God Will Fulfill His Purpose For You

The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me...

[Psalm 138:8, NIV]

Just like David in this scripture for today, you can be assured that whatever good work God has begun in you, He will perform it and complete it. Your Loving Father knows what is most needful for you. We are in a time where we care about so many things, including those that do not concern us, but God knows what are the things that really are of consequence to us. Now, like never before, we need to cast our cares upon Him and set our heart and affections upon Him. Our relationship with Him should be our priority, knowing that He has started a good work in us and He will perfect it.

On what ground can you build your confidence that your Loving Father will fulfill His purpose for you? The verse for today continues with the words, "...Your Love, O Lord, endures forever - do not abandon the works of Your hands." The love of Your Loving Father endures forever. He will never abandon you. You are the work of His very own hands. He is at work in you both to will and to do, bringing out the good that is in you, for His good pleasure.

You can remain confident that He will fulfill His purpose for you because whom He loves, He loves to the end; and, as for God, His work is perfect. Rest in the unfailing love of God.

Prayer: My Loving Father, I give you thanks knowing that You will fulfill Your purpose for me. I thank You that I am a recipient of Your love that endures forever. I cast my cares upon You, Lord. I pray that as each day unfolds, my desire will remain to know You more and more, and my relationship with You will continue to grow. I pray You reveal any area of my life where I am resisting Your work. I pray for a heart that is willing to submit to Your work - to will and to do for Your good pleasure. I give You praise for whatever good is in me, it is because You are at work in me. Blessed be Your Holy name. In Jesus Name, Amen.

In God’s House

My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Psalm 84:2

A good indicator of our spiritual temperature is our eagerness to worship God. This eagerness is often expressed in our desire to gather with other Christians in worship. When a person is burning with zeal to worship God, every opportunity to go to the house of God is golden. If for any reason the person doesn’t make the appointment, it leaves a sad feeling, an expression of missing a great event. There is also a strong resolve not to miss the next opportunity whatever other appointments arise.

On the other hand, a person who has become cold and nonchalant will permit even the slightest excuse for not gathering with others in worship, considering these excuses as legitimate. Excuses when tolerated to an extent, dampens the spiritual temperature of the child of God, depriving one of the benefits of God’s presence -peace, righteousness, joy, breakthrough, etc.

There’s something special about praising God together with His people and we should take advantage of every opportunity we get. Even when we can’t make it, we are still able to express our love for our loving Father and show our longing to know him, until we are able to gather again in corporate worship that brings strength. The Lord is pleased and we’ll be blessed when our heart’s desire is to be with Him and His people.

Prayer: Help me dear Lord to prioritize fellowship with brethren, to enjoy your presence which you graciously fill us with. Please quicken my spirit to be zealous for you and your good works. I reject luke warmness and nonchalance in my spirit and give myself over to your worship. Dear Lord I ask for wisdom to manage my activities not to miss fellowship. Let me enjoy the life, expressions of your love and revelations of your power and might that abound in your presence in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Oct. 1 2010 - Micah 1-3 (OT), 1 Peter 1 (NT).

Positive Pain

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

[Proverbs 27:6, NKJV]

Not everyone appreciates correction. It’s even more painful when it comes from someone you least expect, your friend, who is supposed to be on your side. Let’s see what David thinks of correction from a friend. He felt indebted to those who corrected him and realized how much he owed them. He described his appreciation in Psalm 141:5, Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it…

Correction is a kindness from the person who gives it and suggests an act of loyalty, because loyal friends correct one another. Correction can be painful and disruptive to a relationship but it is a show of love and desire to help one another grow stronger. Proverbs 27:6 says, faithful are the wounds of a friend…

It takes grace to give godly correction; it takes an even greater grace to receive it. A true friend will not overlook or conceal the wrong doings of another friend. A true friend will gently but honestly give correction for the good of the other person. Accepting the correction of a friend turns out to be excellent oil on the head, for it will make you a better person. Such objective correction will not be heard from friends who don’t have your interest at heart. Receive the genuine correction of a friend as a show of love and give heartfelt correction to those who err.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your word of wisdom. Please give me the maturity of heart to know that my friends love me when they correct me. Help me to see the truth in their correction and grow into a better person. Grant me the courage to support my friends with honest feedback when they err. Dear Lord, help us all to be like you in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Sep. 29 2010 - Jonah 2-4 (OT), James 3-5 (NT).

