“His Light, the Truth In Our Darkness”

Posted on Aug 24, 2014 in Devotions |

The following is a story I found several years ago and within the story is a strong truth for us to embrace and walk away with. It’s called “Collision Course” This was a conversation between a US naval ship and Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in late 1995. The conversation between the two went like this:

CANADIANS: “Please divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.”

Americans: “Recommend YOU divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision.”

CANADIANS: “Negative. YOU will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the
south to avoid a collision.”

Americans: “This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.”

CANADIANS: “No, I say again, YOU divert YOUR course.

Americans: “This is the Aircraft Carrier US LINCOLN, the second largest ship in
the United States Atlantic Fleet. We are accompanied with three Destroyers,
three Cruisers and numerous support vessels. I DEMAND that YOU change your
course 15 degrees north. I say again, that’s one-five degrees north, or counter
measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship.

CANADIANS: “This is a lighthouse. Your call !!!”

So what can we learn from this? There may be times in life that we are so self assured that we are on the right track. There may be family or friends that have stepped up and tried to speak into our life and we simply will not listen. Why? Sometimes it is because we are so determined to do things our own way or maybe we are pushing to make something happen in our own ability. The point here is that we need to know that we are on the course in which the Lord has placed us. If we are off course, thank God when the warning signs are loud and clear.

God has such a love for us and out of His love for us, He will try to warn us of where we really are heading. He cannot change our will nor can He force us to change our decisions. If we are wise, we will humble our hearts and just believe what He is saying whether we understand it or not. We need to accept that what He is saying is the truth…NO QUESTIONING!….May we be wise and give Him the final say in directing our steps.

Sometimes in the “night seasons” or confusing times of our lives, things can appear to be in our way but they really are not. They may be obstacles that are really opportunities or they may be His divine favor and protection to keep you from something bad happening.

I see God’s Word as that “lighthouse” being the light we need when we are sailing in the darkness. He is our guiding light and He will guide us toward the shores of certainty. I encourage you to listen to His voice and heed it as the highest authority as you
purpose in your heart to serve Him.

“God’s Plans For You”

Posted on Aug 23, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

I recently heard this statement, and I loved it. “If you have a “why?” for your existence, you will have a “what” and a “where” as well. When we understand why we are here it will always bring purpose to our hearts. When we understand why we are doing what we are doing, we will be able to set goals for our future. Many a hearts are depressed and despondent today simply because they do not understand their purpose in this life.

I know I have shared this many times but it has deep meaning to me personally. When I was a teenager I can remember feeling so empty and life seemed so meaningless. About two years before I gave my heart to Jesus Christ, I can remember laying on my bed before falling asleep and asking God…”Is there more to life than this? If it is please help me understand it.” God was faithful to me in my seeking, and the answers became more clear. It was after I knew Him that my “WHAT do I do? and WHERE do I go from here?” was answered. He still faithfully answers my prayers to this day, and for that I am thankful.

Proverbs 19:21 (AMP)
“Many plans are in a man’s mind,
but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand.”

We can all have our own plans but only the Lord’s purposes succeed, and be established. May I encourage you today that if you do not understand your purpose in this life to just simply ask Him.
He loves you where you are at, and He has a plan for your life!

“He Shall Supply”

Posted on Aug 22, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Did you ever have someone ask you what you would do if your were in a particular situation that may be difficult? I have often thought, “If I was in their position, what would I say?” One day while watching the news I can remember one of my favorite news reporters being interviewed. The interviewer asked him “If you had to give words of advice relative to this situation what would you say?” His humble face showed that he did not have the answer in that present moment but then he did say, “The Lord would provide.” Basically he was saying that if he did not have the answer but if he had to have an answer to that question, he would know exactly what to say when that moment came. He knew God would put the words in his mouth to speak.

This man’s words just refreshed my heart and reminded me that this is how life is to be lived. Many times things can look so complicated. Sometimes it seems we can fear making decisions. We may be afraid that we are not going to have the answers that we need. Yet if we trust Him to provide in the exact moment of need THE LORD WILL PROVIDE.

Today we are looking at the scripture from Philippians 4:19
” But my God shall abundantly supply all your
need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Let us be reminded that this is not just talking about material needs although God desires to provide for us in that realm. I am thankful that in times of needing to know what to do or say that God is well able to provide us with what we need. Next time you need to say or do something in your time of feeling helpless, believe that He can open His hand and give you exactly what you need for that moment in time. He is well able to fill your mind and mouth with the answers that you need. God is good.

