Daily Devotional

Scripture Psalms 31:24 Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.

Observation: I wish I had good courage. It seems I’m always afraid, worrying about what might happen and what I’ve done wrong. My courage needs to come from God and not my own strength, because I have none. Maybe my problem is that I don’t hope in the Lord and I depend too much on my own abilities. I know God has watched over me my whole life, but the devil sways me so easy because my hope isn’t in the Lord, because I feel I’m hopeless most of the time. My heart melts and I feel as if I have no strength left, maybe because I never had any on my own and I need to come before the Father and ask Him to strengthen my heart and to give me courage to win this battle I have each day.

Application: I need to spend more time with my God. I start off in the morning and then loss contact right away. I need to depend on Him with everything that goes on in my life and be obedient to His commands and walk in His light. I need to realize I can’t win this fight, only God can free me from this anguish I have each day. I need to be in good courage knowing that God is fighting the battle and not me. I need to rely on the Lord each day.

Prayer: Dear Lord I need you every day and every moment in each day. I need your strength, mercy and guidance to make it through this life. Please never let go, strengthen my heart and get me through each day in a way that glorifies you.

Scripture Psalms 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

Observation: Most of my life I’ve been in mourning because of my depression. A day didn’t go by that I hoped it would be my last one. When Teri and I were watching over her dad as he was sick and dying, she told me how her mom and dad liked to dance. Her mom who had already passed before I ever met her, sounded like an awesome woman who loved God and her family. When Teri’s dad passed, I got up to speak at his service and repeated this scripture that God turns our mourning into dancing and that the two of them were most likely dancing with the Lord that day. Then I looked at my own life when each morning brought pain and sadness and how the Lord filled it with hope, telling this worthless man that I have a purpose and fulfilling that purpose will make me a great dancer.

Application: I need to take more dance lessons. I need to remove these negative thoughts and feelings from my life by replacing them with thoughts about my God. When I’m thinking of Him or doing His will my life is full of joy, only when I stray and think of myself or this world does the dancing stop.

Prayer: My Lord, thank you coming into my life when you did and how you have stayed throughout all of these years. Take this negative thinking from me and the feeling of mourning I sometimes have and change me. Renew my mind and direct me in the things you desire of me. I want to be a better servant and I want to draw closer to you. I love you and desire to dance.

Scripture Psalms 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Observation: We are always asking God for something, but how often do we give back? We need to give back only what He deserves, which is everything, but He asks for so little. Our worship is what we do with this life God has blessed us with and He deserves us to make it something very special. We are so busy making our life for us we leave the only reason we have a life and that is for God’s glory and not our own. Our Lord is perfect and His beauty has no boundaries and He deserves to be worshiped with all of our heart, mind and soul.

Application: All I’ve been thinking about lately is me. This was my last day at the Army and Navy Academy and all I think about is that they realize they made a mistake for letting me go and that does not honor God and is no act of worship. My thoughts for the most part are about me and what I want. I have to break free from this terrible mindset and be focused on my Lord and how I can better live this life for Him. It seems I can’t stay focused more than a minute without drifting back to my self-absorbed life and I need to be living for my Lord. This is not an option and I must do it right before it’s too late.

Prayer: My Lord you are worthy of all my love, praise, worship and obedience. I don’t know how to live this way and need your help to do it right. I feel so lost at times please Lord lift up your servant and guide me to glorify you. May this life be worship that You desire and please you. I love you and what to love you more.

Scripture Psalms 28:4 Give them according to their deeds, And according to the wickedness of their endeavors; Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them what they deserve.

Observation: I just got let go of a job I had for five years and the company I was working at told my company that they would only renew the contract if they would change managers. I was shocked and couldn’t believe it because I thought I was doing this wonderful job and everyone loved me. This is my last week and I’ve been helping the man that is taking over. I go back and forth praising God that He will open another door for me and wanting Him to strike them with lightning or something. I want them to get what they deserve. I forget they are just looking out for the best interest of their school and for some reason I wasn’t a good fit. I’m taking it personal and it was a corporate decision and maybe God is using this to humble me and I need that.

