Daily Devotional

Scripture Job 7:16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath.

Observation: That is how I spent most of the life God gave me, hating each day hoping that it would end. I spent more time thinking how to not go through another day that it was difficult to enjoy anything. My life had no meaning and I couldn’t figure out why I was even here at all. If you owned something that didn’t have a purpose, what would you do with it? You would throw it away. So when life has no purpose what would you do with it? Throw it away and that is what I did. However when I found out that my life has meaning and purpose I wanted to know how I was supposed to use it and so each day I ask the creator of this life how He might what to use it each day and live a life that would be worthy.

Application: It is still difficult at times to be positive and to wake up each morning wanting to be used by God. I still am a sinner and the enemy attempts to put negative thoughts in my mind each day, but I know I have a purpose as we all do and it’s to glorify God. I’m here to spread the word of God so others have the same opportunity I had and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. God has given me gifts and talents to use and has even given me instructions on how to use them and that is what I need to be doing. I need to try harder and realize my day is dedicated to God for His glory and not my use.

Prayer: My Lord I freely give you this life as a living sacrifice, may it be holy and pleasing to you. Help guide me this day and direct my path. Use me to fulfill the purpose you have created me for and that you will be glorified through this life. I love you Lord may this life reflect that.

Scripture Job 6:11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

Observation: I started writing a book as God guides me called So Why Am I Here? Most of my life I asked the same question as Job why prolong my life and I tried six times not to prolong it any longer. In the process of writing this book God made it clear why we should want to prolong our lives, because God has a plan for it. This is our only opportunity to earn rewards in Heaven. The more I understand how awesome Heaven is going to be the more I want to live this life in a way that honors God.

Application: I need to start living a better life. I hope to be meeting with Pastor Mike next week to see how I might serve the church more. I waste so much time watching television, I need to be doing so much more. I need to set a plan in action that gets me doing things that will glorify God. I look forward to being with my Lord and Savior and gathering all of the rewards He gives me and lay them at His feet in worship. I need to work on my health and diet and as long as God has me here be the best I can to glorify my Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord thank you for not giving up on me and giving me this chance to glorify you. May I live whatever time you give me to please you and that my reward would be to glorify you. I love you may this life prove it.

Scripture Job 5:8 “But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause–

Observation: We always look everywhere else to find answers, we may turn to family, friends, our own wisdom, might even do research to find the answer, but we leave God out. We take the burden and try to live with it when all we have to do is lay it at the feet of Jesus. I’m not sure why we think we are smarter than God. God has created us and has a plan for our life and He knows all that we are going to be going through and why we are going through it. We need to make a decision, whether to trust God or ourselves, I choose God.

Application: I say I choose God, but most of the time I don’t. Patience has always been a problem for me I want an answer now and if I don’t hear from God right away I go out on my own. I need to have patience to wait on the Lord and faith that He will work in my best interest, even though to me it may not seem so. I need to stop taking these burdens upon myself, because I know I can’t handle them and not capable of dealing with them. I need to trust in the Lord with all of my might and lean not on my own understanding, but in all my ways acknowledge Him and he will make my paths straight.

Prayer: My Lord help me please. I’m at my wits end and feeling low about my life. I’m confused and worried and taking most of my time trying to figure out what to do. Please take this burden from me and take charge of your servant and rule in my life.

Scripture Job 4:5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled.

Observation: It’s much easier giving advice when we are doing fine and the other person is going through the trials. Even though we go through trials and tribulations we typically don’t want to comfort someone else at that time we want to wail in our misery alone. All the advice we would give we won’t receive in those moments we turn our head away from God and go into self-pity. However the strongest witness is to lead people to the Lord while we are being persecuted showing an example of faith and faith they would be able to associate with.

