10.15.16
Devotional for Saturday, October 15, 2016
“Above All That You Guard…”
by Dona Hake
In this day and age there are some of the greatest home security systems being invented. They are wireless and simply amazing. The parent that has to work later and cannot be home for their children at the end of the day can watch from their cell phone as their children come through the door safely. You can turn lights on and off, lock or unlock the door, and regulate your heating all remotely from your phone. All of this is designed to help us feel more secure and it is wonderful. May we be as watchful and careful over our minds and hearts that we may be aware of all that is going on inside of us at all times. May we seek that same pursuit of diligence that our hearts are guarded and our minds are controlled by the Word of God.
Proverbs 4:23 (AMP)
“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and
above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”
We see from this scripture that our heart is able to contain springs of life from which we can draw. God wants our hearts to be full of Him and His life giving presence. I can remember once becoming overly preoccupied with something on my mind that was troubling me. The Lord ministered to my heart so sweetly yet firmly that because I was so preoccupied and troubled that my heart was unguarded. He challenged me to examine my diligence in the guarding of my heart so my heart would not be left vulnerable to the works of the enemy that would rob my peace, joy, and strength in the Lord.
In the book of Philippians Paul wrote how we can keep the peace of God guarded in our hearts. This was his advice…
Philippians 4:6-9Easy-to-Read Version
“Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.
Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. 9 And do what you learned and received from me—what I told you and what you saw me do.
And the God who gives peace will be with you.”
When we purpose to think on good things we are being proactive in guarding our hearts, and holding fast to the peace of God. I know for myself that when my heart is full and I mean FULL of God’s peace and faith, I face the problems of this life in His strength. Today I encourage you to watch over your heart and your thoughts. Make sure you are not walking about your day with a heart that is unguarded, for God desires to keep it with His loving peace.♥
10.14.16
Devotional for Friday, October 14, 2016
“His Grace Will Bring Breakthrough”
by Dona Hake
Today I want to share with you about breakthrough. A breakthrough is when there is an instance of removing or surpassing an obstruction or restriction. Can you think of a time that you have needed a breakthrough because your problem or trial seemed unsolvable. Today I want to encourage your heart to look to the Lord for the grace that you need for your breakthrough. It is His grace that is sufficient for all that you need, and His grace will cause you to breakthrough whatever seems to pose a hindrance in your walk with Him. God’s grace will cause you to have all that you need, and you will excel in the good fight and in the good work.
“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.”
2 Corinthians 9:8 (HCSB)
This scripture just really blesses me. I love meditating on the fact that God is desiring to shower us with His all sufficient grace as we set ourselves to do His will. He desires that we draw upon that grace that is well able to break through the clouds and darkness that this life brings at times.
Today, look to Him with great desire to be a living example of excellence in all that you put your hands to. Draw upon His great grace, and just watch how He showers it upon you. It is as we do this that we will demonstrate that He is the God that is more than enough!
Psalm 1:3 (ESV)
“He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.”
10.13.16
Devotional for Thursday, October 13, 2016
“May We Never Forget”
by Dona Hake
May we never forget the day that we surrendered it all to Him. I can remember my stubborn heart before I surrendered. Can you remember how you felt in your heart and mind before you said “yes” to Him? I can remember going to a week of revival meetings with my best friend. I sat in the pew with my hardened heart rejecting the evangelist’s call to salvation each and every night until the very last night. He said one last sentence, and what he said made me think, “This guy really believes what he is preaching.” He said, “If I do not ever see you again here on this earth, if you know Him, I will see you in Heaven.” I thought to myself… “This guy really believes this stuff!”
My best friend was kneeling at the altar praying and weeping for me. I slowly and nervously walked up and knelt beside her, and gave my heart to Jesus. I can still remember how I felt and it was as if the weight of the world was lifted from my heart, and for the first time in my life I felt free. I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I did it!” She was so ecstatic for she had been diligently praying that I would come to know Him. I was overwhelmed with my sin and how my life was, and it was time to give up and surrender.
