Daily Devotional

Scripture Psalms 17:3 You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Observation: There are things in the Bible I wish I could say to God. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to tell God you checked my heart and found nothing wrong and that I make sure that I don’t say anything wrong. I wish I was that kind of man, because I know my heart and the stupid things that I say and I know they don’t honor God. I would be afraid to tell my Lord to check my heart and to test me. I wish even a day would go by that I don’t say something that isn’t righteous or hurtful, whether joking or not.

Application: I need to be that man whose ultimate goal to be righteous before God and that He can check and test my heart and find nothing wrong. That every time I speak, I encourage others or that they may see Jesus in my words and actions. I haven’t come close yet, but I can’t give up. I need to at least get better each day and to draw close to this goal and to never give up.

Prayer: My Lord I will never be able to do this without you. I need the Holy Spirit to take charge of my life and show me how to be righteous before you. I need His guiding to make me more like Jesus and that I will fulfill the purpose you have created me for. Please never give up on me, because without you I’m nothing.

Scripture Psalms 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Observation: Throughout the Bible it tells us that God will guide us and lead us on the path that He has chosen for us, yet so often we are out in the middle of the woods lost because we have followed our own path. Unless we are with God where He desires us to be we are lost and there is no joy in our lives, because we are apart from God. Hell is the total absence of God so it only makes sense that when we are apart from God just a little bit our joy is gone. God has pleasures for us that will last forever, our rewards in Heaven, but to obtain those rewards we need to follow Him on this earth and do what He calls us to do.

Application: I seem to be off the path much more than I’m on. God wants me to have a loving and kind heart and when I’m not focused on Him my mind goes to anger and hateful thoughts. I need to continue in prayer asking God to give me a kinder and loving spirit. I need to see His children as just that His children. I need to get these hateful thoughts out of my mind and to be patient and kind. I want pleasure on this earth but more important I want pleasures that will last forever.

Prayer: My Lord help me, fill me with the Holy Spirit and give me that heart that will honor You. Take this evil from me, rebuke Satan out of my life and show me how to be with you all day long, every day. I love you and desire your pleasure, but most importantly your company. I’m here to serve, show me how.

Scripture Psalms 15:2 He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;

Observation: These are just some of the qualifications to be a person after God’s own heart. We can’t do these things in our own sinful heart, we need God to change us, to change our heart to be more like Jesus. To walk uprightly we must be focused on God and our service to others. To work righteously we need to work for the Lord and not for man and to speak the truth we need to put aside our prideful ways and speak openly no matter what. Satan is the Father of Lies, which makes God the Father of truth. Who’s your daddy?

Application: I want to do all these things, but my sinful ways get in the way. As hard as I try, I can’t stop thinking evil things or stay focused very long on my Lord. If the truth makes me look bad, I can’t speak it or I’ll work my way around it. I need my Lord to change me and I really want to change. I start out okay for a few minutes and struggle all day long to control, my pride, anger and self centerness. I need to pray all day long constantly seeking guidance for my thoughts and my ways.

Prayer: My Lord I am weak and so disappointed in myself. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and change me completely, show me how to stay focused on you. I want to have a heart like Jesus’, but I’m so far from that. Draw me close so that I may hear what you want to say to me. I love you and I want and need to change.

Scripture Psalms 14:1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.

Observation: Boy is this true for today our world is full of fools. God has been put aside by our society and they try to come up with ways that would eliminate God. With the Big Bang, evolution myths and just denying that God exists. When you see the lame theories that so called scientists come up with all you see is desperation. People want to explain away God so that they will not be held responsible for their actions. Instead of mending their ways they would rather come up with an excuse that what they are doing has no consequences

Application: My mission as all Christians is to tell this lost world about Jesus and how they can come to His grace and have eternal life. I need to be using the gifts God has given me along with my testimony to do just that. I’m almost finished reading the book, A Purpose Drive Life, and it confirms what God has been putting on my heart that I need to get busy fulfilling His plan for my life. No excuses there is a God and He is awesome and I’m in love with Him.

