Daily Devotional

January 19





Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.



Many people have hoped for something and have become disappointed when they did not receive it. Romans 5:5 states that hope does not disappoint. It is talking about the divine hope that comes from God. There will be no disappointment because it will allow the faith God has given you to produce victory. Usually the person who is disappointed is using human hope instead of divine hope. God expects you to become excited about the divine hope He has given you. Even though you do not see the answer to your prayers yet, you have given your divine faith a blueprint to work from. God wants you to expect to see the answers to your prayers through your spiritual eyes (“the eye of faith,”) before you see the answers with natural eyes.



Prayer Thought

The very fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith in the firm foundation, under everything that makes life worth living, it’s your handle over what you can’t see.

January 20





2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.



Many Christians have the image of themselves as an unworthy person whom God has saved, and sometimes say, “I’m only a sinner saved by grace. If they are only sinners, they are not saved by grace, and if they are saved by grace, they are no longer sinners. Saying “I was a sinner, but now I am saved by grace,” tells the truth. God receives the glory, because the person is no longer a sinner. Your inner image of hope needs to be changed, to show what the Bible teaches, instead of what you think or feel. Become fully persuaded that God wants to honor His Word in your life. Set aside time today to “refuel your spirit” with the promises in the Bible, which will increase your divine faith, see Romans 10:17. Meditate on His Word, and expect God to honor His Word.



Prayer Thought

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, receives the impossible.”

January 21





2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.



Paul shows you in verse 18 that Jesus is the head of the body - which is the Church, and that all the fullness should dwell in Him. A head without a body, or a body without a head is useless, they must work together. You are part of the body of Christ, with Jesus in you, and not yourself controlling things. You are the righteousness of God, and must allow the Holy Spirit rather than your carnal nature to direct you.



God has an inner image of life which is to produce Jesus in you. God desires that you conform to the image of His Son, and allow His divine inner image to fill your spirit. You then can reflect the nature and character of Jesus in your life, which will cause more people to want to come to Him.



Prayer Thought

“Lord as I fix my eyes on You, allow me to see how I’m reflecting Your glory.”

January 22





Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.



The world is faced with many problems. Some accuse God of not being in control, or of allowing the problems on the earth. They fail to realize that God gave the task to us, see Genesis 1:26. The satanic forces that have been controlling the world since the time of Adam were defeated at Calvary. The control was taken away from them and was given over to the Believer.



James 4:7 says you are to resist the devil, and he will have to flee from you. This will only be possible as you submit to the Lord. You must ask God what His will is, as well as the timing. Ask God to direct you, so that you start controlling the circumstances He wants to have changed.



Prayer Thought

God allows dark valleys in the lives of His children, to teach us to trust Him. God asks that you simply let go and let Him lead. “Cease striving and know that I am God.”



January 23





Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.



People who continually speak about problems they are facing, will stop the power of God from providing the answer. The secret to victory is to find Scripture that will show you the answers. When you quote these Scriptures, you release the power of God - through His Word which is flowing through you, to allow the answer to arrive.



Joshua 1:8 says that when you meditate on Scripture daily, you make your way prosperous, you will deal wisely, and have good success. When God’s Word is in your mouth, you will find His power flowing through His Word. When you release His Word through your mouth, you are allowing His power to flow through you, which causes you to be successful.



Prayer Thought

When God finds someone with courage to pray, preach and live a life before Him, of holiness and compassion, He can literally change the face of the nation.

January 24





Mark 11:14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.



Once Jesus was hungry on the way to Jerusalem, and He and His disciples passed by a type of fig tree that has its fruit before the leaves appear. This time there were only leaves on the tree because the tree was barren. The tree spoke to the Lord by saying that it would not provide any figs. This is like many believers who are spoken to by the problems they are facing. The problems state: “I will not go away, and will keep troubling you. You might as well accept the idea.” You can never respond to something or someone, unless it first speaks to you, by either actions or words. Through its actions the fig tree first told Jesus that it would not give Him any fruit, but Jesus answered it. What answers are you giving to the problems that are talking to you? Start using the promises of God against them, and expect the power of God to work in your behalf.



Prayer Thought

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says “The weapons you fight with are not the weapons of the world. They have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

January 25





Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.



Frequently trouble has a tendency to sap your strength and cause you to lose hope. You can become discouraged, and may eventually become depressed. The Lord has not promised you a trouble-free life, but tells you that when you are troubled, God will provide help for you. The Psalmist goes on to tell you that the Lord will stretch out His hand to save you. This will be possible as long as you continue to place your confidence in Him.



Go back over the promises covering the answers to your need that are in the Bible. Depend on them and expect the Lord to fulfill them in your life. God not only wants to help you in your present situation, but in future ones as well.



Prayer Thought

Joy doesn’t depend on sunny circumstances, it comes from knowing that whatever happens, God loves me, and all God’s words are true!

January 26





Psalm 138:8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.



Many of you are frequently bombarded with thoughts that try to make you think everything is hopeless, and there is no answer to your problem. It is not necessary to accept those thoughts because Jesus has promised you in His Word, He will perfect that which concerns you.



