Category: Daily Devotional

Scripture Psalms 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.

Observation: Each generation seems more corrupt then the other. Immorality is all around and sin has become the norm in this society. Until we tell our children about God and how He loves them and what He has done for us they will be lost. It’s not up to ministers or pastors to tell them about their Lord, it is our responsibility to teach, show and to live a life that they can see. We are the teachers, we are the gospels that they can see each day and we are the example of God’s love. As the world crumbles around us we are the voice to our children that there is hope and that hope lies with our Lord and savior, Jesus.

Application: I need to be a better example to my children and grandchildren. My wife and I do ministries, mission trips and help others which is of God, but He calls us to be a witness to our own family. I need to take time to talk to my grandchildren about the love of God and the life we are called to live in honor to Him. If I’m going to witness to others, I need to start with my family that God has blessed me with.

Prayer: My Lord help me focus my thoughts on you and be an example to my children and grandchildren. May they be able to see your reflection in my life. Help me guide them to you and your glory. May you always be the most important person in my life and that my children would see and believe and that you will rule in theirs. I love you Lord, may that love be obvious to those you surround me with.

Scripture Psalms 77:12 I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds.

Observation: I think of things all day long and most of the time they are aimless or sinful thoughts. Most of my days are made up of these moments of wasteful time. If I spent them on meditating on my Lord and what He desires of me I would be fulfilling the purpose God has created me for and my life would be full of the joy of the Lord, but the devil is busy in my thoughts and I find my mind wandering. What a waste of a precious life.

Application: I need to make a better effort of meditating on God and not my selfish and sinful thoughts. I need to pray more to stay focused on my Lord and fill my mind with things of Him. I need to take this laziness and worry from me and fill that time with praise to my God. I need to hear my Lord direct me and be obedient to what I hear and not let my mind stray constantly from what is right.

Prayer: Dear Lord help me please. My mind doesn’t stop and it is filled with evil. My desire is to meditate on You and your desires for my life and not the garbage I fill my thoughts with. I can’t do it in my flesh I’m too weak and need you to fix my thoughts and desires on You. I love you and want to live a life that pleases You, help me honor you.

Scripture Psalms 76:11 Make vows to the LORD your God, and pay them; Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.

Observation: First we are to make vows to God. God has made so many promises to us in His word and never breaks a promise and we are called to do the same. If we come to Him and tell Him we are going to do something then we better keep our word. God is blessed when we do what He calls us to do and on the other hand there are consequences when we break a promise, so we need to think and take serious what we say to our Lord. Can you imagine what might happen to a servant in those days if he told his master he was going to do something and didn’t? We are servants.

Application: There are so many things I should be doing and I’m afraid to make those vows to my Lord, because I might not keep them. God is calling me to be faithful to Him and to keep any vow I make to Him. I know what I should be doing and I need to say them out loud and commit them to my Lord and make it a priority in my life to keep them. I need to do what I was created to do and make that commitment to do it.

Prayer: My Lord you are worthy of all of my love, praise and obedience. Today I commit to you that I will work harder in using my testimony to touch the lives of others. That I will be that light you call me to be and make a difference for the kingdom. I’m here to serve help me Lord keep this vow to you, give me strength and wisdom to honor you. I love you Lord guide your child.

Scripture Psalms 75:7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.

Observation: I wonder how much more I can accomplish with the time I judged others instead of doing something good for God? I judge what people do without knowing them, judge the way they look and act and treat me. My mind is so full of useless thoughts and who am I that I’m able to judge anyone. I look at my life and all the sin that is in it, I’m sure I’m not qualified to judge others and yet I do. There is only one righteous judge and He knows everyone and everything about them, He knows what is best for them and what will help them grow. The only person I should be concerned with is me and even God knows me better than I do.

Application: Instead of judging others I need to simply love them. I’m not qualified to judge and it’s none of my business. God has given me one person to look after and that’s me. I need to judge what I’m doing is it of God or sin and then I need to change accordingly. I’m called to love, care for and introduce others to Jesus. I’m a servant and I need to take the position of one and listen to my master.

