“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…” Philippians 4:11,12

“Mom, you find pleasure in the smallest things,” my daughter laughed.

I had just described to her my joy at finding a spider web suspended outside my kitchen window. Raindrops caught in the web shone like beads of crystal in the early morning sunlight. What could be more beautiful?

A sense of wonder at the small things! How we need that today in our world of noise, speed, and consumerism. It’s easy to be sucked into the world’s way and to miss the many little blessings God scatters into each day for us.

Two things that steal my sense of wonder:

—Comparing myself with others who seem to have more of what I want–more book sales, more success in ministry…

—A feeling of entitlement–I deserve more than I’m getting. After all, I have worked very hard and given so much.

Paul could have gone that route. He had worked day and night to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had sacrificed everything: home, family, career, comfort, even a wage. Yet, he was in prison while others were free to preach.

What was his response? “I have learned the secret of being content.”

What was his secret? I think I know: Develop a keen sense of wonder at all that God is doing for you and through you. All the little miracles he is scattering into each day for you. Like a spider web outside the kitchen window.

Today, I encourage you to write down the little blessings that add to the pleasure of your day. See if you can come up with ten. Then share some of them with the rest of us.

Father, I thank you for the surprising ways in which you come to us. Today I want to be alert to the small blessings you’ve planted along my pathway.

by Helen Lescheid
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Contentment by Max Lucado

Secret of Contentment by Phil Ware

The Secret of Contentment by Charles Stanley

Contentment by Idelette McVicker

Contentment and A Broken Ankle by Katherine Kehler

The post A Sense of Wonder appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“And Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.’

Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.’” (1 Samuel 15:22-24, ESV)

God is always speaking to us, whether we hear Him speak directly to us or in visions and dreams. God uses other people to speak to us through prophetic words, and God uses His living word to speak to us. God is always speaking to us, so why is it so hard for us to hear Him all the time? Personally, I get what I call Saul-itis. Never heard of it? Read 1 Samuel 15:22-24.

It is all too easy for us to sin, and then run to God and say we are sorry. It is all too easy for us to sin and directly disobey God out of fear of others. This is what happened to Saul. God gave him direct orders on what to do and how to do it, yet Saul kept disobeying God. He did what he felt was best or what the people thought was best. Remember Isaiah 55:9?

It is hard to be obedient to God, for our sin always wants to get in the way. Praise God we have Jesus to forgive us for this sin. What happens, though, when we start to become like Saul, and our “I’m sorrys” lose the repenting part – you know, the part where we are to turn from our sin. This is Saul-itis, where we directly disobey God, we don’t want to turn from our sin, and we put our own words and the words of people above the word of God.

So what do you do?

Repent. This is the first key step: repent. In all ways let yourself be convicted of the disobedience whether it makes sense to you or not. Truly want to turn from it, even if it means suffering or rejection from the world. Being obedient to God’s word, no matter how you hear Him, is pleasing to the Lord.

Father, I pray today that I see the parts of my life where I am not being obedient to your word. Lord let me repent of this today, truly want to turn from these sins, and seek only your face, and your presence. Father I surrender myself in all ways to you. I can’t do this alone Lord I need you. Forgive me Lord for my sins. Let me draw strength from you to stand on your solid rock, and to stand firm against the world. Lord we ask this today in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen

Question: Is there a part of your life where you are not following His word?

by Rev. Daniel Forster

FURTHER READING

Bitterness in the Garden of Our Hearts

Become a Brave-Heart Disciple

Are You Afraid to Fully Surrender to God?

The post Let Me Hear Your Word and Obey appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 (NIV)

Encourage those who are struggling. Don’t know what to say?  Then open your Bible.

To the grief stricken: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrew 13:5 (NIV).

To the guilt ridden:  “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 8:1(NIV).

To the jobless: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Romans 8:28 (NIV).

To those who feel beyond God’s grace: “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16 (NIV).

Your Bible is a basket of blessings. Won’t you share one?

By Max Lucado
Used with permission
From: A Love Worth Giving

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about-max/

RELATED READING

Be an Encourager

I Love Encouragement

Who Could Use Your Encouragement Today?