Psalm 65:3 (NCV)
“Our guilt overwhelms us,
but you forgive our sins.”
Today I want to encourage you to never forget the day you gave up and surrendered your life to Him. Maybe you were very young when you accepted Him as your personal Savior. Praise God that you were spared from having to walk through the consequences and pain of sin. What is important is that we stir praise in our hearts for all that He has done for us everyday. We are so blessed to live another day on this earth free from the bondage and guilt that sin brings. Think about it, where would you be today without Him? Day by day let us rejoice in our salvation!
Psalm 103:1-5 (NASB)
“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His (B)holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”
10.12.16
Devotional for Wednesday, October 12, 2016
“His Loyal Love”
by Dona Hake
It is such a blessing to see the life of a loyal person. How sweet it is to have a loyal friend and it is especially sweet when a marriage is bonded by love and the beauty of loyalty. There is nothing so heartbreaking to hear when a marriage ends by divorce or a friendship is broken by a disagreement. When loyalty bonds a relationship it will stand up to great pressure. Loyalty is characterized by faithfulness to commitments and obligations. When love and loyalty are not strong this will always be the doorway for the devil to enter and work his evil maneuvers to destroy. There is One that we can trust to ever be faithful and loyal to us always.
Today let us look up and praise our Lord for being loyal to us. God has promised to be loyal to us with His love, forgiveness, help, …oh my!…there are so many things that He promises to be to us. In the midst of a storm He is faithful to calm us by His peace and stand by us with His loyalty. When others walk away, Jesus has promised that He would stay. Jesus said in His Word that He would NEVER leave us or forsake us. I praise Him for I know He is true and loyal to His Word and He is ever present with me at all times.
Thank God for His love and loyalty to us for we have fresh starts each day and we can learn from our yesterdays. He is there to help us to keep working out those things that we are trying to get right in our lives. Thank God that our mess ups are forgiven and wiped away with the blood of Jesus. We serve a God that is ever so loyal!
Lamentations 3:22-23
“How enduring is God’s loyal
love; the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion.”
10.11.16
Devotional for Tuesday, October 11, 2016
“The Comfort Only the Holy Spirit Can Bring”
by Dona Hake
I can remember a particular young woman that I encountered while shopping over the Christmas holidays a few years ago. She worked in one of my favorite stores so we would talk often. I inquired how she had been doing. She dropped her head and said, “Not well at all. I am really having a hard time getting through this…” I immediately knew what she was referring to for I knew from previous conversations that she had lost someone very special in her life. She began to share that it has been five years and she has done well for the past five Christmas holidays yet this year she could not figure out why this one was so hard. The depression that enveloped her touched me in my heart. I began to try to console her for I too know what it is like to lose someone over the holidays. Sometimes words seem so inadequate yet I know they do more than what we realize at times. I walked out the door and prayed that God would comfort her heart.
We need to be cautious that we are not missing opportunities to comfort those around us that have broken hearts. Many times especially during the holidays we can be tempted to live in our own little world in the midst of the busy preparations. We can become oblivious to the pain of those that may be reaching into the sentimental memories of their past and they are hurting and feeling low because of it. It may not even be a loss by death, but a broken relationship that has caused division in their family. Pain and hurt is in this world, and sometimes people try to hide it, and their soul is weak and torn.
Today may I encourage your heart to ask the Lord to give you an awareness of those that may be hurting? We never know from day to day who the Lord will put into our paths. May we stay sensitive to the pain and needs around us. Maybe you are reading this and you are walking through the pain of remembering someone you love and have lost or you are enduring a trial that has robbed you of the joy of life. I pray that God’s comfort would permeate you and keep your heart and that His joy would well up within you. I pray also that great strength would arise within you that you may in turn share that same comfort with someone else. God bless you.
2 Corinthians 1:3 (The Message)
“All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.”
10.10.16
Devotional for Monday, October 11, 2016
“Your Life Can Make a Difference”
by Dona Hake
Psalm 139:14 CJB version
“I thank you because I am awesomely made,
wonderfully; your works are wonders —
I know this very well.”
wonderfully; your works are wonders —
I know this very well.”
