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Even though it’s been 20 years since I’ve been in school of any kind, September still brings with it the feeling of a fresh start, a clean slate, another chance, of purpose, and of promise.
The desire to be different tugs at my heart. More loving, less demanding, more patient, less of a perfectionist, the longing pulls.
The hope that it’s possible to get off the world’s treadmill to walk instead on the narrow road is renewed.
The Bible says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
Mark Buchanan puts it this way. “Transformation is the fruit of a changed outlook. First our minds are renewed, and then we are transformed, and then everything is different, even if it stays the same.” (p 33, The Rest Of God, by Mark Buchanan)
God knows the story of how you arrived where you presently are. He knows the scars you bear, the pain and struggle of your days. He wants to make everything different, even if it stays the same. And the way it happens is through the rehabilitation of our thinking process.
Right thinking includes:
God loves me; I am of infinite worth in His sight.
God is in control; He has a good plan for my life.
Money and stuff are temporary; people are of eternal value.
It’s time to start thinking right, to know how much we are loved by God, to understand our lives have purpose and significance.
It’s time to allow God to transform our minds.
Holy God, I want to think on what is true, not what the world says or values. Renew my mind so that my life will be transformed.
Question: How do you keep your mind focused on what is true, and now merely on what the world says?
About the Author: Suzanne Benner
Are you in a dark place today? Tell us about it. We want to pray for you.
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“The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly and are filled with sap” (Psalm 104:16, AMP).
During a very dark time in my life, this is what the Lord said to me:
During the long winter months, when nature appears to have lost all its beauty, life still flows deep within its darkest recesses. The trees appear naked and dead without their leaves and blooms. The ground seems hard and bare without the beauty of flowers and grass. But, in reality, life is ever flowing, ever-present.
It flows in the sap that is deep within the trees. It stirs within the seeds of flowers yet to bloom. Both are quietly at work, waiting for their appointed time to be awakened and spring to life.
Sometimes My people also must endure their long winter months of travail when their fruit seems to have withered and their branches seem bare. But deep within their roots, My Spirit moves with eternal life.
All may seem dark, lost, and devoid of life and beauty, but, in such a life lived with Me, My work still goes on.
Sometimes it must be that My precious ones must endure the darkness in order to see the Light. Then when My Light shines on them, they come to life and begin, once again, to blossom and bear fruit.
Our lives are one – yours and Mine. Therefore, all that is of My nature must pass into yours, if so be that your roots have grown deep within My Son. So, take courage.
Allow My Life to flow through you, especially in the darkest of times, and then all will be yours – love, joy, peace, comfort, hope, strength, power, trust, healing, patience, humility, wisdom, and victory. I watch over you to care for and bless you.
If you are in a dark place today, take heart, take refuge. God loves you more than you can see and more than you can understand
Questions: If you are struggling in a dark place, tell us about it. How can we help you? Why does God allow us to experience these dry times of our life?
About the Author Lynn Mosher
Are you feeling ready to walk away from a relationship – are you possibly even considering divorce? We want to pray for you.
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“If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments” (Job 23: 3-4, NIV).
Everything had gone wrong in Job’s life. He’d lost his children, his possessions, his business and even his reputation as a righteous man. Throughout all of this, God was silent. “If only God would tell me why, it would be easier to take.” Have you ever said that?
But is this really what we need most? Would an explanation really help us with our pain?
From experience I know that we don’t need answers as much as we need a comforting presence. We need the assurance that we’re not alone. We need hope that we’ll get through this and good will come out of it eventually.
This became very real to me when I thought I’d lost everything I valued in life. “But you haven’t lost me,” I heard God saying. I knew then that I had what I need to get through it. Many times God does not give us answers, He gives us Himself — for He Himself is the answer.
Job discovered this. “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you,” he exclaimed. “and I repent in dust and ashes.” When he saw the greatness of God, Job wondered, why did I ever doubt?
Dear Father, I want to trust you even when I don’t understand. I believe that you are lovingly and thoughtfully putting together this life-package for me. I want to know you in a deeper way. Amen.
Questions: How do you respond when it seems you have lost all that matters to you? What is it that one needs most in life?
