Daily Bread_March 29, 2013

Title: The Heart Matters Most

Text:

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

Observation:

The more we know about God and His ways the better our lives will be. The way we get to know God is to become aware of Him through His Word; the Bible.

When God speaks to His people, the best thing we can do is to listen and obey what He tells us to do. Samuel may not have understood, but He did what the Lord told him to do. He may have been reluctant, but he obeyed. How long will it take for you to do what God has told you to do? How long will it take for you to go where God has told you to go?

1 Samuel 16:1 (ESV)
¹ The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons."

1 Samuel 16:4 (ESV)
⁴ Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, "Do you come peaceably?"

The heart matters most, and only God can see the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)
²³ Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Acts 1:24-25 (ESV)
²⁴ And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen
²⁵ to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place."

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so glad that you know my heart and that you remember that You made me out of dirt. Father, help me to be vigilant about keeping my heart.

Father God, I look to you to form me and make me into the man that you purposed me to be. Father, I thank you for your forgiveness, grace, and mercy to me. Father, I thank you for the gospel of the second chance, but I tremble at the thought of the last chance to trust and obey. In Jesus name, Amen.

1 John 1:9 (ESV)
⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 51:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 28, 2013

Title: Does God Hear Our Prayers?

Text:

Psalm 141:1-2 (ESV)
¹ O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
² Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Observation:

One of the greatest privileges of being a child of God is the open door that we have to our heavenly Father through prayer.

The miracle of the new birth is that God's great design and purpose in salvation is to create the environment for having a personal relationship with man.

The foundation for a personal relationship is communications; and, prayer is the way that we communicate with God.

I am so glad that in this Psalm David reminds us that we can pray wherever we are, and under any conditions or circumstances.

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)
¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
² Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful for the privilege and the power of prayer. Father, I am so encouraged by the knowledge that nothing is beyond the reach of prayer. Father, I pray for the faith to continue steadfastly in prayer. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 27, 2013

Title:  Where Is God?

Text:

Genesis 28:13 (ESV)
¹³ And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.

Genesis 28:15 (ESV)
¹⁵ Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Observation:

In Genesis chapter 28 we have an amazing story of how God is involved in the life of Jacob, and in the carrying out of His promises.

Jacob discovered that God was indeed present with him; that God had a plan for his life, and that God was involved in working out that plan.

What help do you and I have who are children of God? We have angels assigned to care for us; that is what this passage says.

Hebrews 1:13-14 (ESV)
¹³ And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?
¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

However, it gets even better; we have Jesus, our Savior and Lord, resurrected and ascended into heaven, and seated at the right hand of the Father.

Hebrews 1:3-4 (ESV)
³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Prayer:

 Father God, my dear Father, I am so grateful that you are a God who stops by every now and then to remind us of who you are, where you are, and what you have promised your people. Father, I am so thankful that you are a promise-keeping God.

Father God, I am thankful for you provisions and your power for living in this fallen world. However, the thing I am most thankful for is your abiding presence in my life.

Father, when the tough times come in my life, I take comfort in knowing that my God is standing beside me, and is holding me with His almighty hands. Praise the Lord! All that is within me praise the name of the Lord God, who is almighty. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 26, 2013

Title:  God Can Do What We Think Is Impossible

Text:

Psalm 8:1-2 (ESV)
¹ O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
² Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.

Observation:

Have you ever been in a situation where you were overwhelmed by the difficulty or the complexity of the problems you were facing?

I recall many years ago teaching a series on prayer, and the author of the material I was using made a statement similar to this. "Problems are God's raw material for miracles".

If God can use babies and infants to reveal His almighty power, then surely He can use people like you and me.

In this Holy Week I find a connection to this topic and text as Jesus went about the conclusion of His earthly ministry. It was in Bethany that Jesus spoke these words that should give us great courage, hope, and help in these difficult and trying times. Notice that in Matthew 21:16 He quoted Psalm 8:2; then He said this.

Matthew 21:21-22 (ESV)
²¹ And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen.
²² And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that you are able to use weak and insignificant people to demonstrate your great strength to a watching world.

Father God, help me to remember this truth about you. When I face a problem disguised as insoluble that this is God's raw material for a miracle.

Father, help me to remember to keep my focus on the size of my God, and not on the size of my problems. When storms arise in your life, take them to the Lord in prayer. Have faith in God.

Glory to God! With all that is within me, I shout, "Praise the Lord". Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 25, 2013

Title:  The Source of Hope and Help

Text:

Psalm 121:1-2 (ESV)
¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Observation:

It is comforting to know that the God who made heaven and earth also made you and me. I have a friend who often reminds me that our God is not only the God of the hills, but that He is also God of the valleys. The Psalmist said it this way.