No matter how young or old we are, we must have ears to hear. God’s Word tells us that we are awesomely made! He made us wonderfully for wonderful works! Today we can make a difference in this world, today we could make a difference in someone’s life. This is a brand new day, and the Lord has fresh opportunities for each of us. Let us ask ourselves, “Will we be obedient in that which He asks us to do?” He may have us stop and pray for someone in need or He may have a word for us to speak to someone that needs their heart uplifted. Never underestimate the power of one encouraging word you speak or a deed that you do for someone.
Many times people can be discouraged and depressed about their lives simply because they are comparing themselves to what they see others doing around them. If you feel you have not succeeded in something, then take hold of God, and ask Him for strength to stand up and try again. May I encourage you today to look at yourself and know that God made you in such a special way for special reasons and purposes.
In Psalm 139 the psalmist was proclaiming how awesomely made he was. Oh that we can do the same, and see ourselves as awesomely made and fashioned by the Master’s hand. As He made us, He had special things in mind, and it is up to us to believe how special we are, and seek how He desires to use us in this life. Trust Him to fulfill those plans and purposes. Seek to express all those God given qualities that may be at rest within your soul. Do not permit fear of failure to hold you back. I want to leave you with one of my favorite motivational quotes. This quote challenges my heart every time I read it.
“Creativity has been built into every one of us;
it is part of our design.
Each of us lives less of the life God intended for us when we
choose not to live out the creative powers we possess.”
Ted Engstrom
Remember you are uniquely made and within us there may be something that needs awakened for His plan in your life! Trust Him with all of your heart to fulfill His plan in your life for you are fearfully and wonderfully made!
10.9.16
Devotional for Sunday, October 9, 2016
“A Word Fitly Spoken”
by Dona Hake
When I think of a word fitly spoken, I think of expressing words from my heart to someone, and I just know in my heart that what I have spoken is exactly what they needed to hear.Yet, those same words spoken at the wrong time could possibly be wrong. Just because you know something to be true does not mean it is the moment to speak it. Today let us ponder and meditate on desiring that our words are spoken in due season. James also had some excellent advice about listening, speaking, and handling offense relative to speaking too quickly before thinking your words through…
James 1:19 (AMP)
“Understand [this], my beloved brethren.
Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener],
slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.”
I think of how many arguments would be avoided if this simple and profound verse was mastered by us. If one does not give their full attention to the one speaking to them, there will more than likely words that are spoken which could be inappropriate or hurtful. This verse has a wealth of wisdom in it for us. I think it is just as important to listen to another’s heart as well as the words that proceed from their mouth. After you have listened, then think thoroughly before you open your mouth. Many times you may feel that you have the right answer for someone’s problem yet it is not the appropriate time for that word to be spoken.
Let us ask the Lord to have sensitive hearts that we will listen more sensitively to those around us. Many times we may indeed know what that individual may need but we need to ask the Lord for the proper season to share it. I would also venture to say that the one that has mastered being a good listener also understands the value of giving their full attention and making eye contact with the one speaking.
Proverbs 25:11 (AMP)
“A word fitly spoken and in due season is like
apples of gold in settings of silver.”
Listening to someone may be the greatest gift you could give them. Choice words are even a greater gift to one that is in need. After you have listened carefully you will find they will be much more apt to hear your heartfelt and choice response. I believe the Lord can help us to guard our tongues that our words will be as choice silver and gold, and spoken at the proper time.
10.8.16
Devotional for Saturday, October 8, 2016
“Trusting Him Is a Must”
by Dona Hake
Proverbs 3:5-12 (MSG)
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!”
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!”
Today we are focusing on living a life of trust for it is a must as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. As the scripture says we need to trust Him from the bottom of our hearts and stop trying to figure everything out. Many times God has a totally different route He desires to take us and we need to be willing to walk in the direction He has chosen. Sometimes His paths that He is establishing for us are ones we may feel uncomfortable with. If so, let us trust Him for He has promised to never leave or forsake us.
