Top 5 in 2013 God's Bucket List!

On the New York Times Best Seller list is Rick Warren’s book,“The Purpose Driven Life.” Long before Rick wrote his book, God designed you for a Purpose. You are not an accident. Regardless of what your mom or dad may have told you, God knew all about you before you were formed in your mother’s womb. 

When you realize that God had planned you long before you came into this world, it changes the way you view life. It gives you a new perspective in the way you look out the window of life. Many people go through their days with a cloudy perspective. They guess at what they’re supposed to do with their journey. Some cast their life to the wind because they haven’t come to the truth and knowledge that God is the designer of their life. So, is our life an accident or is it by design?

AIR , When you think of the way God created the universe, He placed oxygen in the air so we could breathe. The air is about 21% oxygen; had it been created 50% oxygen, the next time someone lit up a match we would all be toast! Is 21% oxygen by accident or by design?

TEMPERATURE, God created the sun with a temperature of 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit, some 93 million miles away from the earth, just the right distance. If the earth’s temperature were even 50 degrees hotter or colder, all life would cease. Why was the earth not placed twice as far away, or twice as close? Is its distance by accident or by design?

ROTATION, The earth rotates 365 times a year around the sun. Suppose we only rotated 36 times instead. Well, our days and nights would be 10 times as long; we’d be terribly hot on one side and unbearably cold on the other. And life as we know it would begin to disappear. Are the rotation numbers by accident or by design?

Realize today that God has created you for a reason. When you dig into the Word of God, you begin to realize that you didn’t chose God but He chose you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit. Being “wealthy” isn’t driving fancy cars, living in a condo on the ocean, wearing diamond rings, and having millions of dollars in your bank account. WEALTH is knowing and believing the fact that God created you for a purpose.  As you live out His purpose, you will begin to experience great peace and joy like nothing the world can give.

 On “Gods Bucket List” for each of us is to live out the reason we were created. Are you doing that today? Are you living for Him or for yourself? Are you fulfilling the purpose God designed you for? Are you living out His design for your life? When you do “Oh…” Life is Sweeter!

Dannysdevotional.com

"Bucket List Part 2" - video message

Realigning for the New Year

Recently I had to realign my sprinkler heads at home because several of them were shooting water out in the wrong direction. Green algae began to grow in certain areas on my driveway, all because of sprinkler heads that were out of alignment.

If you’re an owner of a car, you most likely realize the importance of keeping the front-end of your car aligned. Picture yourself cruising down the most beautiful road in the world. Now imagine driving down that same road with your wheels pointing the wrong way. Not the most beautiful road in the world anymore. A car with a front-end out of alignment can ruin tires, destroy your front- end and cause a strong pull in the wrong direction.

There is no such thing as roads and highways without potholes. America’s highways are constantly being maintained to make our cars drive more safe and secure. I would add, there is no journey in the Christian life without potholes. Hitting tough places can cause great discouragement, disappointment and even doubts in life. They can result in one losing their Confidence, Courage and even the Cause to complete the journey God’s way.

The Word of God supports REALIGNMENT and a close examination of our spiritual life can sharpen our Confidence, Courage and Cause in life. Ask yourself, “Have I lost my cutting edge in my prayer life; has reading His Word and attending the House of God become dull? Am I pressing toward the mark that God has prepared for my life? Am I drifting away from Gods promises and my purpose here on earth?

Abraham Lincoln reportedly once said, “If I had 60 minutes to cut down a tree, I would spend 40 minutes sharpening the ax and 20 minutes cutting it down.” Elisha’s students were building a new dormitory. While cutting down a tree, the ax-head came off its handle. The student quickly realized that he wouldn’t get a lot accomplished without his ax-head. Many today are trying to live out their life without the cutting edge of God’s Confidence, Courage and His Cause.

I’m convinced today that you can regain your cutting edge. Yes, God used Elisha to cause the ax-head to float again, and the student reached down and picked it up out of the top of the muddy Jordon River. Regardless of the painful potholes in life, God is able to renew you in order for you to reach the mark He has created for your life.