Prayer: My Lord give me wisdom to do what you require of me. Please give me a loving heart that I might be an encourager for others. Command me in what you desire of me and help me be obedient to all you call of me. I love you my Lord and desire to be obedient.

Scripture Psalms 74:9 We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long.

Observation: This verse reminds me of when I’m depressed my mind is focused on the negative and I blame others for the way I feel. Sometimes we don’t see signs because we are not looking in the right place. When you’re down everything seems bad even though it might be one thing that is going wrong in your life. We focus on the bad and forget all of the blessings. In this verse God has performed so many miracles in the past and the sin of man has caused pain. Maybe if they focused on what God has done and thanked Him for all of His provisions and had faith that He will do what was right and that they would open their eyes and heart to what God is doing they may see those signs and rejoice with hope.

Application: Lately I’ve been feeling down focused on my job, looking at all of the negative things that are going on. Lately this dwelling on my work is destroying the rest of my life, my relationship with my wonderful wife, my ministry and my witness for my Lord and it needs to stop. I need to change my focus on what my Lord desires of me. He tells me he has come to give me life and life to the fullest. I need to follow Him and ignore the rest. I have a job to do and I need to rid myself of any distractions from that. There are so many positive things happening if I would just put my mind to the task that God has given me and ignore the devil. I need to be the prophet telling others what God has put on my heart.

Prayer: My Lord forgive me of my weakness and the way I turn from your will. Please give me wisdom and strength to fulfill the purpose you have me here for. Help me stay focused on the depression ministry and outreaches you place in my path and guide me to complete them in glory and honor to your name. I love you and my first desire is to please you, my Lord.

Scripture Psalms 73:3 For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Observation: Most of my life I would look at what other people had and want what they had. I believe most people are like that coveting what the rich might have, wanting that expensive car, home or lifestyle. Our focus is only on this earth and we want to make the best of it without consideration of our true home in Heaven. We become short sided and think our happiness is based on the riches of this world instead of the riches in Heaven. It’s so easy to get caught up with all the media pointing to things to entice us that the rich and famous have. We need to wake up and realize the true riches that will last forever do not exist on this earth, but we can earn rewards while we are here.

Application: I need to have my eternal home in my heart. I need to be homesick and to look forward to being with my Lord forever. With my mind fixed on eternal things, the things of this world will mean nothing. I need to be humble and help those in need and support those around me. My calling is servant and that is what I need to be, for my Lord and others in His name.

Prayer: My Lord I am grateful for the many blessings you have given me. I have nothing to be boastful about because all that I have comes from you. Soften my heart and guide me each day to live in a way that pleases you. You deserve the best and all that I have.

Scripture Psalms 72:7 In His days the righteous shall flourish, And abundance of peace, Until the moon is no more.

Observation: What is your definition of flourishing and having an abundance of peace? Most of us might think that flourishing is when you are doing well with earthly goods and are financially set. Peace is when things are going well around you and no one is giving you grief. I don’t think that is God’s definition of flourishing. If you are doing God’s will and you are seeing the fruit of your works that you do for God’s glory now your flourishing, because those things earn rewards in Heaven that will last forever. Our peace should not come from this world, but our peace needs to be based in the fact that God loves us and has something better in store for us when we get home. There should be nothing on this earth that should take away that peace no matter what happens.

Application: Now I need to live by these words. I know in my heart that is what is true, that my purpose given to me by God and when I attain the things that God has in store for me that is what it means to flourish. This needs to be my focus throughout the remaining time in my life. That all that matters is God and what He commands me to do. If I can instill that in my heart, I will have peace and I will flourish more than if I had all the money in the world.

Prayer: My Lord you are the key to my peace. Help me trust completely in you and your plan for my life. That nothing else really matters and I don’t get distracted by the trouble I might endure while I’m here. You are my peace and the reason I exist may you always hold the top position in my heart. I love you and desire to honor you my Lord.