Daily Devotional

Scripture Psalms 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

Observation: Every day I seem to dwell on the negative things that surround me. My thoughts typically are anxious and negative sometimes filled with anger because of what I think of. I forget the things that God has done for me and what He desires, but when I do remember my heart is full of gratitude and peace, because He has done so much in my life. Our lives are full of God’s blessing and even the evil that might be happening to us now God can work for good.

Application: I need to fill my heart and mind of the things of God. I need to take time each day when I get up and fill myself with the grace God has given me. When bad things come, and they will, I need to recall a time when God embraced me and led me through times of trouble. You can’t love someone if you don’t think of them and my desire is to love my Lord with all of my heart, mind and soul.

Prayer: My Lord, I thank you for all you’ve done for me and what You are doing and are going to do. May I treasure your blessing in my heart that they will always be there whenever I need them. I love you and want you on my mind and heart all day long.

Scripture Psalms 102:27 But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.

Observation: Sometimes we think God changes, maybe His love for us is less or He is less concerned about us. God never changes the only thing that can change is us. We need to know always that God loves and cares for us and He continues to work in our life, making us the people he desires us to be. God doesn’t change, but we must change daily to become more like Jesus and complete the purpose that has been set up for us since the beginning.

Application: As God doesn’t change neither does His word. I need to keep in study and grow in the knowledge God puts before me. I need to be obedient knowing what God has called me to do. I need to be secure in the fact that God will never change and that He will always love me.

Prayer: My Lord, my Father. I know that you love me my question is why. Give me strength in knowing that you do and that all you desire of me is my obedience to what you set before me. May I honor you and show you my love every day and that you will continue to change me to be more like you Son, Jesus.

Scripture Psalms 101:2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Observation: I wish that was my testimony that I behave wisely and in a perfect way. That is what I desire to do, but during the course of a day I do something that I regret and my perfect way is not perfect. I desire a perfect heart, a heart that glorifies God and I try, but again it is short lived as I think of my desires, lustful thoughts and greedy ways. I truly desire to do the things this Psalm says and I pray I do better so when the Lord comes, He’ll be pleased with me.

Application: Realize instantly when I’m not behaving in that perfect way and repent and do what is right. I know this will be a constant battle, because of my sinful ways, but my Lord deserves the best of me. My perfect way and perfect heart are to model Jesus in this life to ask myself what would Jesus do in each circumstance that comes into my life. I need to pray and meditate on my Lord and His ways and duplicate them the best that I can.

Prayer: My Lord and my God help me by softening this hard heart of mine. May I be more like Jesus each day walking and behaving in a perfect way so that you will be will pleased with this child of yours. My desire is to please and show you that I love You.

Scripture Psalms 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

Observation: We all know we are called to serve, but we are called to serve with the right heart. Serving is an opportunity for us to please God, but so many of us will either refuse that opportunity or do it without the gladness it should bring. We have a Heavenly Father that watches over us and loves us more than we can imagine and our goal should be to please Him. When we serve in His name it should be with gladness to honor Him, but if we are going to do it under an obligation we might be better off doing nothing.

Application: I need to have more joy when I serve. I need to stop worrying about the details and focus on that I’m doing it for my Lord and the joy that it will bring Him when I do it out of love for Him. What a concept that we can bring joy to our Creator, but His word tells us we do.

Prayer: My Lord my ultimate goal is to bring you joy from this life you have created me for. Open doors for your servant to serve and draw me closer to you. May my joy come from knowing that I’m your faithful servant and when you think of me it brings a smile to your face.

Scripture Psalms 99:8 You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, Though You took vengeance on their deeds.

Observation: God forgives our sins, but our sins do have consequences. If you commit adultery God will forgive you, but you will have a broken marriage and pay the penalty. Just like any other sin we will have to pay the penalty of that sin, yet God will forgive us and still answer our prayers. God is a good father and as it is written He will discipline His child to help them learn and grow stronger and walk in the path of righteousness.

Application: I need to think and pray before I do anything. I need to think of the consequences of my actions and if the honor a\or dishonor God. I need to plan to do good deeds and make sure I’m doing them for God’s glory and not my own. I’m an ambassador for Christ and need to represent my master and stay out of trouble.

Prayer: My Lord, I thank you for your mercy and grace, I thank you for answered prayer and protection you give me from my enemies. Give me discernment to do what is right and keep me from evil and help me stay on the path of righteousness. I love you Lord and what to live each day in glory and honor to you.

Scripture Psalms 98:9 For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.

Observation: We all hate to be judged. We don’t want to hear anything negative about ourselves and we don’t want to be told we did something wrong and very seldom do we let that judgment sink in so that we may improve ourselves. Well, a time is coming that we will be judged one last time and this time will matter for all eternity. We need to start looking within and judging how we are doing and work on improving. This judgment will have eternal consequences if we are found unrighteous before our Lord.

Application: I need to stop being self-righteous and to be God righteous. I need to look at my ways through God’s eyes and not my own. I need to seek to have the heart of Jesus in all that I do, so when God comes to judge me, I will find favor in His eyes. My God is righteous and because of that He is not lenient, but will judge all fairly.

Prayer: My Lord, I know you know my heart and I ask you to change it to be more like your Son. I want to do what is right, but my sinful nature puts me on other paths. Help me stay focused on you and guide me each day so I draw closer to You.

Scripture Psalms 97:10 You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

Observation: You can’t love the Lord and be neutral about evil. If you love the Lord you will want to do what is right in His eyes and not consider doing evil. We need to hate evil, just the thought of it should make us mad and have no desire to do anything that would constitute evil. As long as we are focused on God and doing His will, He will keep us save and keep us from evil. We aren’t only to keep from evil ourselves, but to prevent evil that we see in the world.

Application: I can’t accept evil no matter where I see it. I need to have a fire burn within me that it upsets me. I need to do something about it and if I have no control over it bring it to the Lord in prayer. I can’t have evil in me which means bad thoughts about others, which I have almost every day. I can’t have any evil (sinful) thoughts, my ways are to be pure and my focus on God. I need to trust God that He will deliver me out of evil if I stay faithful to Him.

Prayer: My Lord keep me from evil especially the evil within me. Help me stay focused on you that I will glorify your name and be an example to others. May I not accept evil, but hate it as you hate it. Draw me close to you that my heart softens and becomes more like your Son’s.