You may say, “Can God correct my out of alignment Courage to do His will? Is it possible to repair the yucky mistakes of the past that’s deluded my confidence? Can I get God’s Cause back in my life? With high-powered chemicals and a hot water pressure cleaner, all the yucky glooby goo algae came off my driveway and today it sparkles. God has the Supreme Power NOW to clean up and realign your life where again, you will have the cutting edge of Confidence, Courage and His Cause for the sparkled journey He’s planned out for your life.   

dannysdevotiuonal.com 

Realigning for the New Year - video message          

Having Joy Regardless?

The Atheist movement recently paid 25k to rent a sign in New York City’s Times Square — a 40′ by 40′ display that stated, “Nobody needs Christ for Christmas.” Is that really true? Has the world become so full of themselves that life is no more than packages and toys wrapped up under a spruce or artificial tree decorated with lights, money that’s spent on gifts purchased for kids and grown-ups; beer, pecan pie and family gatherings who celebrate on Christmas day?

Who and What really brings Joy at Christmas? It’s not any different today than it was some 2000 years ago. God chose Mary; a virgin girl upon whom He would place His favor. Even though she was troubled about how the details could become a reality, Mary proclaimed, “My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46)  Even with all of her questions, suspicions, doubts and fears, she chose to rejoice in her God who was bringing Great Joy to the World.

             While she struggled to See, Feel and Explain these events, regardless her faith allowed her to bring Christ into the world with JOY. It’s empowering to me how she worked through each step in this journey of joy.
            Before the Baby came, we see Mary living out a life with a smile. Too many times in life we just can’t seem to muster up having joy before the ‘baby’ or the miracle comes. But there are People who believe that there is Peace beyond their Pain, Miracles beyond their Misery, Healing beyond their Hurt, and a Testimony beyond their Test. God says, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Eccl 7:8)

            How did Mary and Joseph work through their struggles in this incredible Season of their life?  They Focused on God’s WORD instead of their WORRIES. God still deposits His Words of life to guide our steps today. They Focused on THE SAVIOR instead of their STRESS. God can calm us down to live in Peace and Joy instead of stress. They Focused on a Miracle instead of their MESS. In the natural, they had a real mess on their hands. Living out God’s plan can get a bit messy on this side of heaven. But God says, “My thoughts are higher than your thoughts and my ways than your ways.” (Isaiah 55:10) They Focused on CHRIST’S COMING instead of their CHAOS. Lifting your eyes to Christ produces LIFE!
   

Christ not only came 2000 years ago, but He will come again. Choose to have Joy not based on the world’s situations. Matthew 2:10 states about the wise men in search of the star, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding Great Joy.” So will YOU and I when we Search and find Christ

Having Joy Regardless? - video message

Have Faith Regardless

If you were to ask Alabama’s Cade Foster how he was dealing with life after missing three field goals en route to a possible 2014 National Championship Game, he would probably have a lump in his throat, being in the “recovery” mode. On December 26, 2013 with one second left in the game, he was pulled out of the game; the backup freshman then missed a 57-yard field goal that was returned for an Auburn Tigers game–winning touchdown. Listen, there is nobody in life who always hits the mark!

The Bible is full of those who missed the mark, but somehow got up to see the sunshine another day. Some choose to live their life based on their mistakes, blunders, whims and mishaps. But Paul says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) God doesn’t always give us the details of the next step after our failures. If He did, you and I wouldn’t need faith for this walk.  ^“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

What would Mary do when the angel Gabriel said to her, “You will have a Son and call His name Jesus?” She could have “freaked out” and run from God’s plan knowing that she was a virgin;  instead she listened to Gabriel say, “Fear not, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).

God is the One who knows how to calm all of our uncertainties. He can quiet all our fears, doubts and suspicions. And yes, He can restore us when we’re in despair. Mary could have worried herself sick with thoughts of, “Everybody is going to think the worst of me and my integrity. Will Joseph believe me when I tell him what the angel of the Lord has said to me?” All of us know how easy it is to get worked up in our emotions when things don’t make sense or go as planned.

