DAILY DEVO...leaves blue around aimlessly, our lives shouldn't.

TODAY'S DAILY...

When I watch the leaves blowing around in the wind, I'm reminded that the leaves that have fallen no longer have life.

They blow around aimlessly in the yard, bouncing over the grass and landing on the fence, pressed up against it with nowhere else to go. Full of activity but yet empty of life.

God did not create us to be like lifeless leaves, just blowing around aimlessly. God created you and me to be purposeful!

One of God's purposes for us is found in today's Scripture reading...

(1 Thessalonians 3:12) "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you."

Paul prayed that the Thessalonians love would increase for each other, and increase for ALL people.

The love that Paul speaks of has specific purpose, it's the kind of love that encourages others to live in such a way that they would not be found blowing around like a leaf; aimlessly lost and dead.

When our love increases for others (and for God), we will then see that our purpose in life is still alive and well and not just blowing around in the wind.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

@copyright2017 laurieadams

TODAY'S READING: Jeremiah 28-29, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13, Proverbs 11:22-26

DAILY DEVO...you be you and I'll be me!

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

"We are not trying to please people but God, Who tests our hearts." (1 Thessalonians 2:4b)

God never intended us to become someone for the sake of others, instead, God made us  who we are for His sake!

I learned a long time ago that you can't please everyone all the time. In fact, many times you can't please some people any of the time.

God made me to be me and He made you to be you. Don't let others define who you are. There's no worse place to be than in an identity crisis, trying to find out who you are and what your purpose is.

Moses had an identity crisis. Born a Hebrew slave, but raised Egyptian royalty. When Moses grew up, he had a choice to make: to become who others said he was or become who God intended him to be.

I see too many people today trying to be something they are not. What I love about Moses is that he chose to give everything up to become who God wanted him to be.

My question today is this: whom are you trying to please, God or man?

Be who God created you to be and I will do the same. Together, we can make a difference because God's love has already defined us.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

TODAY'S READING...Jeremiah 26-27, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:8, Proverbs 11:12-21

DAILY DEVO...make the main thing the main thing!

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

Have you ever lost your focus? I'm not talking about when your eyeglasses need adjusting, but losing focus in life. 

It is so easy to get off track with our focus in life. 30 years ago, I was doing something completely different than what I am doing today. Things change. People change. Our focus can change. 

Making the main thing the main thing in our life isn't always easy when we don't know what the main thing is.

I suppose life can be like the sport of archery; aim the arrow at the door where you want the arrow to land. Sometimes you get a bullseye and sometimes you don't. 

(Colossians 2,6,7) "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

When we make Christ our main focus (our main thing), we will have a firm foundation to build our life upon. And every arrow we shoot will be dead centered right where it was intended to fall, in the center of God's plan. 

But before we can make the main thing the main thing, we have to make Him the main thing! 

Don't lose focus, just change your focal point. Aim for the Bullseye. 

BLESSINGS. Laurie

@copyright2017 laurieadams

TODAY'S READING: Jeremiah 18:1-20:6, Colossians 1:24-2:15, Proverbs 10:6-14

DAILY DEVO...pray without ceasing

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

The image of someone "praying without ceasing" may cause you to think of someone walking around with their heads down, hands folded and bumping into things as they do their nonstop prayer walk.

When Paul speaks about not ceasing to pray for the Colossians, he was not talking about having a certain posture or praying every moment of the day.

To "pray without ceasing" doesn't mean for us to talk to God nonstop. Instead it means that we should live in an attitude of prayer and bring ALL things to God.

Praying without ceasing is surrendering our temptations and faults to God, it is thanking Him for the good things, it is asking for wisdom and strength in the bad times, it is being sensitive to the Holy Spirit knowing when to speak and when to listen, it is praising God for all that He is and for all that He does.

When prayer is on our lips continually, every aspect of our life is an opportunity to connect with God and it will enable us to walk worthy of the Lord.

(Colossians 1:9,10) "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God."

Is there anything that you care so much for that you would be willing to never stop praying about?

Pray without ceasing so you can walk worthy of the Lord.

BLESSINGS. Laurie

@copyright2017 laurieadams

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING...Jeremiah 16-17, Colossians 1:1-23, Proverbs 10:1-5

DAILY DEVO... how well do you know God's love?

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

Paul prayed that the Ephesians would know the depth of the love of Christ. He wanted them to see what was beyond their comprehension when it came to this kind of love. 

It is difficult for our minds to wrap around this thought of just how much God loves us.

Most Christians go thru life thinking that they know God, but do we really know Him? 

The true test of "knowing Him" will appear when the bottom falls out of our life. When our marriage struggles. When we lose our job. When death or serious illness affects us. These are just some of the life struggles that if we lean hard enough upon God, we will see Him for Who He truly is. 

(Ephesians 3:19) "And to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

I have people in my life that seem to only know me when they need something. I'm sure you do too. When it comes to my relationship with God, I don't want to be that child that only knows Him when I'm in need.

Even though it goes beyond my comprehension of how deep and rich the love of God is, I want to know God; really know Him. Understanding Who God is will help us in those topsy turvy times in life.

Paul brings up a good question in today's Scripture reading, so I have to ask; "How well do you Know God?"

HAVE A BLESSED DAY. Laurie

@copyright2017 laurieadams

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 65:17-66:24, Ephesians 3:1-4:16, Proverbs 6:20-26

DAILY DEVO...we reap what we sow

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

Everyone knows that before you can bite into a juicy watermelon, you have to first start with a seed. 

