Devotional for Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Devotional for Wednesday, February 28, 2018
“Walking Through”
by Dona Hake
Psalm 23:4 (DARBY)
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”
Today we will be meditating upon these truths…We are walking through whatever we face, and as we walk with Him, we walk through all things victoriously! Whether we speak to mountains, and bring them down or walk through valleys that would tempt our hearts to fear. We are going through and we do not need to fear for He promises to straighten the crooked paths, enlighten our hearts, and comfort us in our travels.
My friends, we are indeed walking through for are all of us are on unique assignments as we journey through life on this earth. We must determine in our hearts that no matter if the path is easy or hard, we are walking through hand in hand with our Lord.
When we look at the scripture in Psalms 23 the Psalmist addresses walking through the valley of the shadow of death. He emphasizes that he would fear no evil for he knew the Lord was with him. Along with the presence of the Lord, he also knew the comfort of the shepherd’s rod and staff. Being a shepherd himself, he well understood the uses of these two tools.
The rod of the shepherd symbolizes something very beautiful for us. One of the uses for a shepherd’s rod was to examine and count the sheep. Many times when we walk through difficult things we may come to grips with the reality of what is really important. It may seem that our eyes are open and seeing what we did not see before, and God is able to touch our heart, and examine it in a way He was not able before. It is at that time we are experiencing the gentle hand of our Lord tenderly helping our souls to take courage and heal. Or we may feel his gentle tug by His Spirit as He begins to deal with a particular area of our life. As we permit Him to deal with our heart, He can speak, instruct, and many times discipline us in that which we may need help or change.
Psalm 139:23–24 Amplified Version “Search me thoroughly, oh God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.“
The staff is symbolic of His loving and watchful care over our life. He is so concerned about us, and He sees our every need. The staff is used to guide sheep that they would stay on the right path. We know that God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. As we permit Him to lead us with His rod and staff we will walk through the valleys as well as walk on the mountain tops with Him. Praise God for our loving Shepherd!
Devotion for Sunday, February 25, 2018
Devotional for Sunday, February 26, 2018
“A Grace Greater Than We Can Imagine”
by Dona Hake
2 Corinthians 9:8 (HCSB)
“And God is able to make every grace overflow
to you, so that in every way, always having
everything you need, you may excel in every good work.”
I love this…God’s overflowing grace coming our direction. What an awesome God we serve. I love meditating on the fact that God is desiring to shower us with His all sufficient grace as we set out to do His will. God yearns for us to reach and take hold of His all sufficient strength which comes through His amazing grace.
I desire to share with you three key words as we meditate upon this simple truth of His overflowing grace that gives us all we need to do His good work and will for our life. Those words are…
Desire
Draw
Demonstrate
Draw
Demonstrate
We must DESIRE to be living examples of excellence in all we put our hands to. It is then that we will DRAW upon His grace that He promises to shower upon us as we believe Him for it. As our hands are filled with that overflowing grace we will DEMONSTRATE that He is the God that is more than enough, and we will indeed excel in every good work! My friends, this is all about us living and being that light sitting on a hill for all to see! God desires that His grace is demonstrated in His people prospering in all they set their hands to. Today I encourage you to abide in that place of always acknowledging your need for His wonderful grace!
“Your worst days are never so bad
that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace.
And your best days are never so good
that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”
Jerry Bridges
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Devotional for Saturday, February 24, 2018
“Our God Is So Wise”
by Dona Hake
Psalm 139:1-6 The Voice
For the worship leader. A song of David.
“O Eternal One, You have explored my heart and know exactly who I am;
You even know the small details like when I take a seat and when I stand up again.
Even when I am far away, You know what I’m thinking.
You observe my wanderings and my sleeping, my waking and my dreaming,
and You know everything I do in more detail than even I know.
You know what I’m going to say long before I say it.
It is true, Eternal One, that You know everything and everyone.
You have surrounded me on every side, behind me and before me,
and You have placed Your hand gently on my shoulder.