What is concerning you today? Is it a lack of work, a difficult situation, or a shortage of something? Ask the Lord to direct you how to pray. Remind Him that in Psalm 138, He said He will perfect your concerns. Start thanking Him for the answers, even though they have not arrived yet. Remember the Lord wants to meet your need. There is no problem too great He can’t handle. Jesus tells you in Matthew 19:26 “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”



Prayer Thought

Miracles happen every day - what if yours is just around the corner? Keep on expecting God to meet your need.

January 27





Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”



There have been times when some of you have felt that everyone seems to be against you. You start to feel discouraged or depressed. You may have lost your job, or may be in the process of losing your home or possessions. You may begin to wonder if things could get any worse.



Jesus said He will never leave you or forsake you. He also tells you in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Start offering a sacrifice of praise to Him, even though you don’t feel like it, and He will give you something to praise Him about. He is very anxious to help you, but He wants you to take the first step toward Him, by asking for help.



Prayer Thought

Jesus always carries the heavy end of the cross. He will never allow you to bear more than your strength will allow.

January 28





Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”



Today might appear to be the worst day of your life, but God wants to turn it around to make it one of the best days of your life.



Do you recall the Children of Israel when they reached the Red Sea? They were very discouraged because the Egyptian Army was right behind them, mountains were on both sides, a tremendous storm was overhead, and the Red Sea was just ahead. They seemed to have no answers for their problem. Then God told them not to be afraid. They were to stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He would accomplish that day. He also told them that He would fight for them and they would hold their peace, see Exodus 14:13-14. God wants to fight for you to give you a great victory today. Expect Him to undertake in a great way.



Exodus 14:14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.



Prayer Thought

God is saying “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you. I’m here, ready to help, just ask Me.”

January 29





Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.



In the verse above, Isaiah points out that you are only going through the waters, or the trying circumstance. You are not going to set up living in the situation, because it’s shortly going to pass. Expect the trying situation to not overwhelm you, because you are depending on the Lord to see you through the problem.



In Daniel 3 you find the story of the Three Hebrew Men who were thrown into a furnace, that was hot enough to kill the guards who were standing in front of it. They were depending on the above promise which was given 132 years before. You can depend on God’s Word equally as much, expect to receive the help God has promised. Start praising Him that the answers are on the way.



Prayer Thought

Satan’s not after you, - he’s after your faith. If he can steal the Word out of your heart - he’s won. Don’t let him!



January 30





Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.



The enemy of your soul loves to place a guilt trip, or heap condemnation on you. He will frequently remind you of your past, and tell you the Lord will not listen to your prayers, because you are unworthy. Remember, he is only falsely accusing you, because God has blotted out your past when you came to Him. You have been made a new creation, or in other words, started with a new slate.



Remind your accuser of his future, and tell him you are not going to fall for his temptation to have a pity party. God has forgiven your past, because you have completely depended on the redemption Jesus provided. You are now free of any condemnation he can throw at you. Start rejoicing in the victory over your past the Lord has provided for you.



Prayer Thought

Remember, he’s the accuser of the Brethren, but he can only get to you if you listen to him. Greater is He who lives within you, than your accuser will ever be.

January 31





Galatians 5:16 I say then: “Walk in the Spirit, (keep in step with the Spirit), and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”



Two Greek words for “walk” are used in the New Testament. The first one has the same meaning as is used in English. The second is a military word, and is used in the above verse. It means to keep in step, and was usually done with a drum beat. God wants every believer to keep in step with the Holy Spirit, instead of depending on their own skills, or natural abilities.



God has given you the authority to use the name of Jesus against problems you can’t control, but you are not given this authority to use it like a magic wand. God is expecting you to do what you can. When you reach your limit, you can expect God to supply the additional strength or power that is needed. This will be possible, provided you have been obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit.



Prayer Thought

Expect the Holy Spirit to direct you today. When you’ve done your best, - then leave the rest to Him.

February 1





John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.



Sometimes the football coach makes the players do things they don’t want to do. He is helping them to become better players, and lead them to victory. In the same way the Holy Spirit may direct you to do things, when you would rather be doing something else.



Do you feel this is what is happening to you today? Trust the Holy Spirit to guide you, because He knows the will of God for your life. The Lord has some great plans for your life, and will make provision, so that they will be fulfilled. Trust Him, expecting the situation to take place. At a later date, when you look back, you will be filled with the joy of the Lord, if you have submitted to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.



Prayer Thought

You make room for God’s Spirit to live through you, by what you are willing to surrender to Him.

February 2





Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.



When the centurion came to Jesus to ask for healing for his servant, he felt unworthy to have Jesus come to his home. People feel unworthy to come to God in prayer before they have been born again but after that, this feeling is only a temptation to keep you from the Lord, unless there is sin in your life.



Why should you feel worthy to bring your needs to the Lord? You have been covered by the righteousness of Jesus, which allows you to become worthy, and approach God in prayer with confidence. You are worthy because of what Jesus has done for you! Any time you feel unworthy, ask the Lord if there is any hindrance in your life. If the answer is “No,” then resist the temptation to feel unworthy. You are the righteous-ness of God.