Encourage One Another

The post Words of Hope appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“. . . I am gentle and humble . . .” Matthew 11:29

One of the first devotionals in J. I. Packer’s Knowing God Through the Year uses the above verse.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

My eyes stopped when I read, “gentle and humble.” I began to consider what I read.

Here is the Creator of all things — the God Almighty, the God who knows everything and is all wise, the One who is holy, the Ruler Supreme — telling us that He is gentle and humble, and that we will find rest for our souls if we come to Him.

You would think He would say, “Hey you, don’t you know how important I am? I don’t have time for you, I am too busy.” But He didn’t. He said, “Come to Me.” Wow!

The greatest leader, and He is gentle and humble. How many people do you know who invite you to come to them? How many leaders do you know, who, after they have become powerful, display gentleness and humility?

And then we must ask ourselves the question, “Am I gentle and humble?” Do people feel peaceful in my company?

A gentle spirit  is something we cannot produce in ourselves.  But the Holy Spirit produces “love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness” and much more.   Why not ask the Holy Spirit to be in control of your life from now on and He will change your to be the person you want to be.

Here is a prayer for you:

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I now thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.”

If you prayed this prayer we would love to hear from you . If you would like to know God deeper we can connect you with an email mentor and/or send you some great links.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

God is my Delight

What a Friend we have in Jesus

Father God’s Intimate Love Letter to You

The post Gentle and Humble appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”  James 3:17-18

Thoughts on Today’s verse

Now I know why righteousness is so hard to find: there aren’t many sowers! Heavenly wisdom is full of sacrificial earthly action. That’s a powerful reminder to me that wisdom is not what you know but what you sow!

Prayer:

Holy and Wise Father, thank you for demonstrating purity, peace making, consideration, submissiveness, mercy, good fruit, impartiality, and sincerity in Jesus. I ask for the power and the courage to demonstrate those qualities this week as I seek to live more like him. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

by Phil Ware
Used by Permission

From: https://www.verseoftheday.com

The post Heavenly Wisdom appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity.” Psalm 94:12-13 (AMP)

As I take a look at our key scripture, I am reminded of God’s love for us.

We are truly fortunate to have a Father that disciplines and instructs us. It is our job to be teachable and make sure we are paying attention.

This verse also stresses that the Lord gives us power to keep ourselves calm in the days of adversity. I believe it is a direct result of what we learn from the wisdom God gives in His Word. It is good to know that our God is strategic. Everything He does has purpose.  Nothing that we encounter surprises Him. He uses the hardships of our journey to mold us into a vessel that is pleasing to Him.

When you are faced with difficult issues take time to consult the Word of God. It is through His word that we find the ammunition that is needed to keep us firmly planted as the pressures of life mount. My prayer for you today is that you will begin to desire the sincere milk of the Word. Allow it to strengthen you in your everyday walk. Be teachable as the Lord to trains and instructs you in the way that you should go. It will be well with you.

Father your word teaches us that we can trust you in our daily lives. I pray that we will take the time needed to learn the lessons that you are teaching us. I pray that we will be students of your word, desiring your word as our necessary food. Amen.

How do you handle life’s difficult issues?

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

Follow Us On:  Facebook  •   ‘X’  •   Instagram  •   Pinterest

RELATED READING

Let God Teach You

Like a Child

Show Me Your Glory

The post Be Teachable appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Read Psalm 145:1-6

The first few verses of this beautiful psalm of praise by David show us 3 practical ways in which we can honor our Lord daily. Following these 3 steps will strengthen and enhance our walk with Jesus. They are:

Praise Him every day

“Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever” (vs 2)

There is so much to praise God for and we should be lifting our praise to Him every day. Let us start our day with praise and end it with praise! Let us praise Him as we walk the streets, as we sit at our desk and as we travel. Praise is contagious and soon others will follow your example.

Illustration – I remember a Christian leader saying that as he was traveling in the bus one day and enjoying the beautiful scenery around him, he couldn’t help humming the powerful hymn ‘How Great Thou Art’. The person seated next to him soon turned and said, ‘Feels so true doesn’t it’? A short while later, a few others in the bus started humming the great hymn! That’s the power of praise!

