In summary of Jeremiah 29:11 it says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Bottom Line:
God knows his plans for you. These are good plans, not ones to bring you to ruin, instead ones that give you hope for the future.
What this means to me:
God has a plan for me and it’s a good one in which I will prosper, its one that will give me hope for the future. God knows everything about my life and as I think about this, I am comforted. The fact that he knows everything is a tremendous motivator for me to live a godly life as nothing in my life is a secret. I need to remember as I go about my day that there is no way to fool him, he knows all. In addition nothing that I can ever face or go through will ever catch him by surprise. I can count on him to help me get through it. Nothing I can come across is too big for God’s strength. Nothing that I can do for him will ever be in vain. God knows what he’s planning for me. His plans for me are good and prosperous ones that won’t hurt me. As I walk closely with him he will bless those things that he has in mind for me to do. Today I will go through the day with the confidence that God has a plan for me. I just need to check in with him daily to get his direction.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
God Knows About Your Stress, Go To Him for Help
In summary of Matthew 6:8 it says, “Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”
Bottom line:
Don’t be like others, God knows what you’re dealing with even before you ask him.
What this means to me:
This verse reminds me that God knows everything that causes worry and stress in my life. At times I act as if God is unaware of these stresses. I get uptight, upset, and then worry kicks in about the issue. However I what I need to realize is that worry on my part is a result of me forgetting about the omniscience of God. When I don’t think that God knows about or cares about what’s going on, I begin to take matters into my own hands; in effect I take on God’s role for myself. Worrying on my part is the taking on the responsibility for things God never intended for me to have. In reality, God is fully aware of all my needs, whether it be financial, spiritual, sexual, social or emotional. In fact, he knows what I need even before I ask it. When I pray this is never about giving information to Him, he already knows. God is waiting for me to ask HIm for help, so praying is my way to ask him for help. So I shouldn’t be like the masses who take matters into their own hands. I’m dealing with my Father in heaven and he knows exactly what I need even before I ask him. So I ask the Holy Spirit to remind me when I start worrying that I should stop, and realize God knows all and cares. Then I can go to God in prayer and ask for his help.
Bottom line:
Don’t be like others, God knows what you’re dealing with even before you ask him.
What this means to me:
This verse reminds me that God knows everything that causes worry and stress in my life. At times I act as if God is unaware of these stresses. I get uptight, upset, and then worry kicks in about the issue. However I what I need to realize is that worry on my part is a result of me forgetting about the omniscience of God. When I don’t think that God knows about or cares about what’s going on, I begin to take matters into my own hands; in effect I take on God’s role for myself. Worrying on my part is the taking on the responsibility for things God never intended for me to have. In reality, God is fully aware of all my needs, whether it be financial, spiritual, sexual, social or emotional. In fact, he knows what I need even before I ask it. When I pray this is never about giving information to Him, he already knows. God is waiting for me to ask HIm for help, so praying is my way to ask him for help. So I shouldn’t be like the masses who take matters into their own hands. I’m dealing with my Father in heaven and he knows exactly what I need even before I ask him. So I ask the Holy Spirit to remind me when I start worrying that I should stop, and realize God knows all and cares. Then I can go to God in prayer and ask for his help.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
God Knows Your Future, So Ask For His Guidance And Insight
In summary of Jeremiah 33:3 it says, “Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.”
Bottom Line:
Ask me, and I will tell you great things that you don’t know or understand on your own.
What this means to me:
I can ask God for guidance for things in my future and he will provide me with insight and direction on the things that are to come. It’s natural for me to want to know or figure out what is going to happen next in life. Today’s verse reminds me that Instead of seeking the future on my own, I should consult with the one who knows best what’s going to happen - God! His word tells me that He’s able to be in the past, present and the future all at the same time. God not only walks with me day-by-day, He also walks with me in my future. So if God knows all my tomorrows, then I should ask Him for advice. I’ll just have to remember that I walk with God one day at a time. He will not lay out my whole life at once. Moving forward I will try to incorporate a review of my daily schedule with him each day and weekly when I’m doing my planning for the week. I’ll pray "Father, You've already seen this day that I'm about to experience. Tell me the things that are important today and then help me to focus on them."
Bottom Line:
Ask me, and I will tell you great things that you don’t know or understand on your own.
What this means to me:
I can ask God for guidance for things in my future and he will provide me with insight and direction on the things that are to come. It’s natural for me to want to know or figure out what is going to happen next in life. Today’s verse reminds me that Instead of seeking the future on my own, I should consult with the one who knows best what’s going to happen - God! His word tells me that He’s able to be in the past, present and the future all at the same time. God not only walks with me day-by-day, He also walks with me in my future. So if God knows all my tomorrows, then I should ask Him for advice. I’ll just have to remember that I walk with God one day at a time. He will not lay out my whole life at once. Moving forward I will try to incorporate a review of my daily schedule with him each day and weekly when I’m doing my planning for the week. I’ll pray "Father, You've already seen this day that I'm about to experience. Tell me the things that are important today and then help me to focus on them."