Somewhere, Mary and Joseph both had to say to themselves, “Regardless, we’re going to put all our FAITH and confidence in the Lord’s Process and Plan.” They had to say to God and to one another, “This event can’t happen by what we can SEE, FEEL or EXPLAIN” Yes, nine months later just like the angel said, Jesus, the Son of the Living God, came into this world through a virgin upon whom God had placed His favor. ‘What do you lean on in getting through your unbelievable events and steps in life? Will you make your decisions based solely on what you can See, Feel and Explain? Does God have a process that I will Trust?

It’s those who say, “I may not See it so clearly; I may not Feel the right vibes; and I cannot Explain my steps. But my FAITH SAYS, “REGARDLESS” I will walk by FAITH AND not by sight in His design and will for my life.

Have Faith Regardless - video message

SHINE ON REGARDLESS

Years ago, I was flying back from Calcutta, India after a 10 day tour in Asia. I was VERY weary and tired after a long flight, some 33 hours including layovers. As we neared Jacksonville Florida, the pilot came on the speaker and said, “There has been a storm in Jacksonville that has knocked the lights out. There are no lights on the runway; we are going to fly on to Orlando. You will have to make new plans to get home from there.” My heart sunk, being exhausted from jet-lag, plus thinking about adding an additional four hours to our travel time.

 Just how important were the lights on the runway that night? Truth was, as experienced as he was, the pilot couldn’t land the plane without LIGHTS. There is something powerful about light. It was in the beginning of creation that God said, “Let there be light.” This world was without form, empty and full of darkness. Everything changed when he spoke those words, “Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:3)

         This should remind every born again believer that just like the earth, we too were without form, empty and full of darkness. I don’t know where I would be today had not the Light of God shined into my own life. Saul was turned into another man (Paul) when a Great Light shined in his life on the Damascus Road (Acts 9).

                       I challenge you to Shine on Regardless of your:

·                Shakings… God says that in Hebrews 12:27 one day everything that     can be shaken will be shaken. You may face “shakings” in your finances, marriage, job, health, kids and your dreams in life. Friend, be determined to let your light shine even in these times, regardless!

·                Storms… They are part of life. Nowhere in the Bible does God promise us that if we come to Him, our lives will be exempt from winds of adversity and difficulty. God says, “Count it all joy when you fall into ‘divers temptations’, or different types of tests. (James 1:2)

·                Seasons… God says, “To everything there is a season.” (Eccl 3:1)  Many people get confused and disoriented in the different types of season of life. Approach every season in your life with the fact that if God is for you, who can be against you? Approach life with the knowledge that “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)

·                Stress… Paul says, “We are pressed on every side but not crushed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8) Make up your mind that God is watching over you regardless of your nightmares in life. He can use your dilemma to encourage somebody else that there is power to get through their struggle.

Now, for the rest of the story on our flight to Jacksonville, Florida. Within ten minutes I heard the sweetest words from our pilot. “Lights have been restored to JIA; we are turning back. We now have lights to land us safely onto the runway.” Are you the Light for someone today who is weary, tired, discouraged, and disoriented in life?  Jesus says,” You are the light of the World.” (Matthew 5:14) I encourage you every day in every situation in life to Keep Shining Regardless.

Shine On Regardless - video message

Thanking God... REGARDLESS

Psalms 150:6 “Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!”  Everybody in life   is going to face flat tires, leaky roofs, toilet over-runs, IRS tax frustrations, hackers hacking into your email account, and viruses on your computer. The question is “How are you going to respond to your pains in life?”

      How does one change what comes out of their mouth? Peter exhorts the churches in Asia who were under heavy persecution. Nero in Rome was putting high pressure on these new believers and making life miserable in every way possible. Peter says, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.”  (1 Peter 3:10) NLT

 Is it really possible to Praise God Regardless, even when you’re being frustrated, agitated and flustered with life? Let me share with you three things that can help you with your Praise to God.

