Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.
If you are one who has been faced with so many disappointments in life, you will know that it gets to a point when you want to give up trying. There’s a point when extra effort becomes too tiring, and may eventually turn into another disappointment. A point when hope becomes too difficult. It is at this point the devil magnifies the situation and tells you it will never change, he tells you it’s over. This same old broken record is what the devil is playing to the person sitting next to you. It’s the same old broken record that is played to every member of your family, church and all your friends. It’s the same old broken record of hopelessness he’s playing to me too. His objective is to make us give up, stop trying and lose out. He played this same old broken record to Joseph when he was in prison for thirteen years even though he did no offense.
The Lord allows his children to go through trying times to train us and prepare us for the work ahead of us, but the devil will never tell you this. God is encouraging us today to wake up and strengthen our gifts which remain and are about to die. Romans 12:12 encourages us to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, and by so doing, that good in us which is about to die shall be strengthened till this phase is over. Rejoice in the hope that this challenging phase of life too will pass. God promises to give us double for our trouble when all this is over in Zechariah 9:12 if we return to hope. Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I’m thankful for your word today. My heart is lifted in hope knowing that you have reserved victory for me. I ask for your grace to be sufficient for me in these trying times, that I will not give up. Help me to be strong and to strengthen the good things in my life which remain. When all this is over, let me not lose your virtues in me, I pray in Jesus name.
One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Sept. 17 2010 - Daniel 10-12 (OT), Philemon 1 (NT)