“Giving Heed To the Word”

Posted on Aug 21, 2014 in Devotions |

Dona Hake

Proverbs 27:19 (ERV)

“Just as you can see your

own face reflected in water,

so your heart reflects the

kind of person you are.”

This scriptures provokes me to think about the true spiritual condition of my heart. If I were to stand over a crystal clear pond and look in, my reflection would answer back at me or in other words I see myself. I would see myself for exactly what I am because the reflection does not lie. When you stand in front of a mirror you can not stand there and say, “this is not me!” or “I do not look like that!” Our reflections are speaking to us and telling us exactly what we look like. So it is when we look into God’s Word, He will reveal to us our need for Him and all that He wants us to be.

James 1:22-25

Amplified Bible (AMP)

^“”But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].

For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror;

For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.

But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).”

There will be those times in which we hear the Word and we may feel a bit convicted and we need to give heed, and be an active doer as this scripture tells us to do. This tugging at our heart is the Holy Spirit speaking to us to make changes, and this kind of change really is a good thing. This scripture is clear that we need to give heed to the Word we hear and read, and the living water of the Word will truly reveal to us the condition of our heart if we permit it to. The Lord is loving, and He will help you to make the adjustments you need to be molded into His image. Let us look carefully at ourselves in light of God’s Word and allow Him to work in us.

“The Big Picture”

Posted on Aug 20, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

I have always admired the patience of those that like to put jigsaw puzzles together. Especially the ones with hundreds of pieces. I see the jigsaw puzzle as a great analogy of our life being put together day by day by the loving hand of God. There are times we can get so focused on a particular area just having to fit because in our minds we just want to see that part of our life worked out. Yet God is wanting to work on some other area of the “puzzle” or tapestry of His will for us.

Today I am hoping that we be reminded to allow God to search the “pieces” of His specific will for our life that He may work through us. As we live each day may we remain humble and allow Him to work and fit the pieces together that are in His plan, not our custom made ideas. It is a comfort to know that God is the Master Planner and within His plan will always be perfect timing. Young or old, we can all get a bit impatient with God’s timing, and we need to be cautious of this. I always love when my Granddaughters ask how long something may take and if I say it will be in about five minutes, and I get this…”Grandma, that will be forever!” Makes me grin every time. How many times do we react to God the same way.

God wants you to know that He has a plan for your life and He works in your life as you permit Him to. As we stay humble, He will work out all things according to His plans and purposes.

Romans 8:28 (DRA)
“And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good…”

“Trust Him For the Next Step”

Posted on Aug 19, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Proverbs 3:5-10

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

“Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.”

Think about times in your life in which there was change taking place, and you really did not know if you were doing the right thing . Even as you read this there may be change about to take place with your job, and you fear the uncertainties. Maybe you need confirmation regarding a decision you have to make. Some decisions almost seem like you are forced to make them in the dark. So let us read the one verse from Proverbs Chapter Three again…”With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way.” He promises as we trust Him that He will take hold of our hand and steer us in the right direction.

I love when the Lord uses His own little creatures that He created to teach us about depending upon Him. Today I shared an image of an Indigo Bunting. I read the most fascinating fact about how they migrate. Did you know that they migrate at night? They start flying south for winter around September, using the stars to guide them along their way. The first thing I thought was how amazing it is that God’s smallest of creatures just do what He created them to do. These precious blue beauties fly and allow the stars to guide them to their destination. I am sure they would never endeavor to do their migration flight during the day because they cannot see the stars for their direction. Interesting isn’t it?

Next time you feel like you are in the dark about a decision and it seems impossible to know the right way to go, just think about the Indigo Bunting. We have the light of God’s Word to lead and guide us. He is the greatest Light in any darkness that we may need to take flight in. The voice of the Holy Spirit will faithfully speak to us and He will show us with every step how to go the right way! Just trust in Him with all of your heart and lean not upon your own understanding.

“May My Thoughts And Words Be Pleasing”

Posted on Aug 18, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Psalm 19:14 (TLB)

“May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts

be pleasing even to you,

O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.”