Prayer Thought

God’s best is waiting for you, - and He doesn’t want you to settle for anything less.

February 3


Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.

Frequently the more you witness to your children, the farther they seem to pull away from the Lord. An idea is given in Luke 10:2, which tells you are to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers into His harvest. God wants you to frequently ask Him to send others to your children.

Instead of pointing out the things they are doing wrong, compliment them on what they are doing right. As their hearts start to soften, they will be more willing to accept what others tell them about Jesus.

Expect God to honor His Word by teaching them what they have missed because of the humanistic educational system and news media that is controlling much of the World. Thank Him for the answers to come.

Prayer thought
Have an expectancy that God is going to honor His Word and that you and your house will be saved!

February 4





Isaiah 49:25 But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.”



Many parents are having difficulties with their children, and feel there is nothing they can do to cause them to turn around. Some have tried to lead them to the Lord, but have found the division between each has increased.



The above verse gives you a promise from God, who wants to fulfill it in the lives of your children. Go to the Lord for wisdom and guidance, asking Him what part He wants you to play. As you depend upon Him, instead of your own strength, a change will take place in your children. He is not wanting any of your children to be lost, so keep on praying for them, expecting God to honor His Word. Don’t become discouraged if you don’t see immediate answers to your prayers.



Prayer Thought

He who gives himself to let the love of God dwell in him, this one will have the power to believe in the Love that hears every prayer.

February 5





Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.



Tension is greatly increasing in the lives of many children today. Violence at school, in the street or at home is of great concern to both children and parents. Stress seems to increase in a greater measure each year, and there appears to be no end in sight. Some places have increased security measures in order to relieve the fear and tension. Many children seem to have lost their joy and appear to be very unhappy.



The Lord promised in Psalm 91:11, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” Remind your children of God’s promise, and tell them to depend on His Word to given them peace in any situation they find themselves in. Remind them to depend on the power and authority of the Name of Jesus. Nothing can stand against the power of the name of Jesus!



Prayer Thought

All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He will never let you be pushed past your limit. He’ll always be there to help you come through it.



February 6





John 17:22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.



While Jesus was here on earth, God manifested His glory through Him on a continual basis. When Jesus returned to Heaven, God the Father wanted His glory that was on earth to remain here, in order to outshine the darkness of the satanic forces. The glory Jesus received, was shared with each of us who have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior. We can’t add to the glory of God, but we must reflect it. Many times this glory is not able to shine through a believer, because he allows the carnal nature to remain in the foreground. Each of you must make a concentrated effort to allow God’s glory to be manifested through you to the world.



In 2 Corinthians 3:18 you see you are changed from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. Allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to reflect His glory.



Prayer Thought

God’s way is not a matter of mere talk; its an empowered life.

February 7





Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.



Most of you have seen the flashing lights of a police car a long distance away. They must be very bright if they are to be seen for any distance. How large a bulb does the average light use? Upon investigation, you will find that a very small bulb is used, but it is seen far away because it has an excellent reflector.



What was Jesus really referring to when He told you to let your lights shine? He was talking about your reflecting the nature and the glory of the Lord. The more you keep the “reflector” clean, the brighter the light will be. John 15:3 shows you are cleansed by the Word. Contamination from the world may come through thoughts or words, but you can be cleansed as you spend time studying the Scriptures. Allow His reflection to become brighter each day.



Prayer Thought

If you just use God’s Word in Bible Studies, and don’t work it into your life, you’re like the careless carpenter who built his house with no foundation.

February 8





Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.



The first verse of this Psalm starts with “Blessed is the man,” and refers to things you should not do. The second verse shows your delight must be in the law of the Lord. What is the advantage when you follow this advice? God calls you “blessed” because He is going to enable you to overcome worry. Worry is a result of a plan that’s not working. Go to God to receive His plan for you, which when followed will overcome worry. When you only depend on your own plans, you can get to the end of your rope. When you trust in the plans of others, you could be let down. When you trust in and follow the plans the Lord has for you, He will guide you through the difficult times you may be going through. Expect the Lord to give you His peace, which will stop the need for you to worry. Ask Him to give you so much peace, so that you will be able to help others in their time of need. Worrying is a lack of trust.



Prayer Thought

God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. You’ll find that all your everyday human concerns will be met.

February 9





Psalm 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 28. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.



Many people feel very sorry for themselves when they get to wit’s end corner. They seem to feel there is no answer to their current problem. Are you feeling that way today?



When you cry to the Lord for help, you will find that He will direct you through any situation, and bring you out of your distresses. The secret to getting the calm in the midst of the storm is to praise the Lord, which enables Him to take control of the situation. There is nothing too hard for Him to take care of in your life. Sometimes you may be looking for a band-aid for the current problem, but He wants to go the root of the difficulty, to completely take care of it. Ask Him to show you what He wants to do today.



Prayer Thought

Psalm 42:11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God - soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. - (The Message ).

February 10





Romans 12:3 ....as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.



