Posted on Jul 30, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Isaiah 58:11 (ERV)
“The Lord will always lead you and satisfy your needs in dry lands.
He will give strength to your bones.
You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring that never goes dry.”
As we draw upon the living water from above, let us be mindful to share that water that gives life with those around us. Let us be thankful that the water He gives is the only water that will quench the thirst of the human soul. I love how this scripture in Isaiah says that we will be “like a garden that has plenty of water, a spring that never goes dry.” No matter how much we draw upon it, those waters will continue to flow toward us to meet our every need! The only requirement is that we continue to seek Him and draw upon that river of life that proceeds from Him.
This type of abundance is not just for our survival alone but it is there for us to give. God desires to see us active in doing good for others from a heart of faith and love.I encourage you to think about the abundance in your life, and how He would have you be a blessing to those around you. Think about the many times He has rescued you from a problem that seemed unsolvable. Thank Him for those times that your anxiety tormented you and His peace permeated you beyond your understanding. We have so much to be thankful for and as we focus on those blessings, we will be in a position to refresh those around us. God bless you!
Posted on Jul 29, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
I heard a precious woman share how she was told while she was pregnant that the baby had absolutely no chance of living. The doctor emphasized that there was a 100% chance that the baby would never be born. The devastation that this couple experienced must have been unreal. They began to share how their faith caused them to rise to a place of hope. Against hope they believed in hope! They pressed in and moved forward in the whole bleak situation and were able to get a doctor that would work with them and sure enough the baby was born. The doctor dared to do a particular procedure that sustained the baby and she was born. This little one has some obstacles to face but I am sure this couple’s faith will continue in this little one’s journey of being an overcomer.
I think the thing that really touched my heart is how awesome it was that God used someone like this doctor to step into their life at time when there looked like no hope was in the future for them. Many times it may look like no one believes that things will turn around but it only takes one to step up and take hold of your hope and stand with you. I have been there. I remember being told that I more than likely would lose my first son. I had lost so much blood and even though they saw the fetus with heartbeat, they refused to give me an ultrasound picture. They felt very sure that in the next week my baby would be miscarried. I thank God for those that stepped in and persevered in prayer with me. I thank God to this day for my son that is now thirty one years of age. Because of the faith and hope of many, I was able to take hold of hope that appeared very dim at one point.
Today, I encourage you to never underestimate the power of your prayers and words of encouragement in the life of someone that may be losing hope. God is faithful to take His words and cause faith and hope to spark where one is growing weak.
Romans 15:13 (AMP)
“May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit
you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.”
Posted on Jul 28, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Eleven little preschoolers and they all seemed to arrive at church with an extra dose of energy and I am planning to bring them a teaching about being still before God. It was almost funny to me standing in front of them because I love how God is faithful to help me grab and keep their attention frozen on me for a few minutes. In that few minutes it is my heart to nail them with a truth that will help guide their little heart.
“Okay, everyone, look at me, look me straight in the eyes…at the count of three I want all of you to sing as loud as you can. You sing what ever you want to sing. If you don’t know a song then you just sing la la la!!!” Their eyes were fixed on me as I did the count down and boy were they loud! “Okay, now stop, everyone stop and be as quiet as you can!” They immediately obeyed and were still. It amazed me how this little moment of fun pulled them into total receptivity to receive a truth about being still that they can hear God and their hearts.
I proceeded to share with them that it would have been impossible for them to hear me say anything when they were singing loudly but when they got quiet they could hear me plain and clear. I told them many times our heart is trying to speak and tell us the right thing to do, but our minds are so loud we cannot hear. “Our minds are so busy thinking about what we are going to play, what we are going to say, where we are going to go.” They totally connected and understood where I was going.
The visual I gave them was a stoplight. I focused much on the red light. As each child sat and listened I asked them, “How many times have you felt your heart tell you to stop?? You know, times you are going to say or do something bad and your heart is trying to stop you.” I have to say at that split second their little eyes were preciously fixed upon me. They understood all too well that they all had experienced their hearts acting as “stop signs, and trying to keep them out of trouble.
Can I tell you how many times I have shared with the little children in my church and God is ministering to my heart as well in great doses? I walked away from my own teaching being reminded that as I am faithful to study God’s Word , and keep my heart quiet that I will sense the “stop signs” that the Lord is warning me with. He will also be able to prompt me to go forward with His divine “green lights” as well. Today, I am reminded to keep my heart toward Him and remain with a heart of child likeness. Let us be still and know that He is God in every area of our life.
Posted on Jul 27, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Have you ever spoken these words to yourself at the end of a day, “I just wish this day would never ever happened” or I wish I could just do this day all over again.” Truth is we have all probably thought this and we all have had those days. But the real truth of the matter is that you cannot make a day happen all over again.