         Praise Him Regardless by truly Trusting God with all your heart. A very rich man was travelling through the countryside of Scotland heading toward a very important meeting. When his car got stuck in the mud he was stranded in the middle of nowhere. A poor farmer came to his aid; rescued him and gave him a bed for the night. The rich man was so grateful that he promised to pay for a full education for the poor farmer’s son. True to his word the rich man paid for the education. The young man was Alexander Fleming the man who discovered Penicillin. The story doesn’t end there; the rich man’s son was wounded toward the end of the First World War and was saved by Penicillin. The rich man’s name was Spencer Churchill; his son saved by penicillin was Winston Churchill, who went on to be the Hero- leader of 1939-45 England.

         That one act of compassion changed the course of history. Somebody had to Trust that God was using their painful experience for good. Somebody chose not to give in to negativity, complaining and whining. Little did Spencer know that one day his gratitude to a man and to God would be the very investment that would keep his son alive from a brutal wound on the battlefield.

            Praise Him Regardless by sharing your Testimony with those who need Christ. We forget too quickly what the Lord has done for us. He shined His glorious light on us and forever our life has been transformed. Share the light with someone else and tell them what He has done for you.

           I challenge you today to take a 21 day challenge. Wear a band on your right hand and say, “For the next 21 days I will not whine or complain.” If you blow it, put the band on your left hand. Start again the next day fresh and new back on your right hand. With God’s grace we can Praise Him Regardless.

           Praise Him Regardless by thinking about the Time you have left here on earth to Thank Him. What will you be known for when you leave this world? A Whiner, Complainer, a bellyaching barking busybody? Surely that’s not what you want written on your epitaph. The Psalmist encourages us, “Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 92:10) With God’s help accept the 21 Day challenge to say, Regardless, “I will Praise Him.” Sooner or later it will become a way of life.

           Dannysdevotional.com

Thanking God Regardless - video message

Don’t let your Dream die!

There is one thing for certain. Life will throw you all sorts of curves, chaos, confusion and challenges. So How does one hold on to their Dreams in life? Take Henry Ford that had a dream to build a horseless carriage. His interest in internal combustion engines led him to construct a small one-cylinder gasoline model, which sputtered its way to life on his kitchen table. A later version of that engine powered his Quadricycle, which was essentially a frame fitted with four bicycle wheels, completed in June 1896.

         The Quadricycle was not the first working automobile in history, but it was Henry's first—and the first of many Ford vehicles. Henry Ford built his Quadricycle in a brick shed behind his house. When the car was ready to run, Henry discovered it was too wide to go through the door of the shed. He was so excited to get his car out for a test run that he took an axe and smashed the bricks out of the wall.

          At 4 a.m. on June 4, 1896, Henry sat atop his first automobile and took it for a spin. It ran successfully for a few blocks, but stalled from ignition trouble when he reached the area of the downtown hotels, prompting some taunts from the street transients. But Henry was jubilant: After years of hard work, he had built a working automobile.

         Later that summer, Henry Ford attended a convention in New York City of the Edison Illuminating Company, his employer in Detroit. At that meeting he was introduced to Thomas Edison, the inventor, who encouraged the young engineer to keep working on his vehicle: “That's the thing! Keep at it!" Edison advised.

          Henry took Edison’s advice. And as the Quadricycle began to attract public attention, investors were intrigued. With the backing and influence of the mayor of Detroit, Henry Ford incorporated his first automobile company, the Detroit Automobile Company, in 1899. It had a short life, but Henry Ford's career as an automaker had begun. By the way, he went bankrupt five times before the dream came true. 

        Think of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah, and Elijah, each of these struggled with the dream until it came to pass. Friend, don’t ever ever quit. "Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not." (Galatians 6:9)
         Dannysdevotional.com

Gems in Life Series 1 “Confidence” (Philippians 1:6)

Gems generally refer to a gemstone, a cut rock or mineral. Jadeite is worth more than $3 million per carat; Red Diamonds are $2 to 2.5 million per carat. Have you considered the treasures that Christ has promised to make your journey successful?