About the Author Helen Grace Lescheid
Is life getting complicated for you? Don’t go it alone. Talk to us.
“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4, NIV)
Have you ever played the game of Sudoku? It’s a logic puzzle that asks you to place the numbers 1 – 9 in each column and box without repeating any number. It’s challenging, intriguing and rewarding all at the same time. The funny thing is that in order to find out where the numbers belong, you must first determine where they don’t belong. Then and only then do you find the correct answers.
Sometimes I think God works with us like that as well. We ask him for guidance, but then it seems like we get a bunch of “no – that’s not it” answers. God understands that we are just human enough that it takes something like closing a few doors to nudge us out of our comfort zone. He has to close them to force us to take a different step, to bring us out into the open where the only choice we have is to depend on Him, and Him alone.
I can’t help but think that God is playing this game of Sudoku with us as he is creating our future. I jokingly told my boss the other day that I had given him a “two year notice,” because we believed we were getting transferred to another state (for my husband’s job with Ford) for the past two years.
For the first year, we thought we were headed to Louisville. Then there were a few months of Chicago rumors, which even led us to take a trip up there to search for housing. Then there was Kansas City, and now Dearborn, Michigan. All of these locations have one thing in common. They are far away from everyone and every thing we have known and loved for our entire lives.
So what does this mean for us?
It means that as God is gently showing us where we don’t belong, He is also preparing us for whatever comes next. And little by little, step by step, as one door after another is closing, God is slowly leading us out into the open, where we have no choice but to depend on Him, and Him alone.
And I’m okay with that.
I suspect that it will be challenging, intriguing and rewarding all at the same time. I want to live in the truth of Psalm 25:4, “Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths.”
Dear God, we want nothing apart from your plan for our lives. Please reveal that to us clearly, and put obstacles in our path if that path is not from you. Show us where we belong, even if it means you must first show us where we do not. We lay our future in your hands.
Questions: Why do you suppose it is that sometimes God shows us where He does not want us to go before showing us where He wants us to go? How do you respond to that?
About the author Janet Morris Grimes
Are you struggling with anxiety? Facing loss and disappointment? This study talks about that.
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.
“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us” (2 Corinthians 1:10-11, NIV).
It’s a yoyo night. Up and down. Anxiety swallows my sleep. Hot milk, television, pacing. Where is Jesus? Back in bed I clench my eyelids shut, willing my mind to silence. Picturing my problem in my hand I ‘throw’ it out of bed. No good, my problem comes back glued to my hand, screaming, “Worry!”
Accusing voices begin. The enemy says, “You’ve failed, that child will never be whole.” I command Satan and demon powers to be silent in Jesus name only to hear the voice of self, blaming, “It’s your fault. You’re a lousy mother. There’s no remedy.”
Insomnia. What keeps your stomach churning, your eyes staring into midnight blackness? Is your teenager living on the streets? Is the stack of bills higher than the stack of money? Are you terrified over a cancer diagnosis? Is divorce the only solution to the fighting and heartache you live with daily?
Whatever the problem, we’ve got to find a way to leave anxiety with Jesus and go to sleep. The choice? Toss and turn or get up and pray. Giving Jesus the problem is the only way to peace and rest. When sleep eludes and distress overwhelms, these prayer methods work. Climb out of bed and apply these truths, they’ll help you too.
Midnight Methods to Defeat Worry
1. Worship Jesus whether you feel like praising or not. Sing along with a praise tape. Watch worship videos on television. Meditate – think about – Jesus’ names. What do those names mean to you? For instance, Psalm 18:2: how is Jesus your ‘rock,’ your ‘fortress,’ or your ‘deliverer’? Praise him for the ways he’s rescued you in the past. Praise looks past circumstances and sees God. “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1-2, NIV)
2. Can’t speak prayers? Write them. Writing helps us focus. Write the problem and your feelings then ‘give’ it to Jesus by placing it near his picture or burning it as an offering. Thank him. He hears you and will answer. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14 -15, NIV)
3. Write down positive traits of the problem person. Thank God for their strengths and past answers to prayer. Praising positives refocuses your trust in God. “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us….” (2 Corinthians 1:10-11, NIV).