Have you praised God today? Read the rest of the Psalm (21 verses in all) and list down the many reasons David praised God ‘EVERY DAY’.

“My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord” (vs 21)

Meditate on His works

“I will meditate on your wonderful works” (vs 5b)

The works of God are revealed in His powerful Word. We also see them in creation, in our own lives and in the lives of others. Let us meditate on His Word and His works. Meditating on His Word and His works lifts our faith whenever a new challenge comes our way.

A preacher once mentioned that meditating on God’s Word can be compared to a cow ‘chewing the cud’. As the cow receives help with its digestion when it chews the cud, so we too can receive all the strength contained in God’s Word as we spend a few minutes or more, meditating on it. It is interesting to note that The Collins English Dictionary describes the term ‘chewing the cud’ as follows – ‘to reflect or think over something’.

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” (Psalm 119:97)

Proclaim His Great Deeds

“.. I will proclaim your great deeds” (vs 6b)

What has God done for you recently? How did He bring you to salvation? Have you been telling others about His blessings to you? Have you been sharing them with your children? I rejoice in the fact that my 2 sons aged 12 and 10, love to hear my stories about God’s interventions in my life and ministry. In fact, they often ask for repeats!

“One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts” (vs 4).

Why should we proclaim God’s great deeds? We need to do it “so that all men may know of your (God’s) mighty acts” (vs 12).

Last week, at our midweek service, I was praying at the altar with a young man over a burden he was carrying in a very personal area of his life. As I shared my own testimony in that particular area of life and how God came through for me, his eyes lit up and he shouted, ‘Yes, I now believe God can do it for me too”!

There is power in proclaiming ‘His great deeds’, more so, when we tell people about His mighty ‘saving grace’ in our lives! They just might want what you have!

Prayer: Lord help me to honor you every day by praising you, meditating on your works and by proclaiming your great deeds. Amen.

By Palitha Jayasooriya
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• Who is On the Lord’s Side – by Deborah Yemi-Oladayo
• Called to Praise – by Laura Rath
• Salvation Explained

The post 3 Ways to Honor God Daily appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Then Elijah said to Ahab, ”
Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!
” So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, ”
Go and look out toward the sea
“. The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, ”
I didn’t see anything
“. Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, ”
I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea
.

1 Kings 18:41-44
(NLT)

Look Again

I want to encourage those that are on the verge of giving up and throwing in the towel. Lately it seems as though nothing has changed. You have prayed fervently. Asking, seeking, and knocking, but no response. Don’t give up yet, God says look again.

Elijah prayed fervently for rain after a 3 year drought. He sent his servant to look for rain as he prayed. He saw nothing. Elijah said look again. The servant returned seven times, awaiting the expected rain. On the seventh time he reported seeing a cloud the shape of a man’s hand.

I say to you today, look again. If you don’t see anything immediately, keep looking; just as the servant did. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. Do not allow what you see in the natural to overrule what the Lord is doing behind the scenes.

The Lord will reward your persistence. If you do not faint, you shall see the manifestation of the Lord. Remain steadfast and unmovable. Do not stagger at the Lord’s promises. He is at work on your behalf, even now. Look again; your breakthrough is on the horizon!

Prayer

Father I lift up those that have been struggling in their relationships, health, finances, and life in general. I ask that you will infuse them with inner strength. Father, they have been holding on so long for things to change. I ask that you begin to show them a glimpse of your goodness. Lord continue to strengthen and develop them during this process. Increase their faith. May your grace and peace rest upon them as you wrap them in your loving arms. We graciously await your response Lord. In Jesus name Amen.

Related Reading

Never Give Up by Helen Lescheid

Never Give Up by Roy Lessin

Never Give Up by John Grant

The post Look Again appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

Our sense of peace can be dislodged and replaced by turmoil and confusion before we even realize it.  God’s Word puts it simply. In order to have God’s peace in our hearts we must make the choice to let His peace rule there.