Prayer: My Lord and my God. Give me the wisdom I’ll need to spread your love and world to others. Put people in my path that you want me to touch and use what you have given me for your glory. I’m here to serve, fill me with the Holy Spirit and teach me what to do.

Scripture Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

Observation: I wish I could say that every day that I trust in my Lord’s mercy. He has proven himself over and over again. I still get anxious and fearful, I still lose hope, even though I say my hope is in Him. I’m a hypocrite and Jesus would have every right to treat me as He treated the Pharisees, but He doesn’t. His mercy is new each day and you would think by now I would be at peace knowing that. I just finished writing another book and the key point is that this life isn’t what it’s all about, it’s about our eternal home, our salvation. If I truly rejoiced in my salvation, which I should, this life should be a piece of cake, because my focus would be on my Lord and my future with Him.

Application: I don’t understand why I don’t trust my Lord fully, it’s not about Him, but my sinful ways. I’m so easily distracted and focused on myself and not my mission. I wake up each morning in prayer, but I don’t draw near to my God and I need to do that and stay close all day long. I’m weak and that’s okay if I allow the Lord to be strong through my weakness, instead of giving up. My Laziness, pride and anger needs to be controlled so that I can be used by God and lay down this life as a sacrifice to Him and to fully trust in His mercy and the gift of my salvation.

Prayer: My Lord I pray over and over that I will trust you. You’ve put on my heart with Proverbs 3:5,6 to trust you in all things. Why don’t I? Fill me with the Holy Spirit and take charge of this servant, I’m a bondservant to you. Please take control and command this unworthy slave and make me useful for you. I love you Master, command me.

Scripture Psalms 12:3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things,

Observation: As a society we are proud people, but proud of what? We praise others in hope that they will praise us back. We seem to always need some reassurance of who we are and approval of what we are doing. We are so busy trying to hide our flaws and imperfections instead of looking at them and improving. We are so involved in ourselves we don’t have time for God, because that would distract us. God knows we are imperfect, yet he still loves us and wants us to be better, but we can only do that by looking at what we need to improve and if you’re like me that’s a lot. I’ll never be perfect on this earth, but I need to be better, not for me, but for my Lord.

Application: I want to improve and the only thing that gets in my way is me. I’m afraid to admit I need to improve, because then I might feel down on myself. I need to trust God and be honest with Him and honest with others. I can’t give in to flattery or false praise, but I need to be a man of integrity. Each day is an opportunity to be better and I need to seize that opportunity and pray and ask God for the guidance to be better. I need to be focused on the needs of others above my own and honor God with my decisions.

Prayer: My Lord thank you for making me, me. I know I have a long way to go but if you can help me each day be a little better, a little more righteous, a little more like Jesus. I know when I come home, I won’t be perfect, but help me be better for you. I love you and you deserve the best from me.

Scripture Psalms 11:5 The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

Observation: Throughout God’s word it tells us that the Lord tests or disciplines His children. Like a good Father God wants us to grow and mature. He needs to guide us to do what is right and if we go off course, He’s there to put us back on the path. He does this because he loves us and that we are His. To be tested is an honor from God, even though that is not what it feels like when we are going through it, but if He didn’t care, He wouldn’t bother. God calls us to be righteous and only He can train us to do that.

Application: I need to stop being afraid of God’s testing. I get too comfortable doing nothing. I need to grow, I’ve become stagnate and do not want to give up much of my time. I need to ask God to open my eyes to do what He wants me to do and in the way He wants it done. I need to be able to welcome any testing and discipline God puts in my life, because I know that He loves me and will only give me what I can handle through Him. It’s time to stop making excuses and get busy serving my Lord.

Prayer: My Lord and my Father. help me get over this laziness I have. Wake me up to do your will in my life. Guide and correct me when I’m doing wrong and open my eyes on what you want of me. I can’t do it alone, I’m too weak. Give me strength and guidance to run this race in a way that will glorify you, my Lord. I love you and I desire to honor you.