Psalm 23:4 (ESV)
⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

My prayer list is growing the last 12 months of people that I know who have lost spouses, and loved ones. I take comfort in knowing that there is ample help, and that there is ample hope when I direct my eyes to the hills; the source of my help. No matter what comes at me, I know where my help comes from. O, how comforting it is to trust in the Lord, and to know where your help comes from. The Lord provides strength for today and bright hope for all of your tomorrows.

Psalm 27:1 (ESV)
¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

No matter how dark the valley there is hope and help for those who know the Lord. When your way is dim and your hope is faint; turn your eyes upward, and you will find hope and help in the God of your salvation.

I have been claiming this promise a lot recently; for others, and for myself.

Jeremiah 33:1-3 (ESV)
¹ The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard:
² "Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it—the LORD is his name:
³ Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I take great comfort in knowing that the maker of heaven and earth; and my maker, invites me to call upon Him. Father God, as long as I live, I will call upon the Lord; my maker, my redeemer, and my keeper. Isn't God good? He hears and answers prayer. O, may your people learn to call on the Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Today's Wisdom from the Proverbs & Inspiration from the Psalms

Today's wisdom from the Proverbs, and Inspiration from the Psalms:

Proverbs 24:1-6 (ESV)
1 Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,
2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.
3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is full of stren...gth, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Proverbs 24:10 (ESV)
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

Proverbs 24:15-16 (ESV)
15 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home;
16 for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV)
23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.

Thought for today: The Lord is my strength; He is all that I need. In Him I shall overcome.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Inspiration from the Psalms

Today’s Inspiration from the Psalms: Psalm 51:1-2 (ESV) 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! Psalm 51:3 (ESV) 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:6-12 (ESV) 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Key word(s): “blot out”, “wash me”, “cleanse me” - - Words that express true and sincere repentance.

Today's Wisdom from the Proverbs

Proverbs 22:1 (ESV) 1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:4 (ESV) 4 The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Proverbs 22:7 (ESV) 7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Proverbs 22:17 (ESV) 17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) 6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Key Thought: Hear the words of the wise (Proverbs 22:17)

Daily Prayer_In Remembrance of My Wife_March 15, 2013

One year ago on this day I was preparing to visit my wife in the hospital. While in the parking lot of the hospital I got a call from the nurse in ICU saying the doctor needed to see me. I told her I am in the parking lot. Three hours later I was holding my wife's hand praying and singing some of her favorite hymns as she left holding my hand, and was embraced by the hands of her Savior; Jesus the Christ of God.

 

This is what I wrote on March 15, 2012:

The Word of God for wisdom:

 Proverbs 11:14 (NLT)
¹⁴ Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

The Word of God for inspiration:

Psalm 59:16-17 (NLT)
¹⁶ But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.
¹⁷ O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

The Word of God for encouragement:

Luke 2:9-11 (HCSB)
⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
¹⁰ But the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
¹¹ Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.

My observation:

I am up really early this morning. I got a call from the hospital in the middle of the night about my wife's treatment. These have been difficult days, and now a difficult night for me.

Reading the word was just what I needed at this hour. Reflecting upon God's word and writing is therapeutic for me.

I needed the words written by the psalmist in ancient times to comfort and bless my soul. The Lord, right now is to me what he was to the psalmist when he wrote, "My refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress".

My prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I delight to sing the praises of your unfailing love for me, and for all who will allow you to have a home in their life.

 Father, I give you not a tiny guest room in my life, but I give you my whole life. Father, I want you to occupy all of me so that a watching world will see more of you and less of me.

Father God, I thank you for coming into this world as Mary's baby, and because Jesus was your only begotten son, he was able to be my Savior, and the Lord of my life.

My song:

Ancient Words (Click on link to listen):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIaiXt-fSwk

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 8, 2013

Title:  What is Love?

Text:

Proverbs 10:12 (ESV)
¹² Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

Observation:

When you think about the bible and love you would expect to look to the Apostle John's writings for the last word on love.

However, it is in the writing of the Apostle Paul that we find this soaring prayer and great hymn of love. Love is so vast that it is beyond the vocabulary of man to grasp in words. This is what Paul said about the vastness of love.

Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV)
¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

In another letter Paul stretches to help God's people understand the concept of biblical love; he did not define it, but he describes it like this.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, we bow in awe as we think about the vastness and the endurance of love. Father, may the love that you have poured out into our hearts be like a river that flows from us into the lives of those we encounter along life's highways and byways. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

NOTE TO MY FAMILY & FRIENDS: I will be away from writing and distributing the Daily Devotional for the next two weeks. My daughter and son will be spending this time with me on the one year anniversary of my wife's homegoing.