Not all of the seeds that we plant turn out good. The Bible warns us in Galatians:

(6:7,8) "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

Many people are deceived in this world. They are deceived in thinking that their discord, destruction and evil will somehow turn into something good. But as today's Scripture reading tells us, it only turns into destruction. 

The law of "reaping and sowing" applies to everyone; saved or not saved, rich or poor, man or woman. Everything good (or bad) first starts with a seed, no matter who we are. 

Let's make sure what we are planting is good so that good things will come back to us. With God, we not only reap what we sow, but we will reap even more!

HAVE A BLESSED (and fruitful) DAY! Laurie

TODAY'S DAILY READING: Isaiah 58-59, Galatians 6, Proverbs 5:15-23

DAILY DEVO...guard your heart!

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

Our heart (literally) beats life. Anyone knows without a heart, one cannot live. 

But in today's Scripture reading,       we read that it is out of our heart that all issues of life come from...

(Proverbs 4:23) "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

The heart is a mysterious thing to me. With each beat, our heart is saturated with emotion. It is where we can be happy and sad, all at the same time. 

The Bible actually speaks of the heart often: it can be grieved, broken, pierced, divided and be full of joy. 

Our heart is the very expression of who we really are. This is why it is imperative that we guard what we allow in. 

Heart disease is probably one of fastest growing diseases there is. Once diagnosed with a heart condition, life altering changes usually are a must in order to live a full life. 

Spiritually speaking, when we allow the wrong things into our heart, it isn't long before disease sets in. This kind of heart disease is called sin and without a life altering change, our hearts cannot be whole.

Guard your heart - for what you fill it with will surely come flowing out. 

HAVE A BLESSED (and hearty) DAY! Laurie

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 52-54, Galatians 4:12-31, Proverbs 4:20-27

DAILY DEVO....we have to study the Text in order to pass the test

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

I'm about to do something I haven't done in 30 years. Next week I will be sitting in a classroom at college. 

To be honest, it isn't going to be easy because some of the knowledge I gained from the college classes from 30 years ago have become a bit rusty.

Things can fade when we don't use what we've learned and when we don't continue to grow in our knowledge. 

Book knowledge is good, but godly wisdom is even better. 

(Proverbs 2:6) "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

In other words, if we want to gain knowledge about life, we must study the book of life - The Bible. God is our Teacher. 

Every doctor, teacher and lawyer did not gain their knowledge and credentials by just simply stating "I'm a doctor", "I'm a teacher", "I'm a lawyer". No, they had to study and pass exams to become who they claimed to be. 

Spiritually speaking, it is the same. If we say we are Christian's but do nothing to grow our faith, to learn how to walk differently, talk differently; are we really Christians?

If knowledge and wisdom is something you seek, college classes can help you in the working world but reading, studying and applying God's Word will help you in everyday life. 

For every single problem or situation you face in life, you will find the answer in the Bible. But like any exam, you must first learn the text before passing the test. 

Let's be better students of the Word!

HAVE A BLESSED (and wise) DAY. Laurie

TODAY'S READING: Isaiah 38-40, 2 Corinthians 12:11-13:14, Proverbs 2:1-13 

DAILY DEVO...when your faith is mocked

TODAY'S DEVOTION...

It has happened to all of us. Someone said something, someone rolled their eyes or someone rebuked your God and all that you believe in.

I like to get along with everybody, so when someone comes against me and mocks me for my faith, it is a tough thing to swallow. Especially if it comes from someone I love.

The definition of mock is "to tease or laugh at in a scornful or contemptuous manner." As Christians, when we are made fun of or laughed at for being different, may we also remember that both friend and foe mocked Jesus.

I have found that when most people want to debate Christianity, the fight isn't with me; it's a spiritual battle going on within themselves.

In today's Scripture in Isaiah, the question is asked...

(Isaiah 37:23) "Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!"

Those who ridicule God's people are really ridiculing God Himself. Jesus had to deal with this, and so do we. Jesus never raised His voice or turned His back on any of the naysayers, He simply answered their questions and continued to love them.

That is exactly what you and I must do. Christianity is not up for debate, it is simply a choice that God has given each of us. We will accept the Gospel or we won't. The enemy wants as many of our loved ones as possible to miss the opportunity of understanding Who Christ is.

The best way to handle the faith naysayers in our life is to do what Christ did: don't argue with them, don't get offended and most of all...LOVE & PRAY for them.

You are not alone, God stands with you.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY. Laurie

@copyright2017 laurieadams

TODAY'S READING: Isaiah 37-38, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Proverbs 1:27-33

DAILY DEVO...we can puff ourselves up, or God?

TODAY'S DAILY...

While reading in the book of 2 Corinthians, I've noticed that Paul is addressing pride and being boastful. 

In today's scripture reading, Paul is defending himself to the Corinthians. While they began listening to false teachers, whom seemingly had it altogether, Paul responded without pulling out his credential card. 

Instead he spoke of his weaknesses. 

(2 Corinthians 11:30,31) "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, Who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying."

Paul knew that boasting (bragging, giving glory to) either puffed him up or it could puff God up. He wanted God to receive all the glory, not himself. 

Like Paul, we can choose to either bring attention to ourselves and all that God is using us for OR we can share our weaknesses; things that cause us to fall short which will bring glory and honor to God for all that He has done. 

C.S. Lewis said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you” (Mere Christianity).

May we all take our eyes off of ourselves and look up to God. He is the source and reason for anything that we can do or ever will do. 

Are you looking up?

HAVE A BLESSED DAY. Laurie

TODAY'S READING: Isaiah 34-36, 2 Corinthians 11, Proverbs 1:23-26