Application: I’ve become so lazy anymore that I’m becoming no use to my Lord. Today someone wrote me an email in regards to meeting her brother that is suffering from depression but he lives in Hemet several miles away and wants to meet on a Saturday. My first thought is that is my day off and I would have to drive all the way to Hemet. Someone is calling out and I’m making excuses. It’s funny when I cry out to my Lord in need, no matter what He answers and guides me, how disappointed He must be in me. The deeper in troubles I find myself I must reach out to others that are suffering and then I have a chance to help and reach them for the Lord. Next time I’m feeling down I need to pray to God to put me in the path of someone who might need me.

Prayer: My Lord help me get past this laziness I have. Give me the energy and strength to honor you and to help others. May my focus be on serving you by being a blessing to others, use this servant to glorify you. You are worthy of all of my love, praise, worship and time.

Scripture Job 3:11 “Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?

Observation: Those were my thoughts most of my life. Why am I here and how can I get out. Being depressed most of my life wishing not to see another day that was me. When bad things came that was all I would focus on, never thought about the good things I had or the good things that happened just focused on whatever wasn’t going right in my life. That was Job, lost faith and trust in God and all of the blessings before meant nothing. If we could only stay focused on God and how He feels about us and how much He loves us we might look forward to what He has planned for us knowing that we are in His hands.

Application: I still suffer with things in my life, not focusing on God but my situation. My thoughts always go to the negative without thinking of the good and feel doomed a good part of my life. I need to be in prayer more often not losing touch with my Creator, but staying close to His side. I need to be an example of God’s faithfulness to others and speak about Him often as a reminder to those God surrounds me with and to me. I can never lose hope and I need to trust Him in every situation whether good or bad. I’m a child of God and need to act like one.

Prayer: My Lord I thank you for your love and protection. Please forgive me for my lack of faith and I ask you to increase my faith. Help me draw near to you and feel your presence in all that I do. Help me trust and obey your word that I might bring you joy, the joy you bring me.

Scripture Job 2:10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Observation: So many of us feel that God owes us and all we should get is blessings. Yet God’s word does not say that if fact Jesus said that we will have trials and tribulations, but we don’t want to hear that. A loving God should only give us good things. Yet as parents we would not give only good things to our children without discipline and direction. We learn from our mistakes, which in turn make us stronger. Job had it right we should be thankful for everything and accept what God desires to give us.

Application: This is a hard lesson for me to learn. I think of the martyrs in this world how they are suffering and being tortured for their faith. I can’t stand the littlest amount of pain and wonder how I would do under those circumstances. The martyrs are going to earn rewards I will never be able to, but I need to learn to be strong in faith. I need to accept all that God gives me whether good or bad and then ask God what He wants me to glean from those experiences.

Prayer: My Lord I’m weak, but you can make me strong. Show me how to be obedient in all that you give me. May others see the strength you give me and that I always give you all the glory and honor. Help me be bold about speaking about my gracious God to others and show me how to finish well. I love you Lord and you deserve all that I have.

Scripture Job 1:21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Observation: We think we make our own wealth and control our destiny. How arrogant are we? God has given us this life right from the beginning, He alone is our creator and guides us through this life, if we allow Him. There is nothing that is truly ours and nothing we are going to be able to take with us when we die. Everything on this earth is on loan by God. If someone we know dies we shouldn’t blame God, but give Him thanks for allowing us to know that person whether a child, parent or friend. Whatever we loose on this earth was never really ours in the first place.

Application: I need to realize just that. I’m God’s and He can do whatever He thinks right. There is nothing that can be taken from me that I own, even my heath is a gift from God. I need to seek God when something does go away to see what He desires of me. Everything happens for a reason and I need to be aware of what God desires of me at all times. I need to trust my Lord more, I have too many doubts and my anxiety level is so high. God deserves all of my love, obedience, worship and time and I need to start giving back now before it’s too late.

Prayer: Thank you my Lord for all you have given me. Thank you for this chance to do better than I’ve done in the past. Strengthen me to do your will and to serve you and others in all that you have given me. I love you Lord and owe you everything.