It is the most amazing feeling to know how deeply You know me, inside and out;
the realization of it is so great that I cannot comprehend it.”
You even know the small details like when I take a seat and when I stand up again.
Even when I am far away, You know what I’m thinking.
You observe my wanderings and my sleeping, my waking and my dreaming,
and You know everything I do in more detail than even I know.
You know what I’m going to say long before I say it.
It is true, Eternal One, that You know everything and everyone.
You have surrounded me on every side, behind me and before me,
and You have placed Your hand gently on my shoulder.
It is the most amazing feeling to know how deeply You know me, inside and out;
the realization of it is so great that I cannot comprehend it.”
This beautiful portion of scripture shows His precious love surrounds us and He knows every detail about us. What a thought! What blessed assurance we can hold fast to in knowing that we can serve a God that totally understands us inside and out. Even before words leave our mouth He knows what we are going to say. There is no escaping His loving knowledge about us.
The Amplified version says in verse three “You sift and search out my path.” I love this because it gave me the visual of using a sifter to catch that which you do not want in the mix. As we remain humble before Him there is freedom in knowing that He knows the things within us that will hinder us. He understands how sometimes we do not understand all that is at work within us, and in His love He will reveal it so we can deal with it. He will help us to cast off that which is not good. He will reveal to us that which we need to rid and repent of. There is protection in knowing that He sees everything before us and behind us.
As we start our day let us remind ourselves to allow Him to search our hearts and speak to us. We should be amazed at what an awesome God we serve. This is a thought that should keep us humble before Him in every area of our life. As we do this, we will live in peace and freedom as we serve our all knowing God.
Devotional for Friday, February 23, 2018
Devotional for Friday, February 23, 2018
“I Will…”
by Dona Hake
Sometimes even the most important things can be forgotten. We get too busy, our minds are full, and we just forget. Today I want to share with you about the power of willfully doing that which is right in His sight even in the hard times. Let us proclaim that we will look to the Lord our God no matter what! We must look up to Him when all is well and when things are not so well.
You know…people can stand with us in prayer, and they can pray over us, but only we can look to the Lord to touch our hearts in the precious, intimate way that He desires . As we seek Him daily to be renewed by the Word and fellowship with Him, our wills will fall in line with His will. We will be in purpose and determination to pursue all that He wants for us. I went on a word search that emphasize the psalmist’s deliberate effort to willfully look to the Lord. I was blessed and I hope these scriptures bless you too!
Psalm 5:3 “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Psalm 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”
Psalm 9:14 “…I will rejoice in thy salvation.”
Psalm 16:7 “I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.”
Psalm 18:1 “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.”
Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
Psalm 13:6 “I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
Proverbs 1:5 “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels…”
Proverbs 20:5 “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.”
I would encourage you to meditate upon this handful of powerful scriptures, and be blessed and strengthened as you keep your mind renewed, and keep your will in subjection to the Lord Jesus.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Devotional for Thursday, February 22, 2018
“Walking In Purpose”
by Dona Hake
Ephesians 5:15-17
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people),
Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.”
Paul was exhorting in this scripture that as believers we need to watch our walk in the Lord carefully not being an unwise or witless people. He proceeds to say we should live purposefully, worthily and accurately. As we seek God and purpose to walk upright before Him, we will do all that we do in word or in deed as onto Him, and it will be pleasing. Our walk before Him will be in purpose, worth, and accuracy.
My heart is drawn to this translation for I love its emphasis on living purposefully, worthily and accurately. It drives home to my heart the importance of knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I are doing exactly what the Lord wants me to do. Verse 17 states that we should firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is. One of the definitions that I found for the word ~grasp~ is to seize upon and hold firmly. One of the greatest tools the enemy can use is to cause us to become indecisive and double minded. May we be ever so cautious and watchful over our faith being hindered by falling into being double minded. Today let us be mindful of the tactics of the devil for he must seek ways to devour us, but know this…the greater one lives in us, and He is able to give us all wisdom to living with purpose, worthiness, and accuracy.