When we wake in the morning we need to consciously make an effort to remind ourselves that God’s mercies are new and fresh every morning! He awaits for you to seek His face and bring everything to Him that concerns your heart. There is not a one of us that were created to carry the burdens this life brings to us.
Psalm 143:8 The Voice (VOICE) Make me hear of Your faithful love in the
morning, for I trust in You. Teach me how I should walk, for I offer my soul up to
You.
As we greet our day let us ask Him to cause us to hear that which He desires to speak to us. He is faithful to show us the right paths. He is faithful to make the crooked places straight. It is as we lift our souls to Him that He will begin to speak to us that which we need to hear to meet the challenges of our day.
I once heard this quote and I love it. “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” How true these few words are. We can use problems or difficulties that arise in our day as an opportunity to grow or we can allow them to bring us down. We have so much power in the choices we make. Let us choose each day to greet Him with a willingness to hear of His faithful love. Permit Him to teach you today how you should walk and turn any difficulties into divine opportunities for Him!
Posted on Jul 26, 2014 in Devotions |
“The Lord will provide!” Let this fact never become just a cliche to us that we speak. These words are loaded with the truth that we serve a God that is able to meet ANY need. There is not a thing in our life that we may be lacking that is too hard for Him to take care of.
Psalm 23:1 (AMP)
” The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.”
He brings us His Daily Bread, and He promises to fill us up to overflowing all that our spirit needs to be nourished, and this Bread sustains us for our day. We must never try to carry yesterday’s bread into the needs of another day. Each day brings new demands and sometimes troubles, and it is important that you fill up and draw upon the spiritual nourishment He has for you each day. He will provide you with spiritual food for the specific needs of each day.
He will also provide the guidance for each moment of your day. Some days I meet my day with so many various demands, and I must remind myself to not be led by my demanding “to-do” lists but rather allow Him to order and lead my day. He promises to provide guidance that my steps would be ordered by Him. He will provide guidance.
There may be days in which you can see the difficulties and strategies of the enemy are relentlessly wearing you down. Remember to never be weary in well doing yet David reminds us in this Psalm that the Lord desires to be our loving shield. He longs to keep our hearts and minds at peace even as the battle may be going on around us. The Lord will provide a shield for you.
Let us meditate on the Lord as our wonderful and loving provider, and we surely will never lack any good thing. What is it that you need in the present moment?? The Lord will provide!!
~~~~~♥~~~~~
Posted on Jul 25, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
There is power in our words. We have the power through our words to build up and encourage. We also have the power to discourage tear down, or destroy. Our words can cause hurt and pain, yet we can also speak words that heal, and bring hope.
As I began to prepare this I saw three things relative to our words and mountains. Our words can encourage another’s heart so greatly that they feel like they are on a mountain top. You have built up and encouraged their heart simply because you have chosen words that have brought edification to their heart. Our words can also move mountains in our life if we dare to fill our hearts with faith and believe for mountains to move. There is also the very negative force that words can bring and that is to hinder the heart of someone because you have spoken from a heart of negativity. Negative words can tear down and create self doubt in someone. Did you ever meet someone that is full of potential yet negative words from their past have frozen their steps from going forward into the purposes God has for them? People go through life with negative “mountains” in their life because of negative words spoken over them. This is so sad, yet it should serve to remind us to keep our mouths shut when we are tempted to speak negative things to people.
Colossians 4:6 (AMP)
” Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as
it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to
answer anyone [who puts a question to you.”
Today I encourage you to think about the words that proceed from your mouth. Are they building people up or could they be possibly creating a mountain that someday will be the battle of their heart and mind. Think as well about the power of your words when your heart is filled with faith. The mountains that may be hindering your life can be moved as you speak words of faith.
“”The truth is, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, then God will do it for you.” Mark 11:23 ERV
Posted on Jul 24, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Genesis 1 :1-3 (DARBY)
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
And the earth was waste and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light. And there was light.
And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided between the light and the darkness. “
One of the first things the living God did during creation was separate the light from the dark. He saw it to be a good thing that light stood out from the darkness. We wake up to our mornings and at night the sky grows dark yet in this world we can see that spiritual darkness still hovers over the lives of people that do not know Him. This darkness serves to create confusion and lack of direction to those that are lost. Darkness in one’s life can bring great depression and lack of hope to a soul. For such a time as this, we are called to be lights in the midst of darkness. He is watching for those that desire to shine like a light because He has been given the light that never grows dim.
Psalm 112:4 The Voice
“When life is dark, a light will shine for those who live rightly— those
who are merciful, compassionate, and strive for justice.”
It is interesting that even as I am trying to create this devotional, the electric has gone out three times. Total darkness surrounded me and I could not see anything in front of me. This serves to remind me how important even a little light is in the midst of total darkness. Never underestimate how God is using you as a light in someone’s life.
