Monday, May 14, 2018
Devotional for Tuesday, May 15, 2018
“The Bread We Need For Today”
by Dona Hake
Matthew 6:11 (CEB)
“Give us the bread we need for today.”
“…the bread we need today.“ These words are a reminder to live one day at a time. They remind me that I serve a faithful God that knows exactly what I need today, and He will provide it. It is so easy to become preoccupied with tomorrow and its needs. Our Lord instructed us in His Word in Matthew 6:11 to simply ask. We need to believe Him to give us the nourishment our spirit man needs to thrive and grow. May we desire the bread from heaven for it is truly our sustenance. As He faithfully sustained us today, He will surely sustain the needs of our tomorrows.
Physical hunger will prompt us to eat, and of course we need to feed our bodies that we be healthy and have energy for this life. Therefore, let us also understand that our spirit man needs to be kept fed from the Bread of Heaven that it be strong and healthy. Let us not be deceived to think that we can live on the fumes of yesterday’s faith and testimonies. May we be diligent to read His Word and meditate upon it daily in order that our spirit, soul and mind are thriving on the nourishment of this Bread of Life.
Oh Lord, we ask You for the needed bread for this day, and we believe we receive it. We thank You that you are well able to give to us in accordance to our needs. Oh Lord you are the wonderful provision for our life, and for that we are thankful!
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Devotional for Saturday, May 12, 2018
“Your Life…A Garden of Refreshment!”
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 abiding in His presence, fellowshipping with Him, and reading His Word, WE WILL be those that are full of strength from above. WE SHALL be as gardens with a plenteous supply of of God’s living water. Are you ready to share that strength and holy spring from above with those around you today? Let us be thankful that the water He gives is the only water that will quench those that are needy and thirsty. 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 likened to the scripture I shared a few days ago. We will have so much falling from above that it will spill over into our laps! This 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.
Today I encourage you to think about the abundance in your life. Praise Him for how He meets your needs, and the many testimonies that you carry in your heart of His faithfulness. Seek opportunities to look to be a blessing in someone’s life. I pray that the life of Jesus within will touch someone today. Expect the unexpected opportunities to be part of the greater work He desires to do through us in Jesus Name!
Friday, May 11, 2018
Devotional for Friday, May 11, 2018
“The Power of Forgiveness”
by Dona Hake
“How happy is the person whose sin the Eternal will not take into account. How happy are those who no longer lie to themselves or others. When I refused to admit my wrongs, I was miserable, moaning and complaining all day long so that even my bones felt brittle. Day and night, Your hand kept pressing on me. My strength dried up like water in the summer heat; You wore me down. [pause] When I finally saw my own lies, I owned up to my sins before You, and I did not try to hide my evil deeds from You. I said to myself, “I’ll admit all my sins to the Eternal,” and You lifted and carried away the guilt of my sin. [pause]
Psalm 32:1-5 – The Voice
Psalm 32:1-5 – The Voice
While you can hear the sorrow here in David’s words, there is such a precious beauty in the heart of one that desires to be right with God. Yesterday I shared about God‘s hand upon us to lead us, encourage us and even stop us when we are about to get off the path that He desires for us to walk in. Here in this translation David said he was miserable, he moaned and complained until he felt it was affecting his health and the strength of his bones. Then he said, “Day and night, Your hand kept pressing on me.” Once again, we see God’s hand at work. God did not let up on David as He dealt with David in the depths of his heart. David saw his heart with its lies, and he owned up to his sin before God…from there his true repentance and forgiveness happened.
Oh the beauty of admitting when we have sinned and done wrong. As we acknowledge our sin and we do not attempt to cover it up, the Lord is quick to forgive and wash away our sin and its guilt . To confess our sin is to agree with God, acknowledging that His ways are right and to declare what we have done is sinful, and that we are wrong to desire to do it.God loves when we confess to Him anything that would keep us from him in order that we may follow him more faithfully. Oh I am so thankful for the blood of our Lord Jesus that we can walk free from the guilt of our sin. God is so good!