In those times in which you are needing wisdom because you are unsure if you are walking with purpose and exactness, I encourage you to call upon Him for that wisdom and instruction that is needed just for you.
James 1:5-8 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
” If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.
Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.
For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,
[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].
Devotional for February 21, 2018
Devotional for Wednesday, February 21, 2018
“Live In Such a Way…”
by Dona Hake
This morning, Reverend Billy Graham, a precious man of God left this earth. I can only imagine what it must’ve been like when he stood before the Lord Jesus. I can envision the multitudes of people that are in heaven, and going to heaven because of his passionate and devoted life that he lived as he preached the gospel message. He kept the Word simple, and his words were able to pierce the hardest of hearts .
As I watched the news this morning my heart was touched as I heard different people sharing their memories of Billy Graham. So many mentioned that they just knew the first words he heard as he stepped into glory and stood before the Lord were, “Well done good and faithful servant.“ One gentleman exclaimed how he encountered Rev. Graham once, and all he could say was that he felt he was standing in the presence and power of God. One person in particular made a comment about him and I can’t stop thinking about that comment. He said, Billy walked in such conviction,faith, and example of godliness. He lived in such a way that made people want to believe.“ I do not know about you but these words really challenged my heart. Let us look at the scripture in 1 John 2:6 (AMPC version)
“Whoever says he abides in Him ought
[as a personal debt] to walk and conduct
himself in the same way in which He walked
and conducted Himself.”
Today Billy Graham‘s work is completed on this earth yet his life‘s work and preaching will continue to speak to hearts all over the world for generations to come. Let us thank God for this man’s life, and rejoice with him that he is free as he stands in the presence of the Lord Jesus, and the saints that have gone before us. Today let us look at his life and works and be challenged in our hearts to live in such a way that it will make people want to believe.
Acts 17:28
“…for in him we live and move and have our being…”
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Devotional for Tuesday, February 20, 2018
“…and He said, Peace Be Still”
by Dona Hake
“A word from the Lord stilled the raging sea and
a glance from Him to you, and from you to Him,
will do the same for you.”
Francois De Fenelon
Mark 4:38-40 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
“Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”
“Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”
Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm.
He said to his followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
I absolutely love this portion of scripture! While I could testify of the many times my Lord has calmed my heart with His peace, I am feeling led to share my thoughts on this scripture a bit differently today.
As our Lord resides within us, He longs to speak through us in so many ways, and He desires that we would be vessels that bring all that He is to those around us in need. Today, I want us to look at possibilities and opportunities of how we may be the one chosen to speak an inspired word to someone’s “raging sea.”
I have had it happen, and I bet you have too. You speak an encouraging word or many words, and the response from the person you’re speaking to may have been, “Thank you, I really needed to hear that.“ It may have seemed so small to you but it meant the world to the listener. I especially love when I feel prompted to share certain words with someone, but my mind is giving me fits because the words seem so out of the blue. There is no outward appearance that the person I am speaking with is even walking through a trial yet they exclaim that the word that was spoken was exactly what was needed to calm their heart. I love those times in which I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is divinely moving upon my heart giving me the exact words to calm someone else’s “raging sea” that is rocking their world.
You see the raging seas of this life come in different ways. They may be anxious thoughts, sickness, or trials that come to blindside us. Needless to say, our hearts can be tested. Any one of these can bring confusion, rob peace, and quickly cause us to see things apart from how God sees them. As believers we have a choice to look to Him or be crushed under the pressure of the rising waters and high winds of our trial.
Praise the Lord that we can be comforted knowing He is always with us, and same way that you have been comforted in your storms be ready to do the same for the one that needs comfort. Never underestimate the Word of God that proceeds from your mouth to those around you. His Word never returns void and accomplishes many things beyond what we can even see with our natural eyes. So let us praise our loving Lord that lives within us for He desires to stand up and calm the storms within us, and He also desires to use us as that special messenger to bring words of peace and strength to those in need. We all have God given assignments and divine appointments that He has planned for us when we least expect it. Stay ready my friend, you never know when the Lord is going to use you as His mouthpiece to bring peace to someone’s storm.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Devotional for Tuesday, February 13, 2018
“We Can Depend On Him!”
by Dona Hake
Lamentations 3:24 (CEV)
Deep in my heart I say,
“The Lord is all I need;
I can depend on him!”
