Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Posted on Jul 11, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Wednesday, July 11, 2018

“The God of Light”

by Dona Hake

“No one lights a lamp and then puts it in a cellar nor under a basket [hiding the light], but [instead it is put] on the lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive, focused on God], your whole body also is full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. But when it is bad [spiritually blind], your body also is full of darkness [devoid of God’s word]. Be careful, therefore, that the light that is in you is not darkness. So if your whole body is illuminated, with no dark part, it will be entirely bright [with light], as when the lamp gives you light with its bright rays.”
Luke 11:33-36 -Amplified version

Oh praise the Living God that we can be so honored that we carry this light within us for it is to show a world that is blinded by darkness that there is true light…that there really is a hope and purpose for one to live. That light also helps us as we purpose to walk the narrow path.

Oh that we would stay focused on our God that our body be full of His illuminating light for it is then that our life will bring Him glory for such a time as this!

Monday, July 9, 2018

Posted on Jul 9, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, July 9, 2018

“A Centered Hope”

by Dona Hake

“Blessed are those whose help comes from the God of Jacob,

whose hope is centered in the Eternal their God—

Who created the heavens, the earth, the seas,

and all that lives within them;

Who stays true and remains faithful forever…”
Psalm 146:5-6 -The Voice translation

David exhorted us in Psalm 31:21. He addressed all those whose hope is in the Lord their God, to be strong and live with great courage. Today let us purpose to live with centered hope, and enjoy the contentment and sweet joy that rules and reigns within us when we are focused on that hope we have in our living God.

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all
And sweetest in the gale is heard.”
Emily Dickinson

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Posted on Jul 6, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Saturday, July 7, 2018

“But Then God Called Me…”

“But then God called me by His grace; and in love,

He chose me from my birth to be His.” Galatians 1:15

The Passion Translation

“I would not, if I could, exchange places with the disciples, even on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Christ with whom they lived was a Christ limited by time and space. Was He in Galilee? Then He could not be found in Jerusalem. Was He in Jerusalem? Then men sought Him in vain in Galilee. But today Christ is limited neither by time nor space, for He lives in the power of an endless life, and the Father has been pleased to reveal Him in my heart. He was with them sometimes; He is with me always. They knew Him then after the flesh, saw Him, touched Him, lived with Him in the closest contact. “Now know we Him so no more,” and yet I know Him in truth, for I know Him as God is pleased He should be known. Has He not given me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him?” Watchmen Nee

We are called and equipped by His wonderful grace to serve Him all the days of our life. He lives within us, and He desires to express and reveal Himself in us with no limits! We carry within us a risen Lord that is able to do above and beyond all we dare ask or think! He is our Wonderful Counselor, our Teacher, and He leads us faithfully into the truth we need for the moment we are in. May we yearn to know Him as God desires that we know Him. We are so blessed to live in such a time as this for we are all a part of the greater work!

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Posted on Jun 27, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Wednesday, June 27, 2018

“But This Beautiful Treasure”

by Dona Hake

It was a Monday morning in North Wales, and we gathered in Arthur Burt’s dining room. I will never forget my trip to North Wales, as we got to sit under this man’s precious ministry and he shared precious and profound words of wisdom to those who were willing to hear. This is what he shared that morning.

“The jewels and pearl are in a jewelry case. This black box holds the pearl. Do people look at the pearl and say, “Oh!!! what a nice box!” This box simply holds the pearl or jewel , and carries and displays its beauty. So we should be as earthen vessels carrying His glory, not seeking for ourselves to be seen.” Arthur Burt

“But this beautiful treasure is contained in us— cracked pots made of earth and clay—so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not from us. We are cracked and chipped from our afflictions on all sides, but we are not crushed by them. We are bewildered at times, but we do not give in to despair. We are persecuted, but we have not been abandoned. We have been knocked down, but we are not destroyed. We always carry around in our bodies the reality of the brutal death and suffering of Jesus. As a result, His resurrection life rises and reveals its wondrous power in our bodies as well.”
2 Corinthians 4:7-10 – the Voice translation

Let us purpose to be those vessels cracked and broken as we humbly submit to our Lord’s hands. It is then that His life changing power will rise up within us, and be seen! That power will leak from us, and His great light and glorious power will affect the seeking hearts in our path.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Posted on Jun 26, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Tuesday, June 26, 2018

“Our Appointed Course”

by Dona Hake

“Making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:16-17 – Amplified version

“In God’s appointed course for you, it may be that today was to have been the greatest day of your life, yet you would let it slip as if it were any other day. The man who’s day is like his yesterday lacks a sense of God’s timings. No servant of the Lord should be content with present attainment, for to be satisfied with what is, is to be a loser of opportunities.“
Watchman Nee.