4. Quote encouraging scripture. If you’ve journaled scripture promises speak them to God claiming them as yours. “You said, Lord, ‘He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave’ ” (Psalm 107:20, NIV). You don’t have a promise journal? Begin one tonight.
Worship, journal or pray and then go to bed. Faith trusts God’s character and his Word. As Pastor Ron Mehl says, “God works the night shift.”
Questions: What are some of the things that keep you awake at night? What has helped you when you are kept awake at night with troubled thoughts?
About the Author Petey Prater (La Von)
Are you afraid to ask for help? Talk to one of our mentors.
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The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” (John 1:35-38, NIV)
They were obviously religious men, quite probably those who knew the old prophecies and longed for the coming of the Messiah. They were followers of this strange prophet named John the Baptizer, the one called of God to prepare people for the coming of the Christ. And then one day John pointed out Jesus passing by and said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
Our English translation does not do justice to their importance. I do not believe John simply glanced over on the road and, noticing Jesus, casually commented, “Incidentally, that one I’ve been talking about? You might be interested that he’s just over there.” We know that on the prior day, John had first pointed out Jesus with the same words (John 1:29-34), even giving personal witness to how God affirmed them that Jesus was “God’s Chosen One.”
The two men who evidently were honestly seeking after God still needed to hear the question: “What do you want?” Jesus took the initiative to help them look more deeply into their own hearts, to examine their motives, and perhaps even get a glimpse of what following Jesus might mean.
Their response to Jesus may seem odd to us. But it is possible these two knew that the deep longing of their hearts could not be addressed with a mere roadside conversation. They needed a place of privacy and uninterrupted time to reveal their deep needs and to hear Jesus’ responses.
“What do you want?” God poses that same question to each of us and we, too, need to retreat into a time and place secluded enough to hear His answers.
So often I do not know what I want; I only know there is a longing that gnaws at my heart. Thank you for your Spirit who will not leave me alone but continually asks, “What do you really want?” And then you welcome me into your presence. Amen.
Questions: Why are you following Jesus? What do you want from Him? How will you hear His answers for you?
About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle
Do you regret having an abortion? Need someone to talk to?
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” ( Psalm 119: 130).
“Simple” is frequently understood as a negative aspect of one’s character, too often meaning one who is insignificant, of little account or value. A more positive meaning is to be open, honest or free from pride. The word in Hebrew, however, brings a very different nuance. The psalmist describes the simple as one who is easily seduced, deceived, deluded or enticed.
Lest we think these descriptions certainly could not apply to us, think for a moment of the very purpose of modern advertising. How often do the words “you need” this product pop up in actuality or in subtle hints? Enticement is at the core of the industry.
It is not difficult to apply spiritual meaning: we can very easily be seduced, deceived, deluded or enticed into thinking that we have all the knowledge and capability to succeed in whatever endeavors we attempt whether in the areas of commerce, marriage, parenting, relationships or—of crucial importance—our experience with God.
It is only in the unfolding of God’s Word that we gain understanding to what and who are truly important. It is as God’s Word finds wide open entrance into the depths of our personalities that we gain true understanding of ourselves. Wise people are much needed today in all spheres of the world. We dare not risk avoiding the very thing that will fit us for the job.
Lord, I admit how easily I am seduced, deceived, deluded or enticed by the culture around me, and even by my own selfish inclinations. Help me to be willing to spend the time and effort necessary for the true unfolding of Your Word.
Questions: How does God’s Word help us not to be so easily seduced, deceived and deluded? What steps will you take so as not to be deceived by the culture around you in areas of commerce, marriage, parenting and/or relationships?
About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle
Do you believe in life after death? Questions? Ask us.
“A voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for Him …” (Luke 3:4).
Sometimes I feel like I am in a desert, don’t you? Everything seems lifeless. My enthusiasm dries up and I thirst for something to quench my soul. Day in and out I am on autopilot, going through the motions, living a life, reacting and dealing with whatever pops up and needs to be dealt with. Pretty barren.
