“Understand [this], my beloved brethren.

Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener],

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. Listening to someone may be the greatest gift we can give.     Choice words are even a greater gift to one that is in need.

Proverbs 25:11 (AMP)

apples of gold in settings of silver.”

Lord, we ask that You  help us to guard our tongues that our words will be as choice silver and gold.   We thank You for showing us the proper time to speak, and we ask that You help us to be good listeners.   In Jesus Name, amen.

By Dona Hake

The strength of a man or woman is revealed  when the pressure is on.  It is easy to appear strong when all seems to be going your way but we find out who we really are when we face trials  or we fail.  When we are down and out and failure is trying to haunt us, we have a choice…  quit or determine to get back up again.

 God promises to lift us back up when we fall.   Even when we are at our lowest, if we keep our heart open to Him, He can teach us and strengthen us like never before.  Many times the worst of hardships can cause us to come back stronger…if we do not quit.  He is able to do above and beyond all we dare to ask or dream.   God desires to take hold of our hands and cause us to stand strong again.   I love this quote by General Patton:

 “I don’t measure a man’s success by

how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.”

General George S. Patton

 I believe if our hearts are focused with His determination we will not permit mistakes or failure to dictate us and keep us down, but rather we will stand strong and come back stronger and rise higher!

 Psalm 145:14 (ERV)

“The Lord lifts up people who have fallen.
He helps those who are in trouble.”

Devotional for Monday, February 13, 2017

by Dona Hake

Mark 4:35-40

“It was evening of that same day. Jesus said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.”  After sending the people away, they took Jesus with them in a boat. It was the same boat He used when He taught them. Other little boats went along with them. A bad wind storm came up. The waves were coming over the side of the boat. It was filling up with water.  Jesus was in the back part of the boat sleeping on a pillow. They woke Him up, crying out, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?”  He got up and spoke sharp words to the wind. He said to the sea, “Be quiet! Be still.” At once the wind stopped blowing. There were no more waves.  He said to His followers, “Why are you so full of fear? Do you not have faith?”

“Oh to be a fly on the wall!”   Have you ever said that?    I hear it all the time when people wish they could be present to see and hear all that happens in the room, but they do not want to be seen.   I often think this about certain stories told in the Bible.   Oh how I wished I could have been there to witness all that was spoken and see exactly how this story went down.  This story from the book of Mark is one of those stories that make me wish I would have been there just to see the raging waters be calm at the command of Jesus’ voice.  I wish I could have seen the looks on the faces within the boat as their souls were calmed by the voice of our Lord.  These words from this portion of scripture have created faith in my heart many times when things around me seemed to be out of control.  To know that He can bring peace to the raging waters of my life causes me to know that I can exclaim “It is well with my soul!”

The important thing to remember is that God is able to bring peace to a situation in the midst of the raging winds of this life.   When God’s peace prevails within us, our hearts will be stilled and we can be calmed within.  This IS the peace that passes ALL understanding.   It is in those times that we will then be able to hear His whisper as He directs us into the next step.   Let us remember that in the midst of a problem or crisis that it is vital we hold fast to our faith, and have our ears towards the Lord that He may reveal the wisdom that we need.  It is then that our soul will be stilled regardless of anything happening around us.

I leave you with this quote from one of my favorite authors.   I pray it ministers to your heart as it has mine.  I love how Francious deFenelon’s quote makes this story from the Mark Chapter Four  even more real.

“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.”

by Dona Hake

Lamentations 3:22-23 (VOICE)

“How enduring is God’s loyal love;
the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion.
Here they are, every morning, new!

 Let us thank and praise Him that everyday is a new day as we serve Him.  What happened yesterday is left behind.  If we are to remember and reflect upon what happened yesterday, let it be the joys that were in it and the wisdom we may have attained from  a learning experience.  God desires to meet us each morning reminding us to have faith in Him and be blessed and overwhelmed by His great love that He has for us.

Psalm 143:8  KJV

Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;

for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein

I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Let us  praise God that He is so merciful to us as we venture to do His will because so many times we fall short because of our human nature.  Let us remember to look to His mercies and His forgiveness at all times and as we lift our soul to Him we can live with joyful hearts!  Lord cause us to hear Your lovingkindness and be mindful of Your tender mercies each new day.   Cause us to know the ways in which to walk for we lift our soul to You! In Jesus Name, amen.

Psalm 90:14  Names of God Bible

” Satisfy us every morning with your mercy

by Dona Hake

Psalm 23:3 (AMP)

by Dona Hake

Psalm 84:11 (AKJV) 

As we walk uprightly before the Lord our God there should be expectation in our heart each morning that we wake.   Oh to praise Him for His never ending mercies for great is His faithfulness!       As I look out my office window as I am typing this today it is rainy and cold.   So even though it is a bit dreary outside, I can praise the Lord for He is my Sun and Shield!

I am thanking Him today that He has promised that He will never withhold any good thing from me because all good and perfect gifts proceed from Him.   He will not refrain from giving me that which I need to get through my day.

The scripture I share with you today speaks to our hearts that He will not withhold no good thing.   I found it interesting that the antonym for withhold is the word *advance*.  Interesting thought isn’t it? Interesting thought isn’t it?  The more we walk with the Lord we begin to understand  that He always knows exactly what we need and what we are going to face.    Our loving Heavenly Father desires that we advance in His kingdom. Therefore His grace is always sufficient and right there for us when we need to draw upon it.  Praise God that He is our Sun and our Shield, and He desires that we advance and move forward in His will.    Let us live victoriously as He pours out His grace and glory on us as we  walk uprightly before Him!

by Dona Hake

Many times people wait until they are so stressed out and their body has become worn down physically before they decide to seek God’s direction and comfort. I believe that God desires  that we live in a constant state of peace and serenity.

Throughout your day I encourage you to stay aware of His precious presence …He is your Sanctuary!  I believe that the place He has provided for us is a place of perfect peace and no matter what goes on about you that peace need not be disrupted.

Isaiah 8:14 (KJ21)

“And He shall be for you a sanctuary…”

by Dona Hake

Isaiah 9:6

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called Wonderful…”

 When I have my quiet time I always start out meditating upon how great and wonderful my God is.     I ponder His great works around me, and meditate upon the many great things He has done in my life.    He is worthy of all my praise and I can not thank Him enough every day that I live for how wonderful He is. Let’s look at words synonymous to wonderful… awesome, wondrous, miraculous, prodigious, astonishing, amazing, astounding, phenomenal.  This is the Jesus that we serve.  As believers let us testify of the many wonderful things He has done in our lives, and may we never lose sight of those things.  Today I want to stir your heart to think about how wonderful He has been to you.  It is as we maintain grateful hearts to Him for all that He is that we will desire to pass on those blessings to those around us.

Psalm 40:5 (ERV)

“Lord my God, you have done many amazing things!
You have made great plans for us—too many to list.
I could talk on and on about them,