I personally think that this is such a wonderful prayer that we could never pray enough. Oh that we would ask the Lord more often, “Is what I just said okay Lord?” or “Lord Is my heart right in this matter? I think Jesus wants us to view Him as our best friend and we should be allowing our best friend to challenge our heart and bring accountability in our lives. I value the times when I feel a tug at my heart or a check in my spirit in those times that my thoughts or words are not pleasing to Him. When He is Lord of your life, you will truly welcome these disciplines into your life.

The Lord has promised to help us with all things that pertain to life and godliness so be encouraged that it is His heart to help you walk victoriously. Paul wrote in Philippians how to keep our thoughts in line with truth. If we just purpose to think on good things…

Paul proceeds in Philippians 4:9 , and I am sharing from the Amplified version…

⁹

“Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and

model your way of living on it, and the God of peace

of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.”

As we practice thinking on good things, our spoken words and unspoken thoughts will be kept and guarded by the peace of God. I encourage you today to think upon all the good things that Paul instructed us in Philippians. It is as we do this that our thoughts, words, and actions will always line up with the will and ways of our Lord.

“The Love That Never Fails”

Posted on Aug 17, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Lamentations 3:22-23 “How enduring is God’s loyal love;

the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion.

Loyalty is characterized by faithfulness to commitments and obligations. 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. Jesus said in His Word that He would NEVER leave us or forsake us. We know that His love is ever with us and He loved us enough to send His only Son to die for us.

At the end of many days I may look back on my day and wished that I would have said or done things differently but praise God He faithfully forgives and He promises to help me do better as I lean upon Him for all wisdom and strength. Isn’t this a wonderful love?

One of the first things I try to do each morning as I greet Him is remind myself and thank Him that His mercies are new every morning. My day is a fresh canvas and I am hoping I will do His will with His help. Thank God 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, and it is all because of His great love for us. God’s love…a love that NEVER fails us!

“A Time For Everything”

Posted on Aug 16, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Ecclesiastes 3:6-8
Amplified Bible (AMP)
“A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away,
A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak,
A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

When both my son and husband are out of the country, I refer to my world clock app on my phone. I know not to expect my husband to call me because my morning may be the middle of the night for him. I must constantly remind myself that even though it is day time for me that I not text my son because he may be asleep. It also reminds me by way of analogy that we are all doing some THING in the exact same moment but we are all in a different “places and times.”

Verse eight of this scripture in Ecclesiastes reminds us that we really are doing four different things all at the same time. I know God wants us to love at all times yet at the same time we hate the evil of the enemy that is running wild in the earth today. This is a time in which we see war going on all around us yet we are able to carry peace in our hearts with the help of the Lord. In this time in which we are seeing so much turmoil, let us be reminded that Jesus left something behind for us, and it was not because He forgot to take it with Him. He left it on purpose, and it was His peace. He well understood the time in which we would live, and that we would need it to keep our hearts anchored.

John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you…”

I intend to encourage your heart today to keep your heart anchored in peace when it seems as if so much is going on. Sometimes I feel like there is too much going on all at the same time. I know many hearts are troubled and so is mine. There is so much turmoil going on in the world, and so many are hurting. People are bearing things that seem impossible to me, and my heart weeps for them. Let us be reminded that the time to pray has no set time but as the Lord leads and directs us to. We just need to be obedient when He does call us to pray. Let us always strive to calm ourselves and hold fast to His peace no matter what time we are in. Now is the time to live for Him. God bless you.

“How Do You Reflect the Son”

Posted on Aug 15, 2014 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

God has commanded us to live as Jesus lived. Within us dwells His life, light, and love. He intends to bless our lives, but He desires that we give it out as well. There is a greater work needed here on earth like never before and He is looking for those that will reflect that He is the answer to a lost and dying world. How do you reflect the Son? Think about how He desires to reflect Himself through you. Just think about it…within you are all the good things that He is because you have ask Him to abide within you. As He lives within us and we seek to abide in Him, let us seek how we can effectively reflect all the glorious things that He is!

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.”

As we stay immersed in the Word of God and in the presence of Jesus, we will be full of His light and life. Love and joy WILL pour forth from us, and we will indeed be a vessel that reflects the Son! Each one of us are fearfully and wonderfully created by God so expect Him to reflect Himself uniquely through your life today!

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!