There are three types of faith, which are: Human Faith, Faith of the Senses, and Divine Faith. The first two are used to live and conduct business, but your prayers will be answered only when you use divine faith. Each one of you is given a portion of God’s faith when you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. It then becomes necessary to use His faith, or else you will lose it and go back to using faith of the senses.



Divine faith is increased by, reading your Bible, believing what you read, understanding what you believe, and then acting on it, see Romans 10:17. When your actions correspond to Bible teaching, and you ask in the will and timing of God, you will find that no satanic force can stop your prayers from being answered. Study God’s promises in His Word, and ask Him how He wants you to pray.



Prayer Thought

Those of us who are strong and able in the faith, need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not do what is most convenient for us, Romans 15:1

February 11





Mark 11:23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have what-ever he says.



A lady once bought a beautiful home on the side of a mountain, overlooking the town. When winter arrived she realized that she had made a bad choice because the mountain stopped the sun from warming her home. She asked the Christians in the local church to pray with her that the mountain would be removed, see the above verse. They were firmly convinced that it would never take place, but she continued to ask God to move the mountain. One day the highway department needed a large amount of dirt to raise the level of the road they were building, and moved the mountain. The image in the lady’s spirit was an expectation that the mountain would be removed. Expect God to direct you how to remove your mountains.



Prayer Thought

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this, - - - you haven’t!

February 12





Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.



To some people peace is the absence of strife or war. To others it means stopping hostilities until a more opportune time, which means when they get the advantage, they start the fight over again, regardless of agreements made.



God wants to give you divine peace in spite of the situations around you. Once a ship was in the midst of a hurricane, and the children became very fearful. A lady called all of them into one of the lounges and began telling them Bible stories. In a short time they had all calmed down and became engrossed in her stories. After the storm was over the Captain commended her for her actions, but asked her how she could be so calm in the midst of the storm. She told him she had two daughters, one at home and the other in Heaven. If she died, she would see the one, and if she lived she would see the other.



Prayer Thought

You don’t reduce Christ to where you are; He raises you to where He is. He’s the Master of the storm. He’s the Peace Maker.



February 13





Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”



Many children who have been born were not planned by their parents, and some were not wanted, however a lot of planning goes into preparing for an adoption. God had very great plans for you when you were adopted into His family. Remember it was not an afterthought or accident, because He wants you in His family. Don’t allow the enemy to give you thoughts of worthlessness. You are of great value in the eyes of the Lord. He has many plans for your life, and you need to allow the Holy Spirit to direct you, so that you complete the plans He has for you.



Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.



Prayer Thought

We know who He is, and we know who we are; Father and Children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us - an unbelievable inheritance.

February 14





1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.



Everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Savior is adopted into the family of God, and becomes a child of His. Many of you have frailties now, but when you go to be with Him, you will be transformed to be like Him. The defects you now have, will no longer be a part of you. As a Child of God, you are part of His family, and can bring your needs to Him any time you want to. You are able to receive His protection in times of need, every time you depend on His promises. You run into difficulties when you are bound by fear, doubt, or depend on your own strength. Remember, God is your Heavenly Father, and wants to help you. Bring your needs to Him today, asking Him for divine wisdom to direct you with the answers you will receive.



Prayer Thought

That’s why you can be so sure that every detail in your life of love for God, is working into something good.

February 15





Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait (entwine themselves) on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.



Stress at work, on the road, or at home drains much strength from you. Many times people seem to be overly tired by the end of the day. Isaiah promises you will renew your strength, as you entwine yourself with the Lord. Cords when entwined with each other, became a rope, and become a lot stronger than separate cords. The above verse is covering both the present and the future. You can receive immediate strength from the Lord as you spend time in prayer, or reading your Bible, but can receive strength for future needs as well. There will be times when you have to lay aside things you would like to do, because the Lord has a different agenda for you. It will be necessary to obey His leading if you are wanting to stay entwined with Him.



Prayer Thought

Throw yourself into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for Him, is a waste of time or effort. His strength is made perfect in your weakness.

February 16





Romans 3:26 To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.



Jesus wants to demonstrate His righteousness in and through you today. Your divine faith, which came from God, enables you to receive His righteousness, which covers you and makes you eligible to receive answers to your prayers. Your own righteousness will not permit God to answer your prayers, it is only divine faith, and having Jesus righteousness covering you.



You can rejoice because your past sins will not stop your prayers from being answered, provided the Lord has forgiven them. If you do something wrong in thought, word or deed, you can come back to the Lord to receive forgiveness, because His desire for you, is to restore you to full fellowship with Him as soon as possible. He receives pleasure when you are on “speaking terms” with Him, see 1 John 1:9.



Prayer Thought

Each of you are a temple in whom God lives. God Himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God, and they will be My people.” Ezekiel 37:27.

February 17





Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.



In the above verse Paul is talking about the controlling factor of the mind, which is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit directed Jesus throughout His ministry, and wants to direct you on a daily basis. Each one of you make daily choices for what you think, do or say. Are your choices always pleasing to the Lord? They can be as you allow the Holy Spirit to direct you.



