Category: Daily Devotional

Scripture: Galatians 1: [24] And they praised God because of me.

Observation: Does anyone praise God because of me? I’m suppose to be living a life honoring God. If I was I would be loving, giving, caring for others and pointing them to God. I looked back at the last few weeks and can’t think of one instance that anyone would praise God because of me. It wouldn’t take a lot to reach out and contact someone, help someone with a chore, give money to someone in need without them asking, invite someone over for dinner or to show someone that my heart belongs to God.

Application: Stop just passing by people and start looking at them with the heart of God. Look for small opportunities to help or to smile and greet a stranger. Be more aware of my neighbors and find ways to help get out of my comfort zone and share God’s love.

Prayer: Dear Lord I thank you for all you give me, may I share it with others in glory and honor to you.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13: 11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Observation: I aim for mediocrity and usually hit the target. I barely get by and my walk with God seems to get slower. I know in my heart the things God desires, but my laziness, my own selfish desires seem to take over. God gave me perfection and all He has, yet I repay Him by giving what I want, not what He requires.

Application: Aim for perfection. Set my sights higher and plan how to succeed for God. Give God more of my time, love, talents and obedience. My thought life should be focused on the things of God not me. I need to get my distractions away and be focused on why I’m here.

Prayer: Dear Lord I need you to make me a better servant for you. Place in my heart the bulls eye of perfection, may I always aim for the prize of pleasing You.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12: [9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Observation: My weakness is when I realize I can’t do anything good on my own. I have no power of my own, just what is given to me from God. That power is His grace, because I deserve nothing. When I realize this and stop trying to do things in my own God can use His power to get things done through me

Application: Realize I have no power on my own and allow God to work through me. He allows me to decide whether I submit myself to Him or allow my pride to try to make things work.

Prayer: Dear Lord please, I submit to you. Take control and use me in any way you desire. I love you Lord. Your servant, Mark.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11: [14] And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Observation: I need to be careful because sometimes things seem to look good, but there not. I’ve been led astray with the combination of something seeming good and my desires to do it. If it was obviously not right I would turn from it, but Satan is clever and He knows how to push my buttons.

Application: Just because something appears to be okay doesn’t mean it is. I need to pray about it, ask myself why I want it. If it comes back as a selfish reason and not God honoring I need to back away. My purpose is to point others to Christ, help others, be a good steward and servant if the decisions in my life are not focused around these things, they’re wrong.

Prayer: My Lord keep me away from Satan schemes and open my eyes to your desires.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10: [17] But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Observation: Unfortunately my boasting is about me most of the time. I forget whatever I have or can do only comes from God. God deserves any credit for anything I might accomplish. To often I seek the praise of man, which wouldn’t bee too bad if I then pointed them to God who allows me to do the things I do.

Application: I need to be more humble in the things I do. I need to boast about my Lord and Savior and all He has done for me and through me. My love for God should be so obvious that after talking to me they should know God a little better.

Prayer: Dear Lord you deserve all my love, obedience, praise and time. Show me Lord how to live my life in glory and honor to You.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9: [8] And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Observation: God has given us grace, abilities, has taken care of our needs and everything else it takes to do good works. Not just every once in awhile, but all the time in every good work. We have no excuse not to do good things in glory and honor to God. It is not by our abilities that we accomplish these things, but by God, all He needs is a willing heart.

Application: To have that willing heart all the time, not just when I want to do something. God has given me His all, all the time, the least I can do is be obedient. I need to honor God by being available all the time to His calling.

Prayer: Dear Lord show me how to give my all to You. Take this laziness away and give me the heart of a loving servant.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8: [21] For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

Observation: Why should I care to do things right in the eyes of men? I am here to be a representative for Christ. Paul won the hearts of men so he could preach the gospel, otherwise no one would have listened. I need to be like Christ doing what is right, loving and caring to draw people to Him. My actions should prove to others I belong to God.

Application: Whatever I do, God is always watching and so are other people. Stop trying to get the praise of others and focus on how my actions and speech so it honors God.

Prayer: Dear Lord only with you can I become this man you desire me to be. Apart from you I can do nothing. Guide me each moment and show me how to honor you.