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Devotional for Thursday, May 10, 2018
“When His Hand Reaches Down”
by Dona Hake
Psalm 63:8 (VOICE)
” My soul clings to You;
Your right hand reaches down and holds me up.”
” My soul clings to You;
Your right hand reaches down and holds me up.”
The work of His Spirit in our life should be met with expectancy every time we pray. There are days that I feel His loving hand give me the push that I need, and it’s called courage. Sometimes I feel Him tugging at my heart because I am about to miss something that is important mainly because I am preoccupied with something else. Sometimes I feel His loving hand holding me back as my soul is insistent on moving forward. It is in those times that He was keeping me from taking a step forward in the wrong direction. I especially love when I can almost sense His hand across my mouth so I do not speak words that would offend or hurt others. His loving and caring hand in our life is so sweet. I hope you too are looking for His loving hand at work in your life! Live in the expectancy of it and He will always meet you where you are and uphold you as your soul clings to Him.
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Devotional for Wednesday, May 9, 2018
“He Gives Us Eyes To See What He Sees”
by Dona Hake
Today I would like to share with you a very special testimony of mine. Many years ago we had a Christian school, and we were feeling it was time to add a high school to it. Pastor Bill had asked me if I would be open to teach the typing/computer class to the students. While I did very well in typing when I was in high school, I was apprehensive if I could teach it to students. Deep in my heart I knew I was supposed to do it yet I had so much doubt in myself and my abilities. I struggled deeply with stepping out on this. I had so much fear that I would fail.
One day, a missionary friend of ours stopped by the school before the new school year started. Brother Emma Okorie saw me in the hall of the school,and he asked me how I was doing.I could see that he sensed in his spirit that I was not myself and I was troubled. I began to share with him my apprehensiveness relative to stepping out and teaching. He looked at me with great intensity and I just knew he was going to exhort me. The words he spoke gave me courage to step into God’s perfect will for that appointed time in my life. He looked into my eyes and with great boldness he spoke… “Sister, the Lord wants to unlock and release surprises in you that you are not even aware of!” Wow! The Lord was seeing something in me, and He desired to release it! Once again I will refer to the quote I shared yesterday.
“I saw an angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.“
Michelangelo
The Lord sees the depths of our hearts and He gives us eyes to see what He is seeing and desiring. The Word of God tells us to delight ourselves in Him, and He will place desires within our heart. He will also help us discover gifts and talents that are deep within us. I want to mention that no matter how young or how old you are, God desires to continue to do a great work in you. I have learned that you just never know what the Lord has in store as we continue to move into His will and serve Him all the days of our life.
Lord, give us eyes to see the things in us that we have not yet discovered. There are many gifts in all of us, and they are there for specific and appointed times in Your plan. Give us the courage to step out and do those things that may seem too big for our minds to except, and may we not compare them to our own ability but rather compare them to Your grace. In Jesus Name amen!
Monday, May 7, 2018
Devotional for Tuesday, May 8, 2018
“Confident In His Work”
by Dona Hake
“God began doing a good work in you, and
I am ·sure [confident; persuaded] he will
continue it until it is ·finished
[completed; perfected] ·when Jesus Christ comes again
[ on the day of Christ Jesus;
the final day of judgment and reward].”
Philippians 1:6 – EXB
Philippians 1:6 – EXB
That which our loving Creator and Lord has started in us is a wonderful work. We were fearfully and wonderfully made for specific assignments while we live in these bodies here on earth.
Our God is loving, faithful and relentless as He watches over us. When we set our hearts to run the race, and be pleasing to Him, He runs along side of us infusing us with the strength, needed for the moment. While others may not notice what He is doing in us, it matters not for God is steady at work. I love how the Voice translation has worded Philippians 1:6…
“I am confident that the Creator, who has begun such a great work among you, will not stop in mid-design but will keep perfecting you…”.