A little girl was once confused about the pastor’s sermon. He had stated that God was greater than all of us. Later he said that God was in us, so she asked her mother, “If God is greater than us and He’s in us, wouldn’t He show through? If God lives in you, then there’s no way of keeping Him from “showing through.” That’s the essence of Christian living - - living in such a way that people around you will see God in your life. This will be possible as you set aside time each day for prayer and studying your Bible.



Prayer Thought

“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,” - Live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ.

February 18





Philippians 3:10 That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.



In Matthew 7:20-23 we get a glimpse of Judgment Day, when Jesus tells some of the people who had been going to Church, that He never knew them. Many will respond that they had prophesied and done many wonders in His name. Some had been working for the Lord, but were not working with the Lord. They did not have an intimate relationship, nor were they entwined with Him. Today may your prayer be, “That I may know Him.” To really know the Lord, spend time with Him daily. Aim to say or think things that will be pleasing to Him. Some may be able to get by with doing certain things, that possibly the Lord would not be pleased with for you. His comment to you could be, “You may do it, but I prefer you don’t. The more you obey His wishes, the more He will reveal Himself to you.



Prayer Thought

So lets keep focused! If you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision, stay on track. Philippians 3:15.

February 19





Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.



God has made available every spiritual blessing for the believers, but many have not reached out to receive what He has for them. Many don’t realize they are available, while others would rather depend on their own strength or resources, claiming they don’t want to bother the Lord.



The purpose for these spiritual blessings is to enable you to accomplish what the Lord wants to do through you. This is not only for you, but also for the body of Christ. When Moses killed the Egyptian and had to leave Egypt, he was a general in the Egyptian Army. He failed, because he was depending on his own strength, but after meeting with the Lord, he received spiritual gifts, which enabled him to lead all of Israel out of slavery. Tell the Lord you are willing to be used by Him as He sees fit.



Prayer Thought

Take on an entirely new way of life, - a God fashioned life. A life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God reproduces His character in you.



February 20





Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.



Official documents have a seal put on them, which proves they are authentic, or have the authority of the government behind them. Since you represent Jesus, His authority stands behind you when you are operating in His behalf, see John 14:12-14. The person who attacks the sealed child of God who is living for the Lord, attacks the authority of heaven which endorses you as genuine.



Another value of being sealed by the Holy Spirit, is that you can have His guidance, help and protection. Believers become the property of God, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Your responsibility is to maintain this seal by frequently having your mind renewed through studying the Word and prayer, see Romans 12:1, 2.



Prayer Thought

“Anyone who intends to come with Me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Follow Me and I’ll show you how.” - Jesus.

February 21





Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.



Spiritual things cannot be known through natural means, (1 Corinthians 2:12-16), but must be revealed by the Holy Spirit. God wants to freely give you divine revelation and wisdom, but will only give these to people who really show a desire to receive them. This is not to make you a super-spiritual believer, who knows God’s will for everyone’s life. He wants you to understand His purpose for your own life, which will affect you in every area, as well as produce lasting results in your life. Divine wisdom is desperately needed in the world today, because it far exceeds human wisdom. Many have human knowledge, but lack wisdom to adequately apply what they know. The Holy Spirit wants to give you divine wisdom, which will open your understanding, and enable you to help others in their time of need.



Prayer Thought

The Word says, if we lack wisdom, we’re to ask for it. He’ll give it freely, not holding back. What a resource!

See James 1:5-6.

February 22





James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.



Knowledge is information, but wisdom is the right use of information. Many people have a lot of knowledge, but lack wisdom. A person may be a good driver of a car, but does not show wisdom when driving rapidly under poor road conditions. You must be able to apply the knowledge you have in making wise decisions or else your knowledge will be useless. God wants you to come boldly to Him to receive divine wisdom, which far exceeds human wisdom. James tells you to ask in faith, expecting to receive what you are asking for. Possibly you are facing a decision that requires wisdom today. Ask God for His wisdom and expect Him to honor His Word by giving it to you. Start praising Him for the answers you are going to receive.



Prayer Thought

Remember, God says you have not because you don’t ask, James 4:2. Do you need wisdom? - Just ask.

February 23





Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; 24. and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.



Excusing ourselves is a human frailty. Some have stated that the other person committed a sin, whereas all they did was make a mistake. We have one set of standards for ourselves, but a different set for others, and will tend to overlook faults in ourselves. If we were to look at ourselves as God sees us, we would see something very different. The prophet Isaiah thought he was a very righteous man, but when he saw the Lord, (Isaiah 6:1), he said, “Woe is me.” Later on in Isaiah 64:6, he stated that all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags. You must get to the place where you are willing to have the Lord expose things in your life that are displeasing to Him. Spiritual maturity is only possible when you allow the Lord to cause changes to take place in you.



Prayer Thought

“Change my heart O Lord, make it ever true. Change my heart O Lord, May I be like You.”

February 24





Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.