What a strong and wonderful exhortation to be extremely keen to the voice of our Lord, and to know that He has plans for each of us to do greater works. He desires that we respect and value the time that He has given us. May we grow in watching over our time as if it is a precious gem that is given to us for such a time as this. I love when divine appointments and opportunities happen in my life, and I do not want to miss them for anything. I am sure you too do not want to miss what God has in store for your day.

This meditation also challenges my heart to be mindful to be seeking His perfect timing each and every day. If we are in pace with God we can know when a perfect opportunity is before us, and many times those opportunities may await us in a very thin slice of time…His perfect time. As we purpose to follow our Lord ever so closely and listen to the words of His instruction for our path, even if a divine opportunity lies within a thin slice of time… that is one minute we will be sure not to miss. Let us be a people that use our time with wisdom and diligence.

Our God is the God of precision and focus and He is able to do above and beyond all that we dare ask or think as we yield our will, and our time to Him. God’s divine appointments pass swiftly so when the Lord moves, let us obediently move and flow by the direction of His hand. Today I pray that His hand of blessing and direction would be upon your appointed course that He has assigned to you!

Monday, June 25, 2018

Posted on Jun 25, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, June 25, 2018

“When Hurdles and Hindrances Bring Growth”

by Dona Hake

A few years ago I was blessed to be able to take painting lessons from an extremely talented woman. Her paintings amazed me, and I would sit in awe as she would skillfully paint in front of us our class for teaching and illustrative purposes. I can remember the times that she would show a different painting technique and she would sense my frustration as I was trying and not doing well. She would come and stand behind me and embrace my hand showing me how to angle my brush, etc. I loved this experience of learning especially the art of learning to work through struggles when I felt I was not grasping the different techniques she was teaching.

I can remember once I had almost completed a painting and I was so pleased with it but then I made a big mistake. Well…in my eyes it was a big mistake, but in the teacher’s eyes it was an opportunity. She would always encourage us that those so called “mistakes” were opportunities to create. She would tell us to have fun with it and see what comes of it. I was amazed that many of my paintings had my “mistakes” hidden under what only the eye could see. It was only me that knew that there was originally a mistake but it was turned around as a result of reaching into those creative abilities that God had helped me to learn.

This teacher’s teaching techniques taught me a life lesson. Many times we may be tempted to trash whatever we are trying to do because of a mistake. Sometimes we may quit because it is not perfect enough. We need to see hindrances, hurdles, or mistakes as opportunities to excel and grow in new things. It is in those times if we allow the Master Painter to work on the canvas of our heart that we may see some pretty amazing outcomes. Along with those amazing outcomes we can walk away with knowledge and wisdom for future application in our life. As we stay humble and willing, our Lord knows how to take our hurdles, hindrances, or mistakes, and help us to grow in that process.