As soon as you recognize irritation or turmoil taking over in your spirit, stop! Almost without fail you will find the peace of God gets pushed aside when anything that has “self” as its source surges forward.

•    Self-defence in a relationship results in turmoil.

•    Self-pity puts you on the slippery slope of discouragement.

•    Self-seeking in business, or even ministry, allows a shallowness to creep in that pushes peace aside.

•    Self-energy: seeking to live the Christian life in our own strength, leads to defeat.

As long as self is the focus in our thoughts and actions, there is little room for God to do His work in us and His peace cannot rule in our hearts. When we choose to let Him be the focus of all we do, drawing on His energy, His help, His wisdom, His patience, His purposes, then His peace will rule in our hearts.

Today, pay attention to what is going on in your spirit. If peace is eluding you, take a look inside and see where self-focus has taken over. Let God’s peace rule in your heart by bringing everything in your day under the umbrella of His care. It is the best way to live in peace!

Father God, today I ask You to forgive me for the places in my heart where I have allowed Your peace to be pushed aside by my own self issues. Right now I place everything I have and am and ever hope to be under the umbrella of Your care and attention. I choose to let Your peace rule in my heart today. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Thought: Choose to pay close attention today to what is going on in your spirit.

By Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• My Lord, My Companion

• A Prayer for Conflict Resolution

•  Salvation Explained

The post When Peace Eludes You appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…”  1 Thessalonians 5:11

When you need encouragement, where do you go? To a good book? To the Internet? There are many encouraging blogs such as this one. But sometimes you need more than words, you need someone with skin on. Someone who will listen to you, stand by you, pray for you, believe in you. Right?

I found this someone in Mr. Turner, a man in his eighties, who had served God all of his life. I would find his comforting notes in my mail box. He would call me by telephone to ask how things were going. Sometimes he would say, “If ever you need to talk, come over to our house. Mrs. Turner and I will be happy to see you.”

When I did go to their house, I was received with genuine pleasure and a cup of tea. Mr. Turner would position himself so he could hear me better. Then he would ask, “What’s happening?”

For one hour they would listen to me carefully. Then Mr. Turner would say, “We’ve heard enough now, Helen, let’s take it to the Father.”

Hushed I listened as this man and his wife thanked God for his abiding faithfulness to them throughout the years. They thanked God that he would be just as faithful to me. They affirmed me as a good person. They breathed hope into me that God would use even this experience for good in my life.

Before I left the safety of their home, my friends would give me some words of encouragement from the Bible, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: ”(Psalm 37:5)

Gently closing the Bible, he would say, “Leave it in God’s hands now. He will work this out in due time.”

Can you be an encourager to someone today? Send a note, make a phone call, go for a walk, and above all, listen more than  talk.

Father, I thank you for people who’ve encouraged me. I want to be an encourager today

By Helen Lescheid
used by permission

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • ‘X’ Twitter  •  Instagram  • Pinterest

FURTHER READING

Who Could Use Your Encouragement Today?

The Best Word of Encouragement

Encourage One Another

The post Be an Encourager appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.” Jonah 2:7

When Jonah Hit Rock Bottom

The prodigal son had to lose everything before he could “come to himself.” In a similar way, Jonah had to reach his lowest point. He found himself in the dark belly of a great fish.

Only then did Jonah remember the Lord and call out to Him.

A Painful Turning Point

My husband also reached a very low point when he was 26. He lost his job in a painful and embarrassing way. Soon afterward, he fell into a deep depression.

We used our small savings to move to a larger city. We hoped he would find better work there. However, his depression made the search difficult. He could only manage a part-time security job.

As his pain grew, so did his anger. His harsh words deeply hurt me. Finally, I took our two-year-old son and moved out.

The Wake-Up Call He Needed

Our leaving gave my husband the shock he needed. At last, he realized that he had hit rock bottom.

He humbled himself and returned to the Lord. In addition, he agreed to meet with a marriage counsellor.

Over the next several weeks, we talked and prayed together every day. Eventually, we renewed our marriage vows. By God’s grace, we have now been happily married for more than forty years.

Looking Up From the Lowest Point

People hit rock bottom when they reach the lowest point in their lives. At that moment, they may feel they have nothing left to lose.