When you come to Jesus and ask Him to come into your life and make you a child of His, He does what you ask Him to. You have now become His child. The Holy Spirit, who caused you to come to the Lord in the first place, next bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. Thoughts that God rejected you, or you are not a child of His, doesn’t come from God, and must be resisted. The enemy may remind you of your past, telling you that you were very bad, but remind him of what the Word says. Isaiah 43:25 tells you, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.”



Start rejoicing that you have been made a child of God, and His divine protection is over you. Expect the Lord to give you guidance, and to direct you all day.



Prayer Thought

God is more anxious to answer your prayers than you are to pray them!

February 25





Job 7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.



Worry is the art of continuing to feel anxious or uneasy. It is one of the main thoughts with which Satan will try to fill your mind. The aim of the spirit of worry is to try to place a vivid picture in your mind, and make you feel that you are in a hopeless situation. This was the picture he “painted” in the mind of Job, see Job 7:1-6. Job’s thought of a lack of hope caused him to worry, and many Christians fall into the same trap. They do not realize that God is ready to help them in any time of need. They allow the enemy to constantly tempt them, not realizing that Satan’s final goal is to persuade the person to stop serving the Lord. People will do this because they feel that God has not met their needs.



Psalm 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.



Prayer Thought

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let your petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.

February 26





Ephesians 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12. in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.



Some time ago the president of one of the colleges in the Northern United States was with his wife on vacation in Florida. When he needed more money, he went to a bank in the city he was in, and asked if they would be able to cash a personal check from another State. The manager told him that a phone call would have to be made to his bank, at his expense. The man agreed and waited for him to make the call. The person from his bank who answered the phone, told the manager to give him anything he wanted, because they would stand behind him. That’s how much confidence they had in him. God wants you to have boldness and confidence through faith to come to Him. As you pray in His will, He stands completely behind you to meet every need.



Prayer Thought

God is ready and waiting to give you what you need. God will not fail! It’s your failure to receive, that’s the problem.



February 27





Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love.



Periodically a person may become very bitter, and seem to have been baptized in vinegar. There does not seem to be much love from the Lord in his life. He may have accepted the Lord in the past, but something happened. The person was not rooted and grounded in love. How can a change be made? The reason your inner man needs to be strengthened is so Christ may dwell (take up residence), in your heart by faith. It is impossible for the love of God to flow through you, if it’s not in you, and frequently being replenished. You could have had the love of God flowing through you in the past, but with no frequent replenishing, this love will run out. God loves you, and wants His love to flow through you. Spend time in prayer and the Scriptures on a daily basis, which will put you in closer contact with the love of God.



Prayer Thought

Defeat comes from looking back. Distraction comes from looking around. Discouragement comes from looking down. Victory comes from looking up!

February 28





Ephesians 3:18 (That you) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height; 19. to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.



Fully understanding the love of Christ for one’s self is an extremely difficult task for many Christians. God had you in mind before the world was created. His love for you was so great, that the universe was planned around His love for you. He does not think of you as a second rate citizen, but as one who is chosen. He calls you his beloved, “His precious jewels.” It doesn’t make any difference what your social or ethnic background is, because His love leaps over all barriers. The closer you get to the Lord, the easier it will be to comprehend His love for you. Human knowledge is limited, and will not fully understand this unconditional love God has for you, but the Holy Spirit can reveal it to you.



Prayer Thought

Be not moved by what you see, or what you feel, but by what you believe. God so loved that He gave.

February 29





Proverbs 6:30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; he may have to give up all the substance of his house.



All of you have had something stolen from you, and may have become upset. The enemy of your soul wants to keep you irritated and steal your joy as well. Often you can become upset at the person who caused the problem. This is exactly what Satan wants, because he wants to steal your joy as well. He does not want you to know that you can take back or have restored what you have lost, and who is responsible to return it. It is not the thief, but the person who he is working for, that has to return it. You are fighting a spiritual battle and must take him to a divine court, because he directed the person to steal. Claim God’s promise for you, and expect God to Honor His word. Command the satanic forces - in the name of Jesus - to return seven fold what you have lost.



Prayer Thought

Satan tries to deceive, so you will lose God’s blessings. Deception comes from lack of knowledge. If you’re not enjoying God’s blessings, there’s deception somewhere.

March 1





Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.



Have you tried to overcome difficulties, but seem to remain trapped? It is necessary to replace the old vision in your mind, to one of victory the Lord has for you. God wants to give you a new vision for your faith to work from. This new inner image will show you that you are to be free from the problem that has affected you. The prospects of believing it will come to pass, will sometimes be more than you can think that God will supply. Expect the promise seen in Ephesians 3:20 to be fulfilled in your life. This power God has for you, is already flowing through you, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Raise your level of faith, then release the words the Holy Spirit wants you to say, which will cause the changes to take place. God is faithful, and will fulfill His Word in you.



Prayer Thought

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Remember, victory depends on whose strength you use.

March 2





Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.