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
God Knows Your Frustrations, So Give Them To Him And Have His Peace
In summary of 1 Peter 5:7 it says to “Give all your anxiety to him because he cares for you”
Bottom Line:
You can give all of your worries over to him, he cares about you.
What this means to me:
I should decide upfront and in my heart (once and for all) to give or turn all of my worries, anxieties and cares over to God. God shows me in his Word that he takes a personal concern over me and will care for worries me. I should never think to myself that “nobody knows what I’m going through or nobody knows the pain I’m experiencing” because God knows! He already knows all of my feelings and frustrations even before I tell him. There is no hurt in my life that would go unnoticed by Him because he is my father; one who is tender and compassionate toward me. God knows all of the causes, the reasons, the things that brought me to this point. He fully understands because he is the one who made me. He sees the hurt in my heart like nobody else ever could. Because he knows what my frustrations and despairs are, I can give those feelings I have back to him, I can cast them all permanently back to him, once and for all, and then, never take them back. Even though I know this, I often default into dwelling on my problems and worries, trying to solve things for myself. I am thankful for this reminder through his word, that whenever I start to feel worries or concerns that I can instead just turn them into prayers asking God to take them from me and to handle things in the way he knows best for me. I also need to remember that he always has my best interest in mind and that whatever happens will be used by him to grow my faith and to fulfill his purposes. One of the immediate benefits of casting my fears and worries onto him is the immediate peace that he grants me about the situation, especially as I trust him with the outcome.
Bottom Line:
You can give all of your worries over to him, he cares about you.
What this means to me:
I should decide upfront and in my heart (once and for all) to give or turn all of my worries, anxieties and cares over to God. God shows me in his Word that he takes a personal concern over me and will care for worries me. I should never think to myself that “nobody knows what I’m going through or nobody knows the pain I’m experiencing” because God knows! He already knows all of my feelings and frustrations even before I tell him. There is no hurt in my life that would go unnoticed by Him because he is my father; one who is tender and compassionate toward me. God knows all of the causes, the reasons, the things that brought me to this point. He fully understands because he is the one who made me. He sees the hurt in my heart like nobody else ever could. Because he knows what my frustrations and despairs are, I can give those feelings I have back to him, I can cast them all permanently back to him, once and for all, and then, never take them back. Even though I know this, I often default into dwelling on my problems and worries, trying to solve things for myself. I am thankful for this reminder through his word, that whenever I start to feel worries or concerns that I can instead just turn them into prayers asking God to take them from me and to handle things in the way he knows best for me. I also need to remember that he always has my best interest in mind and that whatever happens will be used by him to grow my faith and to fulfill his purposes. One of the immediate benefits of casting my fears and worries onto him is the immediate peace that he grants me about the situation, especially as I trust him with the outcome.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
With God You Never Have To Pretend
In summary of Psalms 69:5 it says, “God, you know every sin I’ve committed; My life’s a wide-open book before you.”
Bottom Line:
God you know everything I’ve done; my life is never hidden from you.
What this means to me:
God knows every foolish and sinful thing I’ve ever done. My life is like an openbook, whatever I’ve done could never have been hidden from you. So given this it is foolish for me to do something wrong and then try to sneak it past God (thinking he never noticed.) Likewise it is foolish for me to take something I’ve done and to not deal with it rightly (ie. trying to stuff it in the closet, locking the door.) God knows all, even stuff behind the locked doors. Everything I think, everything I see, everything I do, everything I feel -- God knows all about it. He already knows all I've done wrong and yes He still loves me! In essence, I not fooling God when I keep my sins hidden. He’s not shocked by what I’ve done and not surprised when I admit it to Him. Confessing my sin will never change the way he feels about me. This frees me to be exactly who I am around God. I never have to pretend or fake it; he will always love me unconditionally.
Given this, I come to you today God and ask you to help me examine my life and bring to mind any unconfessed sin / wrongdoing so that I may confess it and receive your forgiveness.
Bottom Line:
God you know everything I’ve done; my life is never hidden from you.