We are all a work in progress by the hands of a Creator that understands our weaknesses, When we mess up He does not give up…He will never stop for He has given us His wonderful grace to draw upon. His Word, His wisdom, His strength…all help us continue as He continues His work in us. He knows all of our tomorrows, and He knows the beginning from the end. Praise God He will not stop in mid-design as we continue to set our eyes on Him to finish this race!
These thoughts and meditations that I shared with you today were inspired by this
quote …
quote …
“I saw an angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.“
Michelangelo
Michelangelo
Our loving God sees beautiful things and great potential. He sees gifts that we are not even aware of…they are for appointed times and purposes in our lives . Praise Him today for His wonderful work in you!
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Devotional for Saturday, May 5, 2018
“God Does Not Look At How Much We Do…”
by Dona Hake
As we are obedient to the voice of the Lord let us give what we have been given for He will surely bless it. Along with obedience in our giving let us always be mindful to do it in a heart of love. No matter how small or great the deed may be, if God is speaking to us and we are obedient, our heart and the work of our hands will be blessed.
Mother Teresa understood the working of God’s love. She said it beautifully “God does not look at how much we do, but with how much love we do it.“.
The Scriptures speak to us in Luke 6:38 Easy to Read version “Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands – more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.“
So He has placed within us hearts with the capacity to give, and He will provide opportunities as we seek Him. Let us have a heart to pray that we can be vessels to meet the needs of others.
May we have ears to listen to His voice that we may speak words to encourage as we share God’s revealed wisdom within us. Proverbs 18:4b “…The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].” May we walk in obedience to the Lord when He speaks to us to give of ourselves. He will fill our hearts with the needed wisdom for the moment. All that we need will be poured into our hands – more than we can hold. This my friends IS the life of abundance! Today I encourage you to open your hands and heart to God to receive from Him that you can give to those around that which the Lord has so graciously blessed you with.
Friday, May 4, 2018
Devotional for Friday, May 4, 2018
“The Contrite Spirit”
My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart [broken with
sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent],
such, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17 – Amplified
Psalm 51:17 – Amplified
Psalm 51 so precious as David wrote, and pleaded for God‘s mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing. I especially love verses one and two of this chapter. David asks for mercy according to God‘s great compassion. This stands out to me as I am meditating upon this scripture because David‘s plea was in accordance to him knowing and understanding deep within his heart the loving and faithful nature of his God. He knew the heart of his God! He understood how badly he messed up, yet in his brokenness, once again he looked to his God and sought to be right with him. David was a man after God’s own heart!
Today as I meditate upon this scripture my heart is reflecting and thankful for the privilege and blessing to be able to stand before a loving God in the good times and in the times I mess up. I know I can ask and expect Him to cleanse me whenever I need His forgiveness in order that I be back in rightstanding with Him. Also when He pursues His search in our hearts… you know those unseen and untouched places that I have been sharing about… let Him have His way. He longs to touch the smallest of things that would hinder us from serving Him. God looks for us to willingly permit Him to humble us by His Word.
We can never please God with outward actions -no matter how good we are – if our inward heart and attitude is not right, we must seek to make it right. Again, no matter how big or small or wrongs may be, may we seek the Lord‘s hand upon us to be ever molding and making us into his image that we can serve Him and bring forth His glory.
Devotional for Thursday, May 3, 2018
Devotional for Thursday, May 3, 2018
“His Work and Ways In the Unseen Places”
“But You, Eternal One, wrap around me like
an impenetrable shield. You give me glory
and lift my eyes up to the heavens.”
Psalm 3:3 – the Voice
Even though we walk through valleys at times, He wraps around us like an impenetrable shield, His glory is upon us, and He takes His loving hands and lifts our face towards the heavens for HE IS the glory and the lifter of our heads!
It is in the valleys of life that a deep work can take place within us…if we permit Him to do so. Yes…we can walk through trials and come out with a testimony, and our spiritual roots in spite of the trial become deeper in Him.
Now I will share with you once again from my notes from a Friday evening in North Wales many years ago. If we desire to be used by God, He will work deep within us, He will lovingly go after anything that would hinder Him working purely and powerfully within our hearts. He works His ways in His divine wisdom as He changes our hearts and works in the unseen and untouched places of our hearts.