The Wilderness, The Valley And The Door

...Therefore I will bring her into the wilderness...There I will...make the Valley of Achor [troubling] to be for her a door of hope and expectation...

[Hosea 2:14-15, AMP]

These words, spoken by God, was about His restoration of Israel. It depicts God's love to Israel (and now to His people) even though they were unfaithful. The interesting thing was preceding the restoration of Israel, He had to bring her to the wilderness where she will not be distracted but be able to listen to Him, and there in that wilderness, He will make the valley of troubling to be for her a door of hope and expectation.

The wilderness depicts a place of desolation, loneliness, barrenness, or an uncultivated place. To bring this closer home, it could be a period in your life when you feel alone, you feel spiritually barren, or you need more grooming. Yes you might be in the midst of people, yet you feel that emptiness and lack of completeness or fulfillness in you. If you listen closely, you will hear your Loving Father speaking tenderly to your heart. In the wilderness, the best choice to make is to totally depend on Him and listen to Him. Accept the discipline He wants to instill in you. His plans for you are good, not evil. His plans are to give you the future you hope for.

It is bad enough when you find yourself in a lonely place. You may feel that is the worst that could have happened until you find yourself in the valley. The valley depicts a low point in your life where you feel what you are going through is unbearable. Fear not if you find yourself in the valley. Your loving Father promises that in your wilderness, your valley of troubling will become to you a door of hope and expectation. It is from the valley that you will see the door that leads to restoration. It is in the valley where you will see the Hand and Might of God, and experience Him in such a way that you will be filled with hope and expectations. With your renewed hope, your faith is ignited to receive your miracle.

Prayer: My Loving Father, thank You for Your unfailing love towards me. I thank You because no matter where I find myself, You are there and because of You, I can always be expectant. Should I find myself in the wilderness, I pray for the ability to listen to You and trust You. I pray for Your grace and strengthening that I may be patient to see the door of hope and expectation. May I experience the sweetest discoveries of You in such a period. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Too Much At Once

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

[Matthew 6:34, NIV]

In life, if we peer too far ahead of today, the challenges and goals may feel like a Mt. Everest climb. They can appear impossible to handle if we think we have to be ‘ready’ for the goal. With such a monumental sight in front of us we may never get ourselves to start anything. The bible reminds us that today is all we need to tackle. We don’t need to worry about tomorrow’s tasks because the thought of it could weigh us down so much we don’t even do what is required to be done today.

Imagine if Moses dwelt on the thought of how he’ll feed the Israelites for the whole duration of their journey. With what they had in hand, they would never have embarked on their deliverance trek. God took care of that mountain with manna – even at that He provided only enough for one day at a time (Exodus 16:4).

Every hill in life is too high if we think we must climb it all at once. But no hill is insurmountable if we take it one step forward at a time, with God’s help. Do you have a project you want to embark on, a work that will expand the kingdom of God, but are waiting to gather all the resources and solve the project before you start. It will only cause worry and delay. Trust God with tomorrow and do what you need to do today.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I have certainly procrastinated good works I should be doing for a perfect time when all is complete. I have dwelt in worry and anxiety that shouldn’t be mine to carry. Please forgive my unbelief, help me Lord as I start in faith and prosper my efforts with your provisions I pray in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Sep. 27 2010 - Amos 7-9 (OT), Hebrews 11-13 (NT)

Just As God Promised

So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as He said.

[Acts 27:25, NLT]

These words of Paul were spoken during Paul's voyage towards Rome, when he and his fellow-travellers encountered a tempestous weather. Paul among the seamen was the comforter in the storm. Paul assured them, in the name of God, that their lives would all be saved, even when, in human appearance, all hope that they should be saved was taken away. He told them what ground he had for this assurance - the promise of God. Paul was confident that God will do as the Angel had told him.

Your Loving Father, who is the same God yesterday, today and forever more, will do just as He has spoken and promised. If you find yourself in a tempestous situation, in a place where from all human appearance it seems all hope is lost, take courage. The tempestous situation only comes to shake your faith and trust in God. He who has done it before can do it again. He will do just as He has promised. If you have not heard from Him, spend time in His presence, talk to Him, speak your heart to Him and read His word. Surely you will hear from Him.

Prayer: My Loving Father, I thank You for Your providence and preservation. I take courage knowing that You will do just as You have promised. Father, I pray for the ability to hear Your voice clearly especially when I get clouded by situations going on around me. In Jesus Name, Amen.