What this means to me:
God knows every foolish and sinful thing I’ve ever done. My life is like an openbook, whatever I’ve done could never have been hidden from you. So given this it is foolish for me to do something wrong and then try to sneak it past God (thinking he never noticed.) Likewise it is foolish for me to take something I’ve done and to not deal with it rightly (ie. trying to stuff it in the closet, locking the door.) God knows all, even stuff behind the locked doors. Everything I think, everything I see, everything I do, everything I feel -- God knows all about it. He already knows all I've done wrong and yes He still loves me! In essence, I not fooling God when I keep my sins hidden. He’s not shocked by what I’ve done and not surprised when I admit it to Him. Confessing my sin will never change the way he feels about me. This frees me to be exactly who I am around God. I never have to pretend or fake it; he will always love me unconditionally.
Given this, I come to you today God and ask you to help me examine my life and bring to mind any unconfessed sin / wrongdoing so that I may confess it and receive your forgiveness.
Monday, February 4, 2013
You Can’t Hide From God
In summary of Hebrews 4:13 it says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”
Bottom Line:
Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to tell him the truth we can’t get away from it.
What this means to me:
Nothing I do is hidden or concealed from God. There is no where I can go to get away or be secretive. Everything I do is open and exposed before his eyes, he sees through everything. I am not impervious to God’s Word, he is the one in the end that I’ll be accountable to telling the truth to. There is no way from me to get away from anything - no matter what. Unfortunately there come tempting times in my life when I just want to go with my impulses and desires, thinking it won’t hurt anyone (ie.. Just one bite, even though I’m trying to watch what I eat.) The enemy feeds me with his excuse, “no one will ever know.” If I do decide to move forward with my desire using my excuse, “no one will ever know” there is one who does know; God! His Word tells me that nothing in creation is hidden from Him and He knows everything about me. The good news about that is, there’s never a question God can’t answer and never a problem I could have that will ever confuse him. He’s never surprised or shocked. He knows all. This week I’ll keep in mind that my life is an open book before God. There is nothing I can do that he won’t see. I pray that Holy Spirit brings this verse to mind the next time I’m tempted and saying to myself “no one will ever know!”
Bottom Line:
Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to tell him the truth we can’t get away from it.
What this means to me:
Nothing I do is hidden or concealed from God. There is no where I can go to get away or be secretive. Everything I do is open and exposed before his eyes, he sees through everything. I am not impervious to God’s Word, he is the one in the end that I’ll be accountable to telling the truth to. There is no way from me to get away from anything - no matter what. Unfortunately there come tempting times in my life when I just want to go with my impulses and desires, thinking it won’t hurt anyone (ie.. Just one bite, even though I’m trying to watch what I eat.) The enemy feeds me with his excuse, “no one will ever know.” If I do decide to move forward with my desire using my excuse, “no one will ever know” there is one who does know; God! His Word tells me that nothing in creation is hidden from Him and He knows everything about me. The good news about that is, there’s never a question God can’t answer and never a problem I could have that will ever confuse him. He’s never surprised or shocked. He knows all. This week I’ll keep in mind that my life is an open book before God. There is nothing I can do that he won’t see. I pray that Holy Spirit brings this verse to mind the next time I’m tempted and saying to myself “no one will ever know!”
Friday, February 1, 2013
Prioritizing And Choosing a Simpler Life
In summary of Ecclesiastes 3:5 it says, “A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away”
Bottom Line:
There’s a time in which something needs to be done and many times where it doesn’t need to be done at all. There are certain relationships that need priority and others that don’t.
What this means to me:
My life is full of choices and competing demands. I truly believe that God never intended for me to make completing a to-do list the purpose of my life. To-do lists are good for helping me sort out priorities, but it is a tool not a way of life. There are likely many things in my life that I think are important that are probably not really worth doing. Tools like “Evernote” or “Outlook” are great but they won’t simplify life. Simplifying is more about choices and the prioritizing what is important and then sticking to those choices no matter how tempting it would be add more onto my plate. I’m the only one who can assume responsibility for my time. I need to clarify what’s really important to me. Today I will evaluate my priorities based on what’s really important in God’s eye’s and what’s not. If there is extra time left over, I can pursue the other things.
Bottom Line:
There’s a time in which something needs to be done and many times where it doesn’t need to be done at all. There are certain relationships that need priority and others that don’t.
What this means to me:
My life is full of choices and competing demands. I truly believe that God never intended for me to make completing a to-do list the purpose of my life. To-do lists are good for helping me sort out priorities, but it is a tool not a way of life. There are likely many things in my life that I think are important that are probably not really worth doing. Tools like “Evernote” or “Outlook” are great but they won’t simplify life. Simplifying is more about choices and the prioritizing what is important and then sticking to those choices no matter how tempting it would be add more onto my plate. I’m the only one who can assume responsibility for my time. I need to clarify what’s really important to me. Today I will evaluate my priorities based on what’s really important in God’s eye’s and what’s not. If there is extra time left over, I can pursue the other things.