 Any athlete can tell you in order to have any success in their field, Confidence is a must. I’ve watched singers who’ve gotten nervous in their performance and gone flat and off key. I’ve seen golfers who ‘choked’, once they thought about their four foot putt worth $40,000! There are several things that will destroy your confidence. Let’s talk about a few                                    “Confidence Killers”.

 Unrealistic demands. Friend, no one is perfect. The Bible is full of heroes who experienced many blunders and mistakes. Some people place so much pressure on themselves to be perfect, that they forget what Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ. (Phil 4:13) If you think you can succeed in your own strength, you will fall flat on your face!

 Hitting the Replay Button too Often. The feature may be wonderful in helping referees in making the right call on the sports field, but when you’re always focusing on your past, you will certainly miss what God desires to do in your future. You can’t drive very far down the road looking in the rear view mirror without having a major collision and crisis.

 Fear of Failure What if Moses would have never left the backside of the desert and faced Pharaoh? What if Joshua would have never gotten the Priests to put their feet in the Jordan River? What if David would have never faced Goliath? What if Queen Esther would have never gone to the King to rescue the Jews from a death threat? What if three Hebrew teenagers would have never said to the King, “We will not bow down to your god?” What if Peter would have never launched out into the deep for a great catch of fish? (Luke 5:4) There would have been Many Missed Miracles.

Peter could have argued with Jesus, “Lord we always fish in the night, not in the daytime. Lord, we always fish in the shallow end where the Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee, not out in the deep. Lord, don’t you know that I have been doing this all my life? Lord, don’t you know we are tired and have been fishing all night long?” Peter’s pride and ego could have gotten the best of him; but instead he says these words, “NEVERTHELESS AT THY WORD I WILL LET DOWN THE NET.”

 

If you really want SUCCESS in your walk with God, quit focusing upon your knowledge, your  abilities, your past experience, and your smarts. God can build your CONFIDENCE in HIS WORD to you. He is able to get you through your stress, your struggles and your shortages in life.    

 Dannysdevotional.com

The Challenges of Parenting! (Part 1)

A priest was invited to attend a house party. Naturally, he was properly dressed and wearing his priest's Collar. A little boy kept staring at him the entire evening. Finally, the priest asked the little boy what he was staring at. The boy pointed to the priest's neck. When the priest finally realized what he was pointing at, he asked him, "Do you know why I am wearing that?"The boy nodded his head yes and replied, “It kills fleas and ticks for up to three months".

 It’s amazing what goes through the mind of a child. Kids really do have a mind of their own. And because they do, they need essential Time, Training and Tough Love from Godly Parents. We can’t leave it up to the White House to lead and give time to our kids. Neither can we leave it up into the hands of the schoolhouse to Train and steer our kids in the right direction. In all honestly, it’s not even the church house’s responsibility to give Tough love to kids. God puts all these responsibilities upon the shoulders of Parents. Yes, the church house Will give tenderness, time and training because so many kids are without a compass in assessing what’s really valuable in life. So What’s Important?

Time, James Dobson says kids spell love… “T I M E”. Mom and Dad, no doubt you are under great pressure when it comes to the time you have left over from work, keeping up with the house, your child’s school, taking them to their ball games, dance recitals, music lessons, karate, and the list goes on and on. Somewhere you come to realize you can’t be everywhere and do everything that is pulling on your coat tail. You must determine your TOP Priorities.  Have you sat down and discussed, “Just what are the TOP priorities for our Family”? Is there time for God? Is there Time to deposit His Word? Is there Time to worship the Lord on “The Lord’s day?” Have other things crowded God out from your world?

