Daily Devotional

Scripture 2 Chron 21:7 Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

Observation: I have no idea how God can keep His word when all we do is evil in His sight. When God makes a covenant with us He always keeps His word, but most time His promises are based if we are going to do what He calls us to do. Here God made a covenant with David and as much as the Israelites deserved total destruction God holds back and remembers the covenant He made. God must have made a promise to me and I didn’t even know it. He wouldn’t let me be destroyed, though I totally deserved it. God had a plan for this life and He was going to see it through to the end.

Application: I need to remember each day that I belong to God and this life I’m living belongs to Him. He is worthy of all of my praise, love and obedience and I need to give it to Him each day. God needs to be the most important thing in my life and that includes me. I need to make this life a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to my Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord I’m weak and I’m a sinner and don’t deserve your mercy or grace. I thank you that you offer it to this unworthy servant and help me make this life a sacrifice that will honor you.

Scripture 2 Chron 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Observation: Most of the time when we are afraid all we see is the object of our fear, but what we should be doing is seeing our Lord the conqueror of our fear. When fear comes and it comes quite often we dwell on it instead of taking it to our Lord in prayer. If we are focused on God and all that He can do our fear becomes what it should be, nothing. God is in control if we let Him and no matter what happens to us we can glorify God, whether good or bad we have an opportunity to go to our Heavenly Father in prayer and ask for protection and guidance in all situations.

Application: As I write this I’ reminded how seldom I do it. Fear comes and I dwell on it to the point I feel the anxiety it would have caused if it really happened. I need to be in close contact with my Lord at all times so when something comes up I can go immediately go to Him for protection and guidance on what to do. I need to remember always I’m here for a reason and things will happen that aren’t pleasant, but God can work the good in all things.

Prayer: My Lord I freely give you this life as a living sacrifice, please use it to glorify you. Take the fear from my spirit and give me wisdom to know what you desire me to do in each situation that comes up. I’m your creation, servant and child, be with me and show me what you desire me to do.

Scripture 2 Chron 19:9 And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart:

Observation: We should be afraid to do evil, hurting others, being dishonest, doing anything that is against what God calls us to be. Too often we might feel a little guilty, but it needs to be much more than that it needs to be a godly fear of doing evil, to the point it bothers us so much we need to make it right. God has put on our heart what is right and what is wrong and we are called to live our life in a way that glorifies God and doing what is wrong hurts our relationship with our Lord.

Application: I make excuses for doing things that I know aren’t right and try to justify them later, but if I had a true fear of doing wrong I wouldn’t do it in the first place. I need to fear my Lord, but also love Him above anything and if I love Him the way I should I would also not do anything that would hurt Him or disappoint my God. I need to stop justifying what I do that is wrong and never do it again or if I do go right to Him and beg for forgiveness.

Prayer: My Lord I know that you know all and forgive me for disappointing you so many times. Help me not fall into the enemy’s trap and stay focused on what will glorify and please you. I’m your servant and your child. I love you and I want to do better to please you.

Scripture 2 Chron 18:13 And Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”

Observation: God puts things on our heart to say to others and to speak to us. When we don’t hear a direct word from God there is God’s word. When we speak we should speak to encourage other and to glorify God, not our self. Unfortunately most of the time I speak is to glorify myself. If we did what God calls us to do we would never say anything we need to take back, never have to say we are sorry for something we said, people would be attracted to us and God would be glorified by what comes out of our mouth.

Application: I need to wait before I speak I need to pray before words come out of my mouth. I need to stay in God’s word so I know what to say and that I will be a tool for God. I need to remove all of this pride from me and live for my Lord helping His children and my brothers and sisters. I’m here as a servant and nothing else so I need to serve my Lord by serving others in His name with a humble heart and kind words.

Prayer: My Lord I can’t to this myself. I’m a sinner and evil and the words that come out of my mouth are often used to build me up and not you. Change my heart and soften my spirit and may I always do what you desire of me and may I look at the needs of others above my own.

Scripture 2 Chron 17:6 And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah.

Observation: There is a difference from following God’s commands and taking delight in doing so. To do because you feel you should or have to opposed to doing it because you desire to do so. To love someone so much that it pleases you to serve them and to make them happy that’s the way God wants us to obey His commands. When we get to this point our greatest desire is to please our Lord and when we are serving Him, we know this is what brings me joy, that is what pleases God.

Application: That is the way I need to serve not because it is what I feel I’m supposed to do but rather that I want to do it above anything else, because it pleases God. I served this last Saturday at the beach serving hot dogs at our Oceanfest, I enjoyed doing it because I knew it honored God, but I still thought how nice it would have been to do something else, like sleeping in. That’s not the way it should be, I want it to be that there is nothing else I would rather do than to have that opportunity to glorify God. I need to change my heart.

Prayer: Dear lord give me a heart for you that you are the first thing on my heart and my only desire is to please you. Take this heart of stone and make it flesh and take it for yourself, that it will serve you in the way that pleases you. I love you and I want my life to show you that.

Scripture 2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

Observation: Our God knows all and sees what we are doing. He knows who is faithful to Him and obedient to His commands. We can’t fool or hide from Him, He has blessing and rewards to those who seek Him and He trials for those who don’t in hope their eyes might be opened. God’s goal is to bring us to eternal life through Jesus Christ and do it with free will. He’s watching and guiding us, but allowing us the final decision.

Application: God knows when I’m on and off the path He chooses for me I can’t justify my actions he knows the truth, better than I do. I need to live my life knowing that He is watching me so when I think I’m doing something in private, there is no such thing when it comes to God.

Prayer: Dear Lord please guide me and give me strength not to sin and to seek you always. Help me live a life that will honor you and be pleasing. I want to finish well, but I stray so often, I need you Lord to keep me walking towards you, hold my hand and guide this servant. I love you and want to glorify Your name.

Scripture 2 Chron 15:2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

Observation: Being a good child of God is a two way street, God isn’t going to do all of the work He desires more from us. God is with us when we are with Him, when we are reading His word, praying, doing His will God is with us watching over us, but if we are sinning God cannot stand sin and He no longer is with us until we ask for forgiveness. God is always there but we need to seek Him to find Him. If we have no interest in God He can be right in front of us and we’ll never see Him. If we decide to forsake God and go our own way or the enemy’s way God will have nothing to do with us and will allow us to take the sinful journey away from Him, it’s our choice.

Application: I need to realize I have a responsibility in this journey of life. God will be there for me when I search Him out, if I acknowledge God before others He will acknowledge me before the Father, but if I forsake my Lord then I’m left alone to deal with things I can’t deal with. God has a wonderful journey in store for me I just need to be close to Him at all times and not wander off the path, but stay close to my Dad.

Prayer: My Lord help me stay focused on you. Take any sinful, lustful, selfish ways from me and make my heart pure. May I seek you in the morning till the time I fall asleep at night, may I be an example of your love to others.