“People don’t light a lamp and then put it in a closet or under a basket. Rather, they place the lamp on a lampstand so that those who enter the house can see the light.”
I encourage you today that if you know the Lord Jesus to carry His light that burns within you to those that have no hope. God is looking for a people that will place their lamp before those that need to see in the midst of their darkness. We live in a time of great opportunity to be used by Him…seize the opportunity!
Posted on Jul 23, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
I can remember singing this song as a little girl. “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” was written by Helen H. Lemmel in 1922. Such a beautiful hymn with beautiful words to ponder and meditate upon.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace…”
I think these words are particularly powerful … “and the things of earth will grow strangely dim…” It is interesting to think about the fact that as we become more heavenly minded as our gaze is upon Jesus, that the earth has less of a grip on our hearts. May we keep reminding ourselves and each other that we are just passing through and our eyes need to be looking upward.
What does it take to distract us and look away from the Heavenly goal? Much of the time, it is the cares of this world that can shift our attention and it can happen so easily. The Word of God says in Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)”Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
As we look to Him in the light of His glory and grace, the things that once seemed to matter, do not seem to hold the weight they once did. You rest in the knowing that God’s love lifts you up and the things of this earth are not as clear as your Heavenly vision. You just know that you serve such a big God and He is well able to cause everything to work for the good and His purposes. This most surely is the peace that passes all understanding!
I encourage you today to look into His face, look into His Word, listen to Him when He speaks to you. As we place our eyes in His direction, He will cause us to see things from a heavenly perspective.
Posted on Jul 22, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
1 Samuel 16:7(ERV)
“… God doesn’t look at what people see. People judge by what is on the
outside, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 (VOICE)
“… for the Eternal One does not pay attention to what humans value.
Humans only care about the external appearance, but the Eternal considers
the inner character.”
Today I want you to consider seeing yourself and others as God sees. Many times we can be guilty of judging a person or situation by the outward appearance. We stop at that and this is so very wrong. The old saying, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” is so very true. Many times we do not give people a chance simply because we are not looking closely and deeply into their heart.
I believe as we pray diligently and ask God for His wisdom into every matter He will begin to open our eyes and impart His sight to us. I find it so sad that many times we fall short of being merciful and forgiving because we are just being wise in our own eyes in our judgments of people and situations. Let us be cautious in this matter as we encounter people. Let us seek to see as God sees.
I pray today that you will look to Him and let His eyesight become yours. I believe as we do this we will begin to see ourselves grow in God’s mercy and His forgiveness like never before.
~~~~~♥~~~~~
Posted on Jul 21, 2014 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
As the Word of God tells us… “To everything there is a season.” Some seasons are longer than others. Some come with laughter, growth and your heart is sure that you are in the right place. Yet there are some seasons in life that bring pain and even fear if we feel uncertainty about what is going on in our todays and tomorrows. We must see our future in faith and not allow our hearts to be robbed of the joy of today because we worry about our tomorrows.
I can remember a particular time in my life when as a mother my heart was being tempted to fear and worry.The day came when our youngest son came to us and shared that he felt it to be the will of God that he serve his country. I wanted to support his decision, after all he was an adult and he was feeling a change of direction in his life. As time passed and it drew closer to him leaving for boot camp, my husband and I both experienced a peace and I thank God for that. I must admit though I still would be tempted to worry.
Whenever we ever encounter things for the first time it can be very challenging to our minds yet we must remind ourselves that it is God that knows our future and He desires that we put all our trust in Him. I knew in a matter of weeks our son would be done boot camp and from there he would be deployed to Iraq. There would be times I would battle with lack of focus because of the worry that was trying to grip my heart.
One day when I was somewhat preoccupied, I decided to go to the mall and pick up a few things. On my way into one store I passed some wall hangings and there were all of these pictures with encouraging words. One of them seemed to jump right off the shelf and catch my eye.
“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”
These words spoke volumes to my heart and I just had to have it. I brought it home and hung it and read it often. I cannot tell you how many days I would read that and it would remind me to concern myself only with the day I was living in. I was reminded not to wonder what was in my tomorrow but to let it in the hands of God. I am still amazed how quickly his time serving his country went.
To this day that sign hangs in our home and it continues to minister to my heart. I can testify that God’s hand was on our son everyday that he has been gone whether he was on American soil, Iraq or Afghanistan. Living by faith is truly entrusting ourselves to Him and entrusting our future to Him. Don’t worry about tomorrow but place tomorrow into His hands. I encourage you today that if your heart is fretting about your future…just stop…and give it to Jesus. God bless you as you serve Him today and know that He has all of your tomorrows in His hands.
