of the enemy talks to you, you can know that it isn’t Him that is speaking. You know and sense God’s voice in your knower and you can’t be fooled as you have regularly heard His voice in the past. Jesus is our Shepherd. He wants to make Himself known in your life. If you have trouble hearing His voice, quiet yourself before Him so the distractions of this world don’t interfere. Shut your brain off for a while. Focus intently on the voice of your Shepherd. He will lead and guide you.

Father, we thank You for voice recognition. We than You that when people call us on the phone we can discern who it is. Help us to be able to discern and know Your voice as well. May we never be fooled by the voice of a stranger. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

1 Chronicles 29:11-13 - Thanksgiving

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory. The victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours, Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,  and You are exalted as head over all. …Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name.”

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

The anointing of the Holy Ghost is upon these scriptures. Jesus rules over all and makes all work together for our good, so we can cast all our cares upon Him and be thankful and grateful in all things. Thanksgiving is the most therapeutic of our attitudes. It is good for the soul and it is one of our most pleasant emotions. It’s the opposite of complaining and grumbling. And we know that God dislikes it when we complain and grumble. It grieves Him. 

William Law wrote in his classic book A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life:

Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most alms, or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything as an instance of God’s goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it. …If anyone would tell you the shortest surest way to all happiness and all perfection, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seeming calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing. Could you, therefore work miracles, you could not do more for yourself than by this thankful spirit, for it heals with a work speaking, and turns all that it touches into happiness.

Father, may we begin to walk in thankfulness and have a thankful spirit. May we praise and give thanks to You for the things that happen in our lives. Turn our calamities into blessings. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory. Yours, O Lord, is the victory and the majesty.  Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory. Yours, O Lord, is the victory and the majesty over everything that happens to us. All that is in heaven and in earth is Your. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,  and You are exalted as head over all. We thank You and praise Your glorious name. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Acts 9:36 - A Good Deed Brightens a Dark World

“At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.”

Acts 9:36

I like the fact that Tabitha was referred to as a disciple. She did a lot of small acts of kindness and good, charitable deeds. These were visible to all who were around her. She wasn’t well known because of her preaching, teaching or evangelizing, but her good deeds spoke volumes and touched hearts and lives. The little things we do are so much grander than the things we do that are considered great. My husband opening the door for me, giving me a cup of freshly brewed coffee or giving me a kiss when he leaves home shows me so much more love than him sending me flowers on our anniversary. His kindness throughout the year shows me his heart. And his heart shows me his love. Sometimes the thought of doing big things overwhelms us and weighs us down. But the little things we do bring much joy to our hearts. You can never go wrong walking in love and doing good, charitable deeds for those He impresses on our hearts to do so to. Colossians 3:17 says “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” 1 Peter 4:10 says “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I encourage you to continually plant seeds of kindness. It will speak volumes! 

An old song that I love to sing is “Bringing in the Sheaves.” It goes like this:

1. Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness, sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve, waiting for the harvest and the time of reaping: we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. (Chorus) Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

 

2. Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows, fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze; by and by the harvest and the labor ended: we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. (Chorus) Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

3. Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master, though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves; when our weeping’s over He will bid us welcome: we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. (Chorus) Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Father, may we sow seeds of kindness all day long. May we be full of good works and charitable deeds. Help us to impact and touch lives by doing little things that show them Your love. May we reap a harvest that brings glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

Acts 2:33 - Don't give up! Continue to be a good witness to the Lord Jesus Christ!

“we are all witnesses.”

Acts 2:33

Do you witness for Jesus Christ? According to the Word, we are all His witnesses. Make the most of every opportunity that You have to witness to others. Sometimes you may be tempted to get discouraged. Don’t. Self-pity is of the devil. He wants you to get discouraged and to quit being a light. Just continue to share Jesus and His love even if you may wonder if anyone’s listening or being impacted by what you say or do. We may insert our personal testimonies into our everyday conversations with others, we may share our faith on Facebook, we may give out scriptures to others that can help them in their walks with Christ and to deal with things that they are coping with and going through, we may give people bibles, we may give people Christian literature, we may share the gospel, and we may invite friends and family member’s to church, bible studies, church events, and dinner. We may not know if what we are doing is making a difference. Know today that it is. No good thing you do for the Lord is ever in vain. Only in heaven will we know how God has used our words and testimonies. We are all His witness. Be a good one!

Father, thank You for making us all Your witnesses. Help us to be good ones. Use us to bring others to You and a life with You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

Romans 12:12 - God transforms us into a new person

“… let God transform you into a new person …”

Romans 12:2

Every once in a while something happens and you realize that God has changed you. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “… those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” This happened to me last week when I was attempting to make baked corn. I had put the creamed corn and kernel corn in a bowl and went to get the Jiffy cornbread mix. I bumped the bowl and it went falling to the ground. Both the kernel and creamed corn went flying out of the bowl. Corn was on the kitchen cabinets, the rug in front of the cabinets, and the floor. The basement door was open and the corn was on the steps that led down to the landing. There was even creamed corn on the wall behind the back door (that leads down to the basement as well). My first thought was one of shock. And then I had complete peace. I immediately remembered that we should give thanks in everything for Ephesians 5:20 says “give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So I gave thanks. I looked into the bowl and there was still some corn in there. I was thankful that at least that corn didn’t end up somewhere where I would have to clean. I can remember thinking that if this had happened years ago I would have complained and grumbled. I didn’t know that God had changed me. But this showed me that He did. To that I am thankful. I can’t take any credit for the change. God made me a new person. I am not the same anymore. The old life is gone. A new life has begun.

Father, thank You for transforming us into new persons. Thank You that we are not the same anymore. Thank You that the old life that we used to live is gone. Thank You that a new life has begun in us. Continue to change us where progress can be made. Make us more and more like Your Son. Change us from the inside out by the power of Your love. We may not realize at the time that You have done a work inside of us. But when certain things happen, then we will realize and we will be eternally grateful and thankful. We love You, Lord, with all our hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.