This is not the way we are called to live. Each moment is a precious gift from our Creator, anointed by His Son’s blood, empowered by His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is that voice calling me to wake up and do something. I need to prepare my heart to receive God in all circumstances. That way, when I visualize His presence I will run towards him like a desert traveler gathers up energy to dash to the oasis. I will cut a beeline to Him – a straight path, not wavering or wasting any precious time.
I am point A, He is point B – I need to get there next to Him in the least amount of time.
I need His Living Water to quench my parched soul – now.
I hear Him calling out in my desert of emptiness. He is seeking me. So I find the strength to run like a child into the arms of her father and gulp down the cool, fresh water of the great mercy He offers.
Heavenly Father, you sent your Son so we could run into Your arms, cleansed and forgiven. Instill in me the desire to draw near to you daily, to hear your Spirit cry out that You are here. Let me pant for Your Living Water to quench my soul. Then help me clear the way for you through prayer, confession and praise. Amen
Questions: How are you preparing to receive Jesus in your heart this year?
About the Author Julie Cosgrove
Are you lonely in your relationship? Need prayer?
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“And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, ‘Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst’” (Exodus 17:3, NKJV).
God had brought the people of Israel out of Egypt with many signs and wonders. They had witnessed the power of God in the plagues He brought on Egypt, were blessed with unexpected riches of silver and gold from their Egyptian neighbors. They experienced His protection as He provided them with a cloud and a pillar of fire to guide them, shade them, and keep them warm at night, and daily received manna from heaven. But now, there was no water, and all these things were forgotten as they complained bitterly and were threatening to stone Moses.
Recently I have found myself moaning to God about what I didn’t see, about the prayers that hadn’t been answered and the desires that hadn’t been granted. As I became aware of my faithless attitude, I had to marvel at how quickly I lost sight of all that God has done for me, and all the amazing blessings that God surrounds me with daily. I found myself with the same attitude that the Israelites were in, and I had to repent.
Ingratitude and thanklessness are some of the very things that cut us off from God’s blessings. When we focus on what we do have and continue in joy, praise, and thanks to God, we will see the other things come into place in their time. Our father takes great pleasure in giving us good gifts and we can live in joy and trust Him to provide everything we need in exactly the right time.
”Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits. You crown the year with your goodness and Your paths drip with abundance. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Do not fear little flock, for it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Ps. 68:19, 65:11, Matt. 7:11, Luke 12:32, NKJV).
Questions: Are you wondering right now if God is listening to you? What are some of the reasons that we feel so far from God? What should be our first step to get back close to Him?
About the Author Emmie Stanley
Do you feel isolated? Here is an excellent Bible study start to nourishing your soul on God’s Word.
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.
“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways” (Psalm 119:15).
My husband’s maternal grandmother was a delightful woman with characteristics and actions that still bring laughter as we recall her presence with us. She placed high emphasis on “looking good” and so she occasionally wore one of her nicely trimmed hats while hanging laundry on the backyard line. (Who knew when some stranger might drive in and see her?) Another comment grandchildren remember was an emphatic, “Chew your food!” Some insist that she even said each bite should be chewed 100 times before swallowing.
Swallowing food without adequate chewing certainly isn’t good on the digestion, but there is another kind of swallowing that has far more negative effects. How many of us open our Bibles or devotional books each morning and quickly read—perhaps even pray—and then go about the business of the day without thoroughly “digesting” what we’ve read? We assume we have eaten a meal when in reality we have only swallowed a few words. The nutrients will pass through without producing all their God-intended, life-changing purpose.
The word meditate has within it the meaning of imagining, pondering, even repeated murmuring—in other words, chewing. Dallas Willard writes that in our reading of the Bible, our “aim must be to nourish (the) soul on God’s Word.” True nourishment never takes place, either in our bodies or our souls, without slow chewing of the food.
Lord, I am so often in a hurry when I open the Bible. I fool myself into thinking that I am eating a meal with You when in reality I am merely smelling a distant aroma of a well-cooked meal. Please help me never be satisfied with anything less than truly meditating on Your Word, pondering it, imagining You speaking personally to me.
Questions: What steps can we take to begin to nourish our souls on a more regular basis instead of hurrying through our devotions? What does it mean to “meditate” on God’s Word? What happens when we don’t take time to spend with the Lord?
About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle
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