His Mercies Are New Each Day

In review of Lamentations 3:23 it says, “His mercies are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.”

Bottom Line:

Great is his faithfulness, they are new each morning.

What this means to me:

Great is his faithfulness, his mercies to me are new each day. He gives me the chance to start fresh everyday.

In Lamentations 3, I read how in Jeremiah's darkest moment, his hope was strengthened with this assurance: God had been faithful and would continue to be faithful. Jeremiah was witness to both God's judgment and God's steadfast love. Jeremiah saw one ray of hope in all the sin and sorrow surrounding him: "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease." God will willingly respond with help when we ask.

In my own experience, I know that God keeps his promises. Trusting in His faithfulness day by day makes me confident in his great promises for my future.

Today, I will take the time to try and see myself as God would see me... As a mirror of His own image. He loves me so much that he has strategically carved out a plan of absolute perfection to meet my every need. Not just a few of my needs, but every single need I will ever have before I even know it exists.

So when I have a hard day or week, I can wake up in the morning knowing that I can have a fresh start in Jesus’ name. Today is the day to celebrate the faithfulness of Jesus Christ in my life.

God Provides What I Need When His Timing Is Right

In review of Psalm 37:3 it says, “Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.”

Bottom Line:

To be safe, trust in the Lord and do good.

What does this mean to me:

When I trust in the Lord and do good, I’ll live safely and prosper.

Psalm 37 is about trusting in the Lord and waiting patiently for him to act. I should never envy evil people, even though some may be extremely popular or excessively rich. No matter how much they have, their possessions will fade and vanish like grass that withers and dies. Those who follow God live differently from the wicked and, in the end, will have far greater treasures in heaven. I need to keep in mind that what an unbeliever gets on earth may last a lifetime, if they are lucky. What a believer gets from following God will last forever.

What I’m reminded of is to just trust God. I may not always get my way, but He will work things together for my very best in the long run.

Whether I want to believe it or not, an answer of “no” or “slow” to my request is very best answer for me. I’m only thinking in the moment, however God sees the entire picture.. not just the tiny snapshot that I see from my vantage point.

This morning as I work through my devotional, I’m encouraged to start a prayer journal and write down the things I would like for Him to do in my life, the areas I would like for Him to supernaturally touch. What places need supernatural intervention and inspiration.

Then make a prayer list and start sending my petitions to the throne room of God. He is waiting. Then, mark the dates beside your requests and have faith that in the season, the Lord will answer my prayers.

Obtaining Peace In Difficult Times

I review of 2 Thessalonians 3:16 it says, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way.”

Bottom Line:

The Lord of peace Himself can give you peace in every way.

What this means to me:

When I look to and trust him, my Lord of peace himself will give me his peace no matter what is taking place around me.

I know from my own practical experience, (especially lately with the completion of a large project to relocate one of my clients data centers,) that when I focus on the Lord, and trust Him with my situation, that he grants a peace that is unexplainable.

What I’m learning is that peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather the presence of God no  matter what the conflict is. Regardless of what’s going on, It’s good to remember that God has not forsaken me, for I matter to him.  

Everyone in this life will face trials. As long as I’m still breathing, obstacles will come my way. I need to know that if God can bring me to it, He can bring me out of it. There is no need for me to run away from a problem in fear; rather I should face it head-on, knowing if I’m on God’s team, I can defeat any enemy.

No matter how enormous the challenge is, instead of worrying about it, I should put my trust in Him. When I ask Him to make my problem as His own, He will saturate my life with peace.

Loyalty

In review of 2 Chronicles 13:5 it says, “Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?”

Bottom Line:

When God makes a promise He keeps it.

What this means to me:

As God has shown throughout history, what He promises will always be kept and honored by Him.

Today’s verse refers to God’s promises as in a covenant of salt. But what is a salt covenant in this context? From what I can see, the Bible refers to this kind of salt as representing loyalty, a word that is often lost in today’s vocabulary. So therefore, a salt covenant is one of loyalty. God intends for His children (us) to be loyal to Him, to keep His covenants, just as He has been loyal to us. He also intends for us (me) to keep their vows to each other.

Furthermore, “Covenant” is defined as the ability to remain faithful even to your own hurt. This means that once I give my word, no matter how difficult it becomes, I honor it with the party whom I made the covenant. Everything that is permanent or important in the Word of God is sealed by a covenant between two parties. Marriage is an example of a covenant relationship that involves loyalty.

So today I shall consider if I’ve been true to my word? Or am I a covenant breaker? If today some of my relationships are broken and my heart is bruised, I’m encouraged to make them right. Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts heaven has given me, and it’s something that can revolutionize my life in an instant. I should forgive those who have hurt me, so that I can uphold my covenants.

Re-igniting the Fire Of My Life

In review of Revelation 21:5 it says, “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’”

Bottom Line:

God who sits on the ultimate throne, will make all things new.

What this means to me:

My God who is in control who is true and trustworthy, will make all things new.

In the first part of Revelation 21, I read how the earth as I know it today will not last forever, but after God's great judgment, he will create a new and eternal earth. God and his followers, those who have their names written in the Book Of Life, will be united and live there forever. It will be a place where God will live among his people.

God is the Creator of all. The Bible begins with the majestic story of his creation of the universe, and it concludes with his creation of a new heaven and a new earth. When I'm with God, with my sins forgiven and my future secure, I'll be like Christ. I'll be made perfect like him.

It’s never too late to get a fresh start! God’s word contains many stories of people who failed miserably and were given another chance by God. At some point in our lives, we can all use a fresh start. Its also important to note that problems are a part of life. Challenges are here to stay. I may make mistakes, but God is waiting to give my life the jump-start I need to move in a fresh, new direction! 

God created me in His very own image with an exact purpose in mind. I can ask him to re-ignite the fire of my life and point me in the direction he has for me. Great things are on the way!

The Lord Protects Those Who Love Him

In review of Psalm 145:19 it says, “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him,He also will hear their cry and save them.

Bottom Line:

Trust and hold him in reverence, for He will fulfill your desires and rescue you.

What this means to me:

When I take God seriously He hears my cries for help and rescues me. He will satisfy all the desires of my heart.

So what does favor look like?

God’s Word says the blessings of the Lord will make you rich and he adds no sorrow to it. There lots of wealthy people who do not possess true joy because they equate happiness with their earthly possessions. But the world can’t supply happiness and peace. And thankfully, it can’t take away true happiness and peace, the kind that comes from the Lord.

When God showers me with blessings, there will be not mistaking the source. His presence saturates the room and satisfies my desires. Yet I often make him my last resort. I should strive to ask Him first the next time I feel empty or discouraged. His word tells me that He longs to commune with me and satisfy me with Himself.

The favor of God surrounds my life each and every day. I should not survey my circumstances to see if my life “looks” favored. My problems were solved, my needs were filled, my enemies were outnumbered, even before the troubles began. I can have confidence that as I trust God, He will provide.

Faith in God brings Peace

In review of Isaiah 26:3 it says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you.”

Bottom Line:

Faith in Him brings peace.

What this means to me:

When my faith is firm, the Lord’s give me perfect peace.

One thing is sure, I can never avoid strife in the world around me, but when I fix my thoughts on God, I can know perfect peace even in turmoil. As I focus my mind on God and his Word, I become steady and stable. Supported by God's unchanging love and mighty power, we are not shaken by the surrounding chaos. When I keep my thoughts on God and my trust in Him, I receive peace.

I know this is true. It was especially true in the last recent weeks as I worked on the data center relocation. There were so many things that caused strife (timing not coming together, people not following through) in this project. I was able to a maintain enough peace to get me through it.