Romans 8:28

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God “

~~~~~♥~~~~~

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Posted on Jun 23, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Saturday, June 23, 2018

“We Must Let Him Flow Freely”

by Dona Hake

“If God knocks the bottom (takes away blockages)

out of you, this makes you His channel.

We cannot contain God (keep Him shut up with in us),

we must let Him flow freely.“

Arthur Burt

We are all capable of permitting blockages to hinder the work of our Lord in us if we do not heed to Him when He speaks to us through His Word. We need to keep our eyes and ears open, and purpose to keep and hold fast to His Word that He may flow freely and accomplish great things through us.

“My son, pay attention to all the words I am telling you. Lean in closer so you may hear all I say. Keep them before you; meditate on them; set them safely in your heart. For those who discover them, they are life. They bring wholeness and healing to their bodies. Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life.
Proverbs 4:20-23 – The Voice

“Lean in closer so you can hear all that I say…”. Oh how important it is that we be so attentive to the voice of our Lord. God has filled us for His purposes and He desires to keep His life flow moving in us. Just as He gave His all, He desires we give our all. We are here for such a time as this!

As we seek Him humbly for His work in us He will go after anything that causes hindrances and blockages. Let us permit the work of His hand in our hearts. Lean in closer to Him today and purpose to hear all that He has to say for He desires to live and move and have His being in!

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Posted on Jun 20, 2018 in Devotions |

DEVOTIONAL FOR Wednesday, June 20, 2018

“If You Live In the Past”

by Dona Hake

I can remember a few years ago Pastor Bill sharing these words of wisdom in his message… “If you live in the past, you’ll have no current joy.” I think one of the saddest things is seeing people live in the pain of their past yet they have so much to be thankful for in the present moment. If you live in the past, even when there are good things going on around you, you may be hindered from even noticing them. The past has the ability to rob you of the good things that are in your life RIGHT NOW! We need to stop and purposely think of each and every good thing that God has blessed us with. If you allow your mind to dwell on the memories of the past you will miss the joy of the moment.

Philippians 3:13 (TLB)

“No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing

all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…”

I want to encourage you today that if you are tempted to look over your shoulder into your past to stop! Stop and look at who you are today and how far God has brought you. Stop and think about every blessing you possess whether it be spiritual blessings, family, friends or material things.

Let us not allow the wonderful joys in our present be robbed from us because we feel we are unable to go forward. Know this, God can heal you from the pain and scars of your past. He can give you hope for a future, and He can bring joy unspeakable into your heart and peace that passes all understanding that will permeate your mind. Permit the Lord to give you the strength to continue to move forward as you live in the present moment!

Tuesday, June 19th, 2018

Posted on Jun 19, 2018 in Devotions |

DEVOTIONAL FOR Tuesday, June 19, 2018

“For That Is Just the Time”

by Dona Hake

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against

you until it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never

give up then, for that is just the time and place that the tide

will turn.” Harriet Beecher Stowe

I love this quote. It makes me wonder how many times that I have given up on something or someone just when the tide was ready to turn. I cannot help but think of Peter as he stepped out of the boat upon the Lord’s command. “Come Peter!” I can only imagine what was going through Peter’s mind as he looked down, and saw himself walking on the water. His faith was at work and he was defying the impossible. Yet when his mind became focused on the wind, waves and the all the storm brought, he began to sink. Jesus reached out His hand to Peter, took a firm hold and kept him above water. The thing that always hit me the hardest with this account was that Peter was only an arm’s reach away from Jesus.

How many times are we just an arm’s reach away from the finish line of success and the goal we have set before us. How many times is the tide ready to turn and we throw up our hands and give up.

We must apply diligence and persistence to all we set ourselves to do. It is as we do this that we can pass on the torch of what we learned in our accomplishment to those that need this same word of encouragement!

“And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for

after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing

if we don’t get discouraged and give up.”

Galatians 6:9 TLB

Monday, June 18TH DEVOTIONAL

Posted on Jun 18, 2018 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, June 18th, 2018

“Pray Simply and Simply Pray”

by Dona Hake

There is so much power in simplicity. I believe this truth can be applied to every area of our life especially prayer. Many times may think that because our problem is so complicated that our prayers require complicated wording and thoughts. May we never judge another’s prayer to be ineffective simply because they did not pray the words you might have said. God sees the heart and that is the most important thing of all. He desires that we keep our hearts clean, and humble before Him in order that we may serve Him without inward distractions. Oh the power of the simple cry for help to our Lord!

I would like to share a precious prayer that is in one of my favorite books on prayer. I want you to take note of how simple yet profound it really is.

“Help me to live this day quietly and easily,

To lean upon Thy great strength trustfully and restfully,

To wait for the unfolding of thy will patiently and serenely,

To meet others peacefully, and joyfully,

And to face tomorrow confidently and courageously.”

Anonymous

The beginning of this prayer is asking to live the day quietly and easily. I love this. I do not see this as a request for the easy way but rather that one’s heart would remain quiet in the midst of any confusion or difficulties that may be encountered. How beautiful it is to wait patiently as His hand directs His will in our life and on that path we will seek to be at peace and maintain joy as we live and work with those around us. How powerful this simple prayer is yet it will help us see our tomorrow with confidence and courage rather than dread and fear. Remember to simply pray and pray simply. God bless you!

Devotional Archives

6 Responses to “Devotional”

Lisa Viands says:

November 8, 2013 at 5:05 pm

This is a good way of teaching the kids to forgive each other(Matt. 5:7). I like the power of this gentle scripture and lesson… Thanks!!
- Dona Hake says:
  
  November 8, 2013 at 11:15 pm
  
  thank you Lisa for sharing. I am blessed that this was a blessing to you!
Selena Neely says:

November 18, 2013 at 3:07 pm

Ralph &I are really enjoying your devotional together.
- Dona Hake says:
  
  November 18, 2013 at 3:29 pm
  
  So glad this is blessing you both!
Selena Neely says:

November 19, 2013 at 12:50 pm

Oh, what a wonderful reminder! I want to break the magnifing glass of worry and trust God for each step I take.
Dona Hake says:

November 20, 2013 at 2:41 am

It is interesting Selena how the more we worry the bigger and more magnified things get in our minds. Oh how important it is to trust our God for the smallest of things! Thank you for sharing!