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(notes I took from the ministry of Arthur Burt)
The cross is married to the crown. If you want to go to the mountain tops, He will take you to the valley. If the purpose of His glory is one thousand feet up, He will take you one thousand feet down. If at one thousand feet down you begin to squeal “Why am I going through this?” or “Where is God in all of this?” This is the point in height that you may be tempted to take God’s glory, and be tempted to pride. To the degree or depth you have allowed God to crucify your flesh, this will be the degree of glory that He will allow you to carry.
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Our Lord desires that we exhibit His light and glory in every word and deed we do for Him. May our hearts always be…”To God be the glory!” Yesterday I shared with you from Psalm 51:6 “… In the unseen places deep within me You show me wisdom.“ It is many times when we are in the valleys and we have no more strength, that just like Paul we acknowledge our weakness and begin to feel His strength, His glory, and His wonderful work with in our hearts. Yes!!! it is in those times that we can declare that He is working in the unseen places deep within us, and it is a good thing. He is working in areas and growing our roots deeper into the ground, and our height in spirit will give glory to His Name!!
Today I encourage you to continue to permit the Lord to work a deep work in your heart in those unseen places that He may reveal His glory through your actions and words in Jesus Name!
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Devotional for Tuesday, May 1, 2018
“….In Unseen Places…”
by Dona Hake
“But still, You long to enthrone truth throughout my being;
in unseen places deep within me, You show me wisdom.”
Psalm 51:6 (The Voice)
Many years ago I studied a book by Watchman Nee. He shared a truth that made an impression and impact on me. He shared an analogy of our souls receiving the light and truth of our Lord. He spoke of our souls, and likened them to the virgin caverns of a cave. These are caverns that have not yet been touched therefore they have not seen light and still remain undiscovered. He was likening the caverns of our soul as deep places within us in which God‘s light and life flow freely yet there are caverns within our souls that have not yet been touched with God‘s truth and light.
Many years ago I studied a book by Watchman Nee. He shared a truth that made an impression and impact on me. He shared an analogy of our souls receiving the light and truth of our Lord. He spoke of our souls, and likened them to the virgin caverns of a cave. These are caverns that have not yet been touched therefore they have not seen light and still remain undiscovered. He was likening the caverns of our soul as deep places within us in which God‘s light and life flow freely yet there are caverns within our souls that have not yet been touched with God‘s truth and light.
There are places within each of us that desperately need touched by the life changing words and hand of our Lord. There are also those places that you have been touched deeply, and you have been changed miraculously. But even with that said He still wants to work deeper in every area touched or untouched within us.
My next thought as I ponder this brings me to sharing the truth of the importance that each of us seek God with all of our heart that He would show us those areas within us that still need touched by His Word so He can continue to mold us with His loving hand.
So the scripture in Psalm 51:6 speaks that He longs to enthrone truth throughout our being. Oh Lord! Permeate our being with the truth that we need to continue to be transformed by Your loving hand. Let us be reminded that the truth that we know should be guarded and not compromised by what we feel or do not feel like doing. Truth must reign or be enthroned above our feelings, emotions, and it should not moved by what is going on around us.
Let us ask Him today for continued wisdom and strength as we purpose to guard and keep the truth that we have embraced and enthroned within us. May we also keep open hearts that He can speak to us about those spiritual virgin caverns of our souls. May we long for His light to touch every part of our being, all those unseen places in Jesus Name!
Blessed and favored by God are those who keep His testimonies, And who [consistently] seek Him and long for Him with all their heart.
Psalm 119:2 – Amplified version
Psalm 119:2 – Amplified version
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!!
thank you Lisa for sharing. I am blessed that this was a blessing to you!
Ralph &I are really enjoying your devotional together.
So glad this is blessing you both!
Oh, what a wonderful reminder! I want to break the magnifing glass of worry and trust God for each step I take.
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!