“The Lord is all I need;
I can depend on him!”
God promises to keep His Word and upon that truth we can depend! Our God never changes and He has promised to walk beside us. He is our great Friend in which we can always count on! Let us ponder some beautiful and thought provoking quotes about our dependency upon our Lord.
“The whole question in relation to overcoming is:
are we trusting in ourselves, or are
we trusting in the Lord?”
Watchman Nee
“Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly
and the weak-kneed who know they don’t have it all together,
and who are not too proud to accept the handout of
amazing grace. As we glance up, we are astonished
to find the eyes of Jesus open with wonder, deep
with understanding, and gentle with compassion.“
Brennan Manning
As I ponder these quotes my heart is reminded of the scripture in 2 Corinthians where Paul cried out in his frustration in his time of need and weariness.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (AMP)8 “Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; 9 but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.”
Today I encourage you to be the believer that trusts and depends on the Lord for every need you have. My friend, we can depend on Jesus to always be there, and His grace is always sufficient. Be that one that is hungry and needy for Him in every area of your life. May our pride never stand in our way that we resist His abundant and all sufficient hand out of grace. Let us hold fast to Him, and depend upon Him every minute of our day as we are enfolded with the power of Christ in our life.
Monday, February 12, 2018
Devotional for Monday, February 12, 2018
“Let the Wise Listen”
The book of Proverbs begins with a clear statement of its purpose. It is to impart wisdom for godly living. Let us look at part of the first chapter of Proverbs.
Proverbs 1:1-7
“The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young, let the wise listen and add to their learning. And let the discerning get guidance, for understanding proverbs, and parables the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.“
Yesterday I had a precious time with my one granddaughter. We were talking about God‘s wisdom, and how He helps us to do right things. I was explaining to her how God‘s wisdom helps us to know how to do the right thing with the good knowledge of His Word in our heart. I shared about how wisdom helps us to always do what is right in the sight of our Lord. It shows us His perfect timing, and it teaches us how to speak right words and do kind actions.
It was precious seeing my granddaughter’s heart take hold of this truth, and learn from it. A precious measure of truth was added to her heart because she took time to listen. The one verse I want to look at more closely is Proverbs 1:5. “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” There is a key word here in verse five and it is the word ~listen~ it is as we listen closely that we will add to our learning.
Whether it be a child learning a new truth in God’s Word or we as adults are sitting and hearing the Word of God in church or reading our Bibles. Let us listen, and listen closely,and let us hear that we may add to our learning. It is as we do this that we will have an abundance of God‘s wisdom for godly living in this life. Today I encourage you to look to your Lord, and His wisdom that you can continually add to the learning of your heart.
Friday, February 9, 2018
Devotional for Friday, February 9, 2018
“Jesus Said This About Us”
by Dona Hake
Jesus boldly proclaimed over His followers what He desired them to be, and He desires the same for you and me. Let us look at the scripture in Matthew 5:14-16, and read what our Lord said we should be.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand,
and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that
they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds
and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.”
In this scripture our Lord proclaimed who we are…we ARE the light of this dark world. A lamp’s purpose is to bring light that one can see and not stumble around in the darkness. We ARE the light that gives light to all of this world! So today I encourage you to let your light shine. As your light shines even those that are in darkness are going to notice something different. God is preparing and working deep within us for such a time as this.
Remember my friend, He uses each of us differently so let us not compare ourselves to others. It is in those times that we measure our grace in comparison to others that we are not permitting our Lord to shine through us as He desires. This is not a competition, it is command….we are lights and we are to shine!
Today I encourage you to shine for Him through every word and noble deed you do. As He continues to mold and make you into His image He will be faithful to show Himself through you that others may see how awesome He is.
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!