 Training. If you don’t make time to train your kids, who will? Most of them will learn lessons from society, friends, MTV, social media, prime time, and television.  So what does God say about the child God has given us? “Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

Tough Love, God states that parents are to discipline their kids. Eli was a great man of God but a horrible father. His sons Hophni and Phinehas were wicked men. He allowed his sons to get away without any repercussions or discipline. They violated sacrificial portions that belonged to God. They scandalized the faithful, acted unjustly and had illicit sexual relations with the young women assigned to care for the Shrine at Shiloh. But Eli did nothing. Mom, Dad don’t neglect in bringing tough love with some form of discipline to your kids. Kids are more secure when you do. God himself “chastens those whom He loves.”

I’ll be the last to say I did it all right as a parent. But with God’s wisdom and help, He will enable each of us to give Time, Training and yes, Tough Love to the children He gave us.

dannysdevotional.com   

                                    The Challenges of Parenting - Part 1    - video message                                                                                          

Add to your Faith…… “EXPERIENCE YOUR PAYDAY” #8

God states, “If you will add to your faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love, you will have a “PAYDAY of Victory.” Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit states, “If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, you will be productive.”

 These could be looked at as tools in becoming everything God would have us to be. Everybody struggles with something. In the pages of the Word of God, it is evident that men and women have their hang-ups and weaknesses. It’s up to us to add to our faith tools to overcome the entrapments that Satan uses to destroy us.

 Nobody climbs Mt Everest overnight. Those who have made it to the peak did it by taking one step at a time. BJ Gallagher writes, “Our journey is about progress, not perfection. It’s not about doing one thing 100 percent better; it’s doing 100 things 1 percent better each day.” God has a plan and a strategy for us to win. But you have to pay ‘up-front’ before you experience your Payday.

 Abraham kept pressing until he hit Payday. He struggled in believing for his promised son Isaac. It was his impatience that brought about Ishmael. Failure is not final unless you don’t get up. He persevered at the age of 100 and Sarah at 90, and they saw God bring about their promised son.  Payday came as they trusted God to fulfill exactly what He had promised.

 Isaac kept pressing until he hit Payday. He struggled with the Philistines who threw dirt in his wells. But he wouldn’t quit. He stayed in the batter’s box and faced every curve ball that came against him. He pressed on regardless, even in a famine, Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him (Genesis 26:12).

 Joseph kept pressing until he hit Payday. He struggled with his eleven brothers who sold him into slavery. He still trusted God who led him through some very deep and difficult steps. He was falsely accused for a crime he never committed and ended up in prison until he was 30 years old. Those 13 years of confusion eventually turned into a celebration.  He could have easily quit and turned sour and bitter. But he believed God had ordered his steps. As a result, thousands of people and own his family were saved in a famine. Yes, Payday came for a young 17 year old dreamer because he kept pressing.

 How long have you waited for your Payday? Have you become weary and worn to a frazzle? Keep taking one inch, one step, and one moment each day, pressing towards the mark. You may not understand it now, but God says, “Keep pressing till you hit the mark, for there is a prize.” Yes, keep adding to your faith and you will see your own PAYDAY OF VICTORY.                                              Dannysdevotional.com

Add to your Faith….Mutual Affection #7

                                           

A waiter at a Boston-area restaurant witnessed an act of kindness on Tuesday night that's warmed hearts across the Internet. “While waiting tables tonight, a mother and daughter started crying mid-meal. I had no idea what happened until a single guy at the table next to them handed me this note with his bill, “Do me a favor and bring me their check; someone just got diagnosed, don’t tell them.”

              

 What a great act of compassion and kindness! Peter says, “Add to your faith…Mutual affection.” (2 Peter 1:6) He’s inspired by the Holy Spirit and says that loving others is part of the journey in our development. This adds to the securing of your faith and your walk with Christ.

 Just how serious are you about finishing strong in your walk with Christ? Nowhere in the Word does it say that our walk will be perfect and without blemish, bumps and blunders. Yes, there are many challenges along the way. One of the greatest challenges that your faith will face will be how you handle people around you. Not everybody is going to smile at you and be nice, kind and loving. Some might just “rain on your parade”. Your issues aren’t in dealing with easy to love people; it’s those who are belligerent and ugly that adds stress to your life.