Many are so involved with trying to make ends meet, they don’t seem to have any time to spend with the Lord. Stress in some lives is so high, they seem to be at their wit’s end. This is not the plan of God for your life, because Jesus tells you in the above verse, to put Him in first place, then He will meet your needs. People are looking for feeling, joy, peace, experiences and satisfaction, but frequently don’t acquire lasting results. Many spend large sums of money, but are not satisfied. Focus your attention on Jesus, find out what He wants you to do concerning His kingdom, seek His right-eousness, then the blessings you seek will follow. Since He created the world, He knows what is needed to give you lasting happiness. Ask Him to direct your activities today, and as you obey His instructions, He will fulfill His promise.



Prayer Thought

It’s just a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger He becomes in me.

March 3





John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.



Many people have the idea that when they make a mistake, that God loves them less than before. This idea is not true, because God loves unconditionally. Regardless of what you are going through, God still loves you. He promised in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave nor forsake you. It is possible for you to walk away from Him, but if you come back to Him, He will take you in. Jesus gave you the illustration of this in the story of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-24. The father welcomed him with open arms, even thought he had wasted part of his life away. Romans 5:5 tells you: “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Depend on this divine love to completely fill your spirit today.



Prayer Thought

Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. Go after a life of love, as if your life depended on it, because it does.

March 4





Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.



A battle starts to take place in your mind as soon as you become a Christian, because the enemy wants to get back what he has lost. The Holy Spirit wants to keep what has been accomplished. The satanic forces will put thoughts into your mind that are contrary to what the Lord wants you to think. You have to decide whose thoughts you are going to accept. The mind of each one of us has a controlling factor, which is the spirit of the mind, and must also be renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit, see Ephesians 4:22-32. God wants to renew your mind, to remove the contamination that could have filtered in by being in contact with the world. Allow yourself to be “washed” in the Word daily. The closer you get to Him, the less of the world will stick.



Prayer Thought

Don’t quit, don’t cave in. It is well worth it in the end. Be a survivor! God cares what happens - even numbering the hairs on your head.



March 5



IMITATING

THE WORLD



Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.



The world sees very little difference between the person who calls himself a Christian and themselves, when the Christian tries to imitate them by not completely telling the truth, or doing things that are wrong. What is the problem? This type of person is applying an action, e.g., “I’ll try it,” but God prescribes it as a lifestyle. The secret to having a changed lifestyle, is to have your mind renewed. The Lord is the One who has to do this, as seen in Psalm 23:3. He will cause the renewal to take place in direct proportion to how much time you spend in the Word, and in prayer. Your mind will not stay renewed any more than your hair will stay combed, you must keep in step with the Holy Spirit. This new lifestyle becomes a reflection of Him, because it’s demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit.



Prayer Thought

The Lord teaches us to “come out from among them and be separate.” We have no business copying the world’s lifestyle.

March 6





Psalm 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.



Do you work the night shift? I’m not referring to working at nights, but staying awake much of the night worrying about many things. When you wake up in the morning, you are tired, because of a lack of good rest.



In Psalm 121:4 you find that the One who watches you, will neither slumber nor sleep. He doesn’t need your help, so expects you to get a good night’s sleep. He also tells you in Psalm 127:2, He gives His beloved sleep.



God tells you in 1 Peter 5:7, you are to take your cares to the Lord and leave them there. Many take their needs to the Lord, but when they leave, seem to forget to leave them there. Learn to trust the Lord in a greater way, so that any need can be left with him, knowing He will honor His Word to perfect that which concerns you, Psalm 138:8.



Prayer Thought

Because I know my Heavenly Father loves me as much as He loves Jesus, I am not afraid to face life’s problems and totally put my trust in His care.

March 7





Job 22:28 You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.



Electricity is unbiased, and does not care what type of demand is put on it. A fan will never act like a radio, nor will electricity make a radio act like a fan. Electricity will always work according to the demand that is made on it. The power of God operates the same way. It is controlled by your words connected with divine faith, which releases His power. When you say you can’t do something, you are allowing the power of God to work through your words, to stop the thing from being accomplished. When you say you will be able to do something, because God is going to help you, you allow the power of God to accomplish it. God’s faith in you can be overridden by the words of your mouth. Don’t use words that will hinder God from supplying your need, instead ask Him to help you use words that are pleasing to Him, which will enable Him to honor the Scriptures you are depending on.



Prayer Thought

God spoke “words” and then the world was formed, He spoke and man was created. He spoke “words” and the fig tree withered. You can speak words of faith or death - your choice.

March 8





1 Thessalonians 5:24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.



All of you have been given promises at one time or another. On occasion the person had no intention of keeping them, saying, “I was only kidding.” Others have made promises to you, but circumstances prevented them from keeping them. Not so with the Lord! Every promise He not only will keep, but also has the ability to keep. Once a pastor went to visit a poor widow, and looked at her Bible. In the margin on many of the pages he saw the letters “T P,” and asked her what they meant. She told him she was a poor widow, and needed God’s help a lot. When she found a promise in the Bible, she would mark a “T” beside it, which stood for “tried.” Later when she received the answer, she wrote “P” next to the “T”, which stood for proved. God is a faithful God and said He will never leave you or forsake you, Hebrews 13:5. He is faithful in keeping all of His promises, and expects you to depend on them.