Application: I have a couple of more days and I need to make them the most positive I can. They need to be able to see my Lord in my life as I leave with love and grace. I need to trust God, He has never let me down in the past and I know that He loves me and wants to do a work in my life. I need to be more focused on Him and not on what happened, I need to keep my eyes wide open to see what God desires of me.

Prayer: My Lord help me get through this and see you in the midst of this situation. Speak to your servant and guide me soften my heart and fill it with love for others. I’m here only as a servant and need to act like one. I love you my Master, guide and use me.

Scripture Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Observation: Boy do I have a hard time waiting for anything. I want everything now including answers. My lack of faith makes me anxious. I lost my job at the Army and Navy Academy and my last day is Thursday. My first reaction was what happened and I needed to know why right away. I was told I still have a job with Culinart, but I would be floating from account to account until something opened up. This will be something difficult for someone who has a hard time waiting. I know God is watching over me and that He has a plan, but I need patience to wait on Him.

Application: This will be a challenge. Every time I say God has a plan and I need to wait; my mind wanders and I go back and want revenge on the people that turned me down. I need to focus on God and give Him the love and praise He deserves. I need to be of good courage and to be positive in this situation so that I may see God’s plan for me. I need to allow Him to work in my life to strengthen me and give me the patience to wait.

Prayer: My Lord calm your servant’s heart and give me the strength I’ll need to wait on you. May I wait until you open the door for me, the door that you choose. Help me glorify You and not myself. That I will be obedient and wait on you. I love You and need your guidance and strength as always.

Scripture Psalms 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me.

Observation: How is my integrity? I know I’m not consistent day by day as sometimes I’m loving and others, I’m so angry I swear. I try to always tell the truth, but I’m sure I slip from time to time. I try to do all that I say I will do, but I get lazy. I will walk in my integrity, but my integrity needs to improve before I can honor God. My anxiety level is high, which shows God my lack of trust, yet he always shows mercy or I wouldn’t be here. He is always there for me loving and protecting me filling me with the Holy Spirit. Maybe the reason God doesn’t use me very much is that I’m not ready to be used.

Application: I need to improve my integrity and be the man God desires me to be. I can’t expect to be blessed when I’m not in God’s will all of the time. People need to see that I’m a man of integrity and I will have that opportunity this week. Last Friday I was told that I lost my position at the Army and Navy Academy, because they want someone better to handle the food service. I have this week to train someone to take over so I need to be loving and caring and not bring up anything negative, but be an example that would please my Lord.

Prayer: My Lord make me a better man. Please calm my spirit and give me peace. Open my eyes to what you want me to be help me be a man of great integrity. Please continue to give me mercy and I go through this life. I’m a sinner and deserve nothing, but I thank you that you are always there to life me up. I love You help me show it to others.

Scripture Psalms 25:4 Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.

Observation: This is truly my desire to know God’s will for my life. I’m so lost most of the time and I’m not sure of what I’m doing is right or what else I should be doing. I read books and my Bible each day. I know my Lord’s commands and what I should and shouldn’t be doing, but to know specifically what His will is for my life, I don’t know. Currently I’ve been visiting home fellowships telling them about the CIA, I finished writing a book, So Why Am I Here, Teri and I do catering for the church and I don’t know if any of it is what My Lord wants of me.

Application: I need to keep doing something that I know would honor God. I need to continue to go to Him in prayer and ask what His will if for my life. I need to give my God this anxiety I carry around with me so that I may see more clearly what He desires of me. I will continue to read and search for answers and pray that what I’m doing is of God.

Prayer: My Lord I feel so lost most of the time. My existence seems futile at times and that I don’t accomplish anything with this life you have blessed me with. I need you to show me Your ways and teach me your path so that I may honor you with this life. I love you and what so desperately to glorify You.