 Moses had to deal with Korah in the wilderness. Joseph had to deal with his eleven brothers who threw him in a pit. Nehemiah dealt with an enemy named Sanballat who attempted to stop the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Jesus was betrayed by one of His disciples named Judas. I don’t know who’s getting under your skin, but headaches and stress with individuals are always going to be part of your development this side of heaven. Yes, God uses people like sandpaper to make us smoother and better fit for His use.

 So, will you stay the course and become Better rather than Bitter? I have watched many people who have removed themselves from His Will and Plan all because they couldn’t handle the pressure of people who caused them tension and heartache. But the apostle Paul says, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. “For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. (2 Corinthians 4:7-11)

 Go the distance friend. And one day, standing before the Lord, you will see how God used each difficult situation and different people to make you more like Him and better at loving those around you.

 Dannysdevotional.com  

Add to Your Faith - Mutual Affection - video message

Making Godly Decisions?

                             

Have you ever seen a filter get stopped up in your home air conditioning, your car oil filter, or a gas filter? If you don’t replace the filter, it won’t be long you will be paying high dollars in repairs and replacement cost. Everyone should ask themselves, “Do I have a filter for making Right Decisions?”

 Filters are cheap in comparison to replacing your motor or your A/C unit that cools your home. Car manufactures recommend that owners replace their oil and filter every three to seven thousand miles. It’s a small cost, but it can be a big ticket item in your budget if it’s overlooked. So what is your filter for making Godly decisions? I’m certain there are many, but let me mention just a few:

  Keeping your Head clear is vital to making Godly decisions. I just recently talked with a discouraged Pastor of a local church. He came asking, “How do I know when it’s time to step down from my church?” Many people make a bad call when they are tired and weary. God says, ^{30 “}Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; ³¹ but they who wait for 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”  (Ish 40:31, 32).

 Each of us NEEDS a filter called Time Alone With God. Without consistent time alone with the Lord, you are apt to make some very bad decisions. Sarah said to Abram, “Take Hagar, she will give you a son. Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarah.” What would have happened if he would have hearkened to the voice of God? This mistake caused Abram and Sarah a whirlwind of heartache.

 Each of us NEEDS a filter called Trusting In Our God. “Without faith it is impossible to please God, he that cometh to God must believe that He is and He is a rewarded of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). People who tithe, trust in their God. People who share their testimony and witness, trust in their God. People, who choose to engage in ministry, trust in their God. “It’s not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6). Most people hold back from obeying God because of doubt.

 Each of us NEEDS a filter called Remembering the Lord’s Faithfulness. If God did it once, He can do it again. “He is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). “They soon forgot what the Lord had done” (Ps 106:13). The children of Israel had just come through the Red Sea and within three days got amnesia. They came to Marah and the waters were bitter. Immediately they are murmuring and complaining of God’s unfaithfulness. I keep a black book of the breakthroughs that the Lord has done for me. I do that to remind myself that when I go into another battle the same God that brought me out the last time can do it again. Have you checked your filter lately? When you get the trash of doubt, discouragement and darkness out, it’s amazing to see how the Lord will guide and direct you.               

                        

Dannysdevotional.com  

“Add To Your Faith…. Godliness” #6

Why did Peter say, “Add to your faith godliness?” If anyone knew how frail and human each of us are it was Peter. He went from getting out of the boat, to walking on the water to Jesus. He responded to the Lords question of “Who do men say that I am?” He responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Later James and John and Peter went up with the Lord on a mountain top where Moses and Elijah appeared. Then, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Roman soldiers and the Jewish leadership came to take their Lord; Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the High Priest. Then at the Lord’s trial before Pilate, Peter denies to three different ones that he doesn’t even know who the Lord is.

                 So why would Peter say, “Add to your faith godliness?” Peter of all men knew the humanity and difficulty of staying the course in their faith. Is it possible to add to your foundation of Faith, “Godliness?”