Prayer Thought

Spend so much time with Him that your way will be His way - because His way is yours.

March 9





Proverbs 6:2 You are snared (trapped) by the words of your own mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.



Many times your biggest enemy is yourself. God tries to build up something in you, or those around you, and you tear it down. You do this by using negative words. Idle words are non-effective, because they work against you. Many have asked for prayer and agreed with the person praying for them, but later they have said, “I don’t know how this need is going to be met.” Those words just stopped the prayer from being answered.



Use your words wisely, but this is not possible when you believe everything except the Word of God. The answers to your prayers come by using the faith of God with the right confession. A negative confession states the problem, and a positive confession states the answer, expecting God to supply.



Prayer Thought

“By your words you are justified, and by your words you are condemned.” Jesus said you can have what you say, but most are saying what they have!

March 10





Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.



It is possible for a person with a carnal nature to control his words when he is around Christians. He is using his mind and will power to control his tongue. When a problem comes, the mind will go blank and then the spirit overrides the mind. You now see the tongue being controlled from the abundance of the heart.



The power of God is released through your words, so your words must be controlled by your spirit, instead of your mind. God’s faith has been planted in your spirit, so your words must be governed by the promises of God to meet a need. You now start tapping into the higher truth, which is connected to the power of God. As you start to control your body by the spirit, instead of the body controlling the spirit, you will see God’s power working in you.



Prayer Thought

“Lord set a watch by my mouth that what I say may only give You glory.”

So Awesome and so-so true!!...Thanks again JR for the Daily Devotional!!

March 11




Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.



God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34), because He honors divine faith. Remember that there are several levels of faith, because faith is progressive. God increases your faith as you study His Word. As your faith is grounded more in the promises of God, you will see a greater amount of faith available. You are able to believe that God wants to accomplish greater things in your life.



The more you study your Bible, believe what you read, and act upon it, the more God increases His faith in you. The faith you had for the needs of last month will not work for now. New problems will need a higher level of faith, which means you need to spend more time studying your Bible. Each time you open the Bible, ask the Lord to help you understand what you read as well as increase your level of faith.



Prayer Thought

Faith is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes, allowing you to accomplish God’s purpose in your life.



March 12





Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.



Many of you have had experiences in the past that have left a bad impression. On some occasions it was something that happened a long time ago, but should have no effect on you. Frequently during World War II, ships were sunk bringing my parents pay check across the ocean, and once we did not receive one for three months. The week before one check arrived, there was only one large bag of corn meal in the house, which was cooked every way possible, until we got very tired of it. Even though this took place over sixty years ago, it still leaves memories in my mind.



Perhaps there are things of the past that keep coming back to your mind, but you would prefer that they didn’t. God wants to renew your mind, which is your soul, to give you a fresh start. Depend on Him to honor His Word in you.



Prayer Thought

Whenever we sacrifice something - a circumstance, situation, notion - God always gives us something back that’s far greater than we could dare ask or imagine!

March 13





Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.



The fear of the Lord means the awesome respect and reverence of the Lord. This will include placing the Lord in first place in your life. Another area will involve your obeying His commandments, instead of just knowing them. God gives a good understanding to this type of person, because he is willing to trust that He knows best. When you fail to obey His commandments, you not only lose His protection, but you start to lose the wisdom and understanding He has given you.



Divine wisdom is not given all at once, but is received on a progressive basis. Continuing to reverence and obey the Lord, not only increases your divine wisdom, it gives you the things you would like to have had as well, as seen in Matthew 6:33.



Prayer Thought

Grow your Divine wisdom with the “water” of the Word. Answer every doubt with God’s uncompromising Word!

March 14





Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.



Many people have felt the Lord called them to do something, but later did not see the needs supplied. Sometimes the time has not arrived to fulfill the thing God has called you to do. Moses learned this after he killed the Egyptian and had to run for his life. God had called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, but not at that time. Some have mistaken a call to pray and support a cause, for an assignment to go. They accomplished very little because they were not in the center of the will of the Lord.



Where God guides, He provides. If the Lord has assigned you to a specific task, raise your level of faith, by filling your spirit with the promises of God. Romans 10:17 says your faith is increased by reading the Word. You will then be able to believe Him to fulfill the assignment He has given you.



Prayer Thought

“Lord help me not to look on what others aren’t doing for You, but focus on what You have placed in my hands that only I can do.”

March 15





Psalm 40:2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.



Once a five year old girl was told not to go into the woods, but went anyway. Sometime after she returned her mother noticed that her little body was covered with a rash, and realized it was poison oak. She told her that the rash was the consequences of disobeying. Later the rash became worse, when the Doctor looked at her he asked, “What have we here?” Her response was, “The consequences.”



In our own lives we see forgiveness given for things, but this does not always remove the consequences. The above verse shows that consequences don’t have to last forever, because God can overcome them. The doctor overcame them for the five year old, by giving her some medicine. Go to the Lord, ask for forgiveness, then ask Him to help you overcome the rest of the consequences in your life.



Prayer Thought

There are some who wish they could pray for a “crop failure,” but only God in His mercy can change what we sow we shall reap.