Word of the day

January 14 - Surrender

The word for today is surrender.

“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me’” (Luke 9:23).

“And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved” (Gen. 43:14).

Peace will be your portion when your surrender is complete.

Prayer: Lord, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the ROCK that is higher than I.

Word of the day

January 13 - Prayer

The word for today is prayer.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).
“Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph. 3:20).
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jer. 33:3).
“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isa. 65:24).
The key to close communion is clear communication.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are near to all who call upon You in truth. You fulfill the desires of those who fear You.


January 12 - The Word

The word for today is the word.

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty” (Jer. 15:16).

“And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thess. 2:13).

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. … I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:9, 11).

The Word: KNOW it in your head, STOW it in your heart, SHOW it in your life, SOW it in the world.

Prayer: Lord, I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your word.


January 11 - A Pearl for Today (Purity)

“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:18-20).

PURITY

When we stand before the altar and exchange our single status for that of marriage, we make a lifetime vow of commitment, a covenant of fidelity and separation unto our mate.

At the office, at parties, or in other situations, do you “feel” married? Does your deportment with a person of the opposite sex say, “married,” in word and deed?

Charles Swindoll says that when he travels and eats alone, he props a small picture of his family on the restaurant table. His actions say, “married, family man,” just as much as driving down the freeway with an infant strapped in a car seat.

In your social interactions and business contacts, do you maintain a level of propriety and integrity? Conducting yourself in this manner is like having an invisible sign around your neck stating: “Married … Not for Sale … No Hunting, Fishing, or Trespassing Allowed.”

When Don and I are on the beach, and a beautiful woman wearing only a patch of material here and there walks by, I tell him, “You keep your eyes on that book, Buster!” There is no need to test his commitment unnecessarily, and this way I help him to “feel” married.

If you are single, are you respectful and do you conduct yourself with purity in obedience to Christ and your commitment to Him? Are you loyal to your relationship with Him?

No matter our status, single or married, we are called to purity, whether we “feel” like it or not.

Forbidden fruit is the cause of many a bad jam.

Word of the day

So my Dad started sending these out this year every morning and I thought I would share with them with the blog world. The Word of the day is a great way to start the day with a simple devotional that provides pure scripture to encourage us in our walk with Christ.  I hope you will take just a minute or so to reflect before we start our busy days. 


God bless,


-cb

January 8 - Temptation

The word for today is temptation.

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Gen. 3:6).

“But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3).

“In order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11).

Satan is continually studying our game films for tendencies, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities, so when the opportune time comes he will be successful.

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

Prayer: Lord, thank You that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.

January 7 - Compassion

The word for today is compassion.

“‘But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, HE FELT COMPASSION, and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you”’” (Luke 10:33-35 emphasis mine).

“And seeing the multitudes, HE FELT COMPASSION for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest’” (Matt. 9:36-38 emphasis mine).

Compassion is the fruit of a deep hurt and a longing to help others. It is the fruit of a holy walk. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Prayer: Father, fill me with the compassion that caused Jesus to empty Himself, taking the form of a servant, and humbling Himself to the point of death on the cross for me.

January 6 - Growth

The word for today is growth.

“Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord” (1 Pet. 2:2-3).

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).

Growth takes place when STUDY, SERVICE, and SACRIFICE are a part of our lives.

Prayer: Lord, I claim Your promise to the psalmist, “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.”

May we all "GROW" closer to Christ and rely on him for our decision making by implementing the three S's.

January 5 - Suffering  

The word for today is suffering.

“And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Pet. 5:10).

“Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right” (1 Pet. 4:19).

Remember the 3 G’s:

1. Grace: His grace will get you through it. This too shall pass.

2. Growth: Right response leads to greater Christlikeness.

3. Glory: Comes to God through victory.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that the suffering of this present time cannot be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

January 4 - A Pearl for Today (Perseverance)

“Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure” (2 Thess. 1:4).

PERSEVERANCE

When I think of perseverance in the midst of adversity I remember my dad. Death claimed his beautiful 31-year-old wife, Mabel. Grief-stricken, but with young children, he set out to work at any job he could find. He farmed the family homestead, raised cattle, sold groceries from a truck, worked at a service station and carried mail. He owned school buses and drove one himself. When I was a young child, our home even tragically burned to the ground.

My dad overcame many obstacles and heartaches. He willingly did whatever was necessary to take care of his family. He died on May 12, 1962, a Christian community leader respected by his peers and family.

I have tried to emulate my dad in his work ethic and his fierce determination to keep his household together under difficult and painful circumstances.

The apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9: “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”

When they were small, our children liked to play with Weebles. The advertising slogan for these roly-poly plastic toys ran something like this: “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down!” The toys might bobble, sway, spin, and even bounce, but they would always land right side up.

This is what the apostle Paul and my dad have demonstrated to me. They endured much difficulty, but they persevered. They landed right side up.

Are you wobbling today? Tempted to give up and not persevere? Ask God for fresh strength. You never know how your legacy of persevering might help someone who is watching.

The size of a man is measured by what it takes to stop him.

January 3 - Fruitfulness

The word for today is fruitfulness.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. … By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:16, 8).

Four Steps to a Bumper Crop:

1. Brokenness

2. Surrender

3. Obedience

4. Patience

Prayer: Lord, You are the vine and I am a branch. I am abiding in You and asking You to be glorified in me with much fruit.

January 2 - Commitment   

The word for today is commitment.

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:24-27).

Rules for the Road:

1. Run to Win

2. Discipline Produces Reward

3. Find the Goal and Hit the Mark

4. Extra Effort Produces Excellence

Prayer: Because the sovereign Lord helps me, I shall not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know I shall not be put to shame.

January 1 - Endurance   

The word for today is endurance.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).

Since they did it, so can we. Keep hanging in there. You’ll make it.

Prayer: Lord, I ask for three gifts: grit, guts, and gumption, so that I might finish with joy the race set before me.