For some people, this becomes a place of clear vision. They begin to understand themselves and their situation. More importantly, they see how much they need God’s love and mercy.

God can reach into the deepest pit. He can restore hope, guide us forward, and help us begin again.

If you are facing what seems like a hopeless situation, look up. Jesus is present, and He is reaching down to lift you.

A Prayer for Hope

Lord, may I never have to hit rock bottom before I see You clearly. However, if I lose my way in the darkness, help me look up. Remind me that You are near, and lead me back to You. Amen.

By Katy Huth Jones
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

The Pain of Letting Go

It’s All About Jesus

It will be Well

The post Hitting Rock Bottom appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” — Matthew 9:36

Jesus the Compassionate Shepherd

Jesus the compassionate Shepherd sees us when we are overwhelmed, helpless, or unable to recover on our own. He does not abandon us in weakness. He comes near, lifts us up, and helps us stand again.

The speaker entered the room dressed as a sheep. After the laughter settled, she explained the relationship between a shepherd and his flock.

She described how sheep can sometimes fall and roll onto their backs. When this happens, they may be unable to right themselves. Unless the shepherd notices, lifts them, turns them over, and places them back on their feet, they can remain trapped and eventually die.

The image was humorous at first, but the lesson was serious.

Jesus the Compassionate Shepherd Sees Us

Perhaps you have seen commercials in which an elderly person presses an emergency call button and says, “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” A calm and compassionate voice responds by assuring the person that help is on the way.

Because I live alone, I have sometimes feared falling and being unable to call anyone for help. The speaker’s message reminded me that God sees me even when no one else does.

He is always watching over me. His care is not limited to physical danger. He also sees when I fall emotionally, spiritually, or mentally.

Jesus the compassionate Shepherd notices every place where we feel frightened, discouraged, confused, burdened, or unable to move forward.

The Compassionate Shepherd Restores the Helpless

In Matthew 9, Jesus looked at the crowds and saw people who were harassed and helpless. They were like sheep without anyone to guide, protect, or care for them.

Jesus did not respond with frustration or disgust. He did not throw up his hands and walk away because they had wandered or fallen.

He had compassion on them.

Jesus wanted to lift them, turn them back toward God, and place them on steady ground. His compassion was not passive sympathy. It moved him to teach, heal, guide, protect, and ultimately give his life for them.

He continues to show that same compassion today.

Jesus Helps Us Get Back on Our Feet

There are moments when we cannot fix ourselves, no matter how hard we try. Like a fallen sheep, we may struggle repeatedly without finding the strength or direction to stand again.

We may fall through grief, fear, disappointment, sin, loneliness, illness, exhaustion, or circumstances beyond our control.

In those moments, we should not assume that we must recover entirely through our own strength.

We were created to depend on our Shepherd.

Call out to Jesus. Tell him honestly where you have fallen and where you feel helpless. Ask him to guide you toward the help, wisdom, support, or correction you need.

Jesus the compassionate Shepherd will not shame you for needing help. He will meet you with mercy. He may lift you immediately, restore you gradually, or carry you until you are strong enough to walk again.

Trusting Jesus the Compassionate Shepherd

Trusting Jesus does not mean we will never experience weakness or fear. It means we do not face those experiences alone.

Our Shepherd knows where we are, understands what we need, and remains close when we cannot see the way forward.

When you feel as though you have fallen and cannot get up, remember that you are not invisible. Jesus sees you, has compassion on you, and is able to restore you.

A Prayer to Jesus the Compassionate Shepherd

Lord, thank you for being my Shepherd and for having compassion on me. When I fall, help me remember that I do not have to struggle alone. Replace my fear with trust and remind me that you are always near. Lift me, guide me, and carry me until I am strong enough to stand again. Amen.

Thought: Identify one area where you feel unable to move forward on your own. Bring it honestly to Jesus and ask your compassionate Shepherd to provide the help, direction, and strength you need.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

Compassionate Heart

Compassionate Father

Our Trademark

The post Right Us Again appeared first on Thoughts About God.