Category: Daily Devotional

Scripture: Ephesians 5: [10] and find out what pleases the Lord.

Observation: I guess it isn’t as much finding out what pleases God, but doing it. Yesterday I felt called to evangelize at the beach with the church. It was very unorganized and only a couple of people came from the church. I feel I pleased God by stepping out to help, but my thoughts during the course of the day were not pleasing. I took an opportunity where I could have served God and pleased Him, yet I stopped short from glorifying God.

Application: I need not only take the initial step by obeying Him with my body, but also with my heart and thoughts. My Lord deserves my all, all my obedience, praise and worship not a halfhearted effort. God has done everything for me and all I have to do is find out what pleases Him and do it to the best of my ability.

Prayer: Dear Lord forgive me for letting you down once again. You know my heart and I do want to please you but my body and mind is weak. Give me the strength and courage to do things that honor you. I love you with all my heart help me live this life proofing it.

Scripture: Ephesians 4: [31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Observation: As soon as I stop thinking of God and have a moment to myself my mind goes in the wrong direction. I get angry and bitter and think of the most negative things. Lately my mind has been set on Teri’s brother and how he has mishandled their father’s estate. I want revenge for the way he has treated his sister and disgraced his father’s wishes, even though it is none of my business. I delight in the thought that he is headed towards hell instead of helping him avoid it.

Application: I need to have a forgiving heart and it doesn’t matter what other people do to me I have a responsibility to my Lord and savior to be the man He desires me to be. I’m here as His representative to guide others to his loving grace and mercy. I need to have Jesus in my thoughts at all times and the will of the Father to guide me in what to do each day.

Prayer: Dear Lord I am weak and evil and I can’t control my sinful ways on my own. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and take charge over this servant that I might glorify you and not myself. Give me a loving spirit and take away this judgmental and sinful thoughts of mine. Show me how to love others for your glory.

Scripture: Ephesians 3: [18] may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

Observation: I wish I could fathom God’s love. I know He loves me He shows me every day and I don’t know why. I look back at my life and see where it should have ended so many times, yet God continues to save and love me, but why? Even now after I see God’s hand in my life and try to comprehend His love, that I would be so obedient of doing God’s will each day, yet I always fall short. So why does He still love me so much. I wish I had the faith in God that He has in me.

Application: I need to keep God’s love close to me in my heart and mind. I need to use it as incentive to do his will and to help rid me of this laziness. I want to be able to share His love with others and ask to take this anger from me so that I will love others as He has directed me to do.

Prayer: Dear Lord I don’t understand your love, please help me understand and show me how I might please you. Show me how to love like You and that my heart would be fill with the joy of serving others in your name. I have such a long way to go help me reach the goal of pleasing you.

Scripture: Ephesians 2: [10] For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Observation: At times I look in the mirror and can’t see God’s workmanship. I use to feel so useless, hated my appearance and couldn’t stand being me. After receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior things changed. I was able to see God’s workmanship in my life as He changed my heart. He gave me tasks to do, people He wanted me to meet and things He wanted me to do. Each task seems as if it was prepared in advance for me to do, using the gifts and talents God gave me, I can see I was created to do these good works, because of Him.

Application: I need to search for the opportunities to do the works God has created me to do. I need to be ready to serve the way my Lord wants me to serve. I know I have missed so many opportunities already because of my laziness and I can’t afford to miss anymore. I need to be doing what I was created to do and not become useless to my maker.

Prayer: Dear Lord thank you for making me, me. Guide me each day to what it is you desire of me and that I will do the works you have planned for me to do. At the end of each day may I see what it was you desired and that I did it.

Scripture: Ephesians 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Observation: It’s hard for me to believe God Choose me. Why would He pick someone like me to do His will. I’m the kid that got picked last when choosing up for teams, the one made fun of, the one that got bullied and who’s earthly father was embarrassed of. So why would the creator of all things pick me. I guess I’ll never know, but I would like to prove everyone else wrong and God right by the way I live this life.

Application: I need to treat the honor God has bestowed on me as just that an honor from God. He chose me I believe so that He can prove He can use anyone at any time. He has taken the most selfish man I knew and has given me a heart for others. He has used the testimony of a fool to help others find Him. I pray my Lord continues to use me to do His will.

Prayer: My Lord I am your servant and desire that you use me to do your will. That I will finish this race and that my eyes will always be open to see how you what me used each day. I love you Lord and I thank you for not giving up on a sinner like me.

Scripture: Galatians 6: [2] Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Observation: I can barely carry my own burdens let alone help others carry theirs. The sermon that brought me to the Lord was the one that told me Jesus died on the cross so that He could take my burdens from me and He did. I still choose to carry a few from time to time, not that they needed to be picked up at all. So how can I help others carry their burdens? I thought and have helped others with their burdens like the depression class, counseling, outreaches I helped by listening to someone in pain. I pray I helped them grow closer to Jesus so that they would trust Him with their burdens.

Application: To help others you need to be around them. I need to be more involved with others and the church. I need to do the depression class again, help with evangelism and not be afraid to reach out. There are so many people hurting and most need a listening ear and an introduction to the one who loves them more than anyone could possibly love them and take their burdens from them

Prayer: Dear Lord use me as your assistant to help draw others near to you. Give me wisdom and compassion for others so that I may say the right thing and have a heart for those that are hurting. I’m here to make a difference for you. Thank you for taking my burdens from me and help me help others.

Scripture: Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Observation: That is how I want to live by the spirit of God. I want Him to direct me and tell me how He wants me to live this life, but I seem to always get in the way. My sinful nature to be lazy, self-centered, prideful and lust get in my way of living a Godly life for my Lord. I know the spirit wants to guide me and He does at times, but too often I forget about the spirit and take things in my own hands and typically mess things up.

Application: I need to know that I’m not here for me but for my Lord and Savior. He has a plan for my life and He needs to take control and guide me each day. I need to what for Him to take first place in my life and that there is nothing else more important than that.

Prayer: My Lord I’m so sorry for continually allowing my sinful ways to take over. Give me wisdom to know what to do in every situation and guide me through this life that I may finish this race well.