Years ago I had a tree in my front yard that was fifty plus years old, eighty feet high and simply gorgeous. On the outside everything seemed normal, but a cavity began deteriorating at the bottom of the tree. It might have been an attack from a fungus or insects that invaded and destroyed the inner core. One day I observed a squirrel that went in the bottom cavity of the oak tree and came out at the top.

                 The Word teaches us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) It’s little by little that Satan works at destroying our heart. One doesn’t overnight begin to lie, steal, cheat, gossip, and dwell on lustful thoughts and just get bitter with life. There are several things we must do to overcome the spiritual fungus that attempts to attack and deteriorate our heart.
                 Was it the business owner that treated you wrong? Was it the deal that went sour at work with a co-worker? Was it your dad or your mom who abandoned you at home? Do you still think about the church brother or neighbor or leader who deeply offended you? Do you still get on edge when you hear the name of that company, person or family member who wronged you?
                                      

God has the ability and power to help each of us fight back against the issues that have tried to stop our heart from being pure, clean and healed. When God saved you, His Word says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)  It’s unsafe to allow the enemy to leave your heart injured and hallowed out. God can give us a brand new heart. Your heart will then have His peace, joy, patience, passion and His purpose in your life.

                Each day I follow my doctor’s orders to take a baby aspirin. I could choose to refuse his instructions. Or I could just simply do what he says, trusting that he knows what’s best for my particular health and future. It may be by following that simple order from my doctor that keeps my heart ticking and keeps me living longer than I would otherwise.

Just how well do we follow the Lord’s instruction to protect our heart? Have we taken His instructions seriously? I had a tree surgeon come and take down that rotted oak tree. It had become a high risk to fall to the winds and storms. Have you ever seen one of Gods saints take a hard fall?  Their issues didn’t start overnight. Little by little destruction was happening from the inside. Man may look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.  Allow His precious blood to wash and cleanse you from all iniquity. Jesus said to pray every day, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Choose to be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Ps 1:3)

Dannysdevotional.com

Add to Your Faith - Godliness Part 6 - video message

What Causes Us To Make A Bad Call?

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way you should go. "(Ps 32:8)

When my wife and I had our first daughter Danielle, we shared in getting up in the night heating her bottle of milk in a pan of water on the stove. Wow, did we ever want the new technology in our kitchen called a Microwave which would be so much more convenient. One weekend we were in Sears, looking at this new appliance that could heat up foods and liquids in a few moments. The salesmen said, “We only have one more of these microwaves on sale.” As we were walking down the mall, neither of us had a peace about this decision to purchase this awesome appliance for 595.00.  What could be so wrong with buying this item for our home? Well, first of all we didn’t have the money for this costly new invention.

God’s Word teaches us to trust him with all our decisions. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6) We’ve all made some bad turns in life. Maybe it was buying the last microwave on sale, the last car marked down, or just moving too fast off your emotions. Many in the bible got very weary waiting on God’s timing. I have learned that God’s timing is not my timing.  My flesh doesn’t like to wait on doing things God’s way. Most of us want instant gratification and to live a “microwave” life where we have what we want now.

God says, “To everything there is a season.” It really boils down to trusting God’s clock and not our own. My wife and I chose to walk away from the last microwave and see what God might have in mind. A few days later, out of the blue, my wife got a call from her father, who lived better than 1000 miles away. She had not heard from him in several months. He said, “Honey, I want to get you and Danny something for your new baby Danielle. Do you guys have a microwave? If not, take my Sears credit card and go pick one up this week.” Friend, that really happens for those who know how to trust the Lord. No little birdie told him we had been in the mall looking for a microwave a few days earlier.

Strange as it might be, when we went back to Sears, they still had one more microwave on sale that we had seen a week earlier. It’s better to watch God orchestrate your steps where He proves to you that He knows how to order our life. It’s so exciting watching Him make things happen that show us He knows our every need and even our wants. Learn to be patient and watch God send the right job, home, vehicle and person for your life.

You might have blown it in the past, but remember, God is full of Great Grace, Mercy and Compassion. Believe today, “Your best days are in front of you.”        

Dannysdevotional.com