As we look at the life of trust I want to emphasize how important it is that we must make it our pursuit to maintain a heart that is humble. God loves and desires the humble heart for His Word says that He resists the heart of a proud man. As we stay humble, we will be thankful for the knowledge, gifts and talents He has blessed us with but we will keep them in their proper place. As we remain humble, we will always be looking to acknowledge His ways in everything that we do. He can indeed teach us to trust Him with all of our hearts and He will make those places that have seem crooked and confusing completely straight.
Father God we thank You for this new day. You greet us with Your faithfulness and love and we know that You desire to work in our hearts, minds, and in our lives. May we grow in our faith and trust in You as You desire to work in a mighty way in our lives. Help us Lord in those times in which we are tempted to try to figure things out on our own. May we listen to Your heart in everything we do and everywhere we go. In Jesus Name, Amen!
10.7.16
Devotional for Friday, October 7, 2016
“Reflecting our Lord In a Dark World”
by Dona Hake
When you look in a mirror you see your reflection, and this is what everyone else sees. When we look into God’s Word and it goes into our hearts and transforms our minds, this too is what others see. This is the work that God desires to do in you. He desires that we be vessels of His light in a dark world. It is sad that there are so many that claim they do not need them. There are those that claim He does not even exist. That’s okay if they want to claim that but we can still bounce His love and light in their direction can’t we? Of course we can…and we should! God has commanded us to live as Jesus lived.
1 John 2: 6 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“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.”
conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted
Himself.”
We must remember that when someone is in darkness they do not realize that their world is without light. They do not realize what they do not see. I can remember all too well when I thought I had no need for Jesus in my life?
When we engage with people we need to be ever conscience to be studying where they may be open to the light of God’s Word. God wants to use us to reflect His light into their lives that they can experience Him. You see as one experiences His love, light, or wisdom as a result of you sharing, you are helping them to see it is Him that they truly need to fill those voids in their lives.
Lord, we ask that You use us to illuminate Your Light, Life, and Love to everyone around us. Speak to our hearts about those that are needing to hear about you. We thank you for those divine opportunities to touch a person’s heart that desperately needs You. Thank you Lord for coming into our hearts and making us vessels that carry your beautiful Light! Amen.
10.6.16
Devotional for Thursday, October 6, 2016
“Be Prayerful, Be Watchful…”
by Dona Hake
Ephesians 4:26-27
“Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger.
Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil.”
Let us look closer at what the word opportunity. The dictionary defines it as
a situation or condition favorable for attainment of a goal
One of the ways to provide an opportunity for the devil to attack our life is to go to bed with anger in our heart. The following scripture from First Peter tells us that the devil roams about seeking a way to devour us. The devil is driven by a fierce hunger to destroy us, and he desires to “eat up” the life of God that we have been so abundantly blessed with. He seeks to rob all good things from us, so he watches for those opportunities. Let us look a scripture now that will help deepen our revelation of this fact.
1 Peter 5:8 (Amplified)
” Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.”
We need to take seriously that when we permit our hearts to be unguarded we are providing the perfect conditions for the devil to work in our lives. We are providing perfect opportunities for him to devour our life, our time, our relationships, and God’s perfect will being accomplished. The devil loves nothing more than robbing us that we cannot move forward and live victoriously for the Lord. As we purpose to walk in God’s love, and hide His holy Word in our hearts, we will be wise and discerning. Let us thank our Lord that He has promised to walk by our side and lead us and guide us into all truth that causes us to triumph in victory over the work of the enemy!
Lord we ask that you would help us to live for You with clean hearts. Help us to be watchful and vigilant over Your precious Word and will for our lives. We ask that Your Holy Spirit would remind us to never permit our hearts to be cluttered with anger, sin or anything that would create an opportunity for the devil to devour the life You have given us. We seek to serve you with our whole hearts that we may do Your will all the days of our lives. In Jesus Name, amen!
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!