 

 

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 7, 2013

Title:  The Rewards of Relationships

Text:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV)
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

Observation:

What is the most rewarding aspect of your ministry and work? This question quickens my heart to ponder it more deeply before giving an answer.

First, I thought about what it is not. Successes in school, work, and ministry are great; but they don't adequately address the question. Trophies and awards lose their luster with the passing of time, and eventually you will cease to occupy the position that brought them.

However, as I ponder the question I come to the realization that the things that gives the most satisfaction is relationships. There is nothing that surpasses loving God and loving others. The Master put it this way.

Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)
³⁷ And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
³⁸ This is the great and first commandment.
³⁹ And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

At this season of my life, I am looking for divine appointments to add value to others by being love to them. One of those opportunities will occur in three days; my daughter and son will be with me for ten days. We will be together on the one year anniversary of the home going of my wife, and their mother. O, what a joyous time that will be. Yes, it's about relationships; they matter the most to me.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that you are a God who places top priority on relationships. Father, you are a God who loved first; we sing the song, "O, how I love Jesus, because he first loved me". Father, help me to learn to love others first. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 6, 2013

Title:  Nothing is Impossible with God

Text:

Luke 1:37 (ESV)
³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God."

Observation:

When it comes to fulfilling our God ordained purpose and plans for our life, we can claim the promise of today's text.

God is the guarantee that what he wills for us He is able to provide for us. There is no safer place to be than in the will of God, and doing the work of God. He is always pleased with and rewards the faith of his people.

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

You can find words of wisdom and truth in unexpected places; in my readings last week, I saw this quote.

 "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible".

                Audrey Hepburn

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so glad that when the issue is God's will and plans for my life that there is nothing that is impossible with God. Lord, I trust thee, and help me to trust you more. Father, I am thankful that you are pleased with, and reward the faith of your people in you. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 5, 2013

Title:  The Counsel That David Gave to the Next Generation

Text:

Psalm 34:11-16 (ESV)
¹¹ Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹² What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?
¹³ Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
¹⁴ Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
¹⁶ The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Observation:

I love the encouragement that I receive from reading a Psalm a day. I started this practice over 40 years ago. I was in attendance at a church gathering in Saint Louis, Missouri, and Billy Graham was the keynote speaker.

The thing that I took away from that meeting and put into practice was his testimony of reading one Proverb, and five Psalms a day. This practice enabled him to read through the Proverbs and the Psalms monthly. He said he read the Proverbs for wisdom, and the Psalms for encouragement and inspiration.

Now, to the encouragement I received from reading today's Psalm.

The passion of David's heart is the passion of my heart; he wanted the next generation to know the Lord, and to trust Him. The prayers of my heart are that my generation will know God, and know his power, and that the next generation will know God, and know his power.

I heard this message many years ago in a tape I purchased. It is this; the first generation of believers knows God and knows his power. But, the second generation knows God, but does not know his power. The third generation does not know God, and does not know his power. This truth informed my parenting. Every generation has to know God for themselves. God does not have any grandchildren.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that your eyes see our needs, and that your ears hear our prayers. Father, I thank you that your face smiles upon your people, and that you are always near to those who stay close to you.

Father, may we never forget that when the praises go up, the blessings come down. Lord, you are the source of our strength. Praise the Lord! Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 4, 2013

Title: The People of God Are Never Alone

Text:

Psalm 31:21-24 (ESV)
²¹ Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.
²² I had said in my alarm, "I am cut off from your sight." But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.
²³ Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
²⁴ Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!

Observation:

God places great value on having a personal relationship with his people. It is humbling and awe inspiring to take note that God loves and cares about you and me personally.

David discovered that God is a faithful God. When we call upon him, he responds to our cry for help. He is an able God, and a faithful friend. I love the line from the Dottie Rambo song "He looked beyond my fault and saw my need".

Genuine faith in God is never alone. David trusted in the Lord, and the Lord rewarded his faith. Use this truth to encourage yourself.

Psalm 31:14 (ESV)
¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God."

Psalm 31:19 (ESV)
¹⁹ Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!

No matter what trials and troubles you face in your life, if you trust in the Lord, he will give you what you need to win the battle. Life may be hard sometimes, but God is good all the time, and the best is yet to come.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I praise and thank you that your people are never in the battle alone. The foes we face may be within or they may be without; but, the people of God can rely upon the knowledge that they never have to face the foe alone.

Lord, I bless your holy name because you have shown me your marvelous kindness. All that is within me gives praise to you. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Daily Bread_March 1, 2013

Title: You Were Born for a Purpose, and God Has a Plan for Your Life

Text:

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV)
⁵ "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Observation:

God made you, and his promise is one that we can rely upon; you were born to be a winner. If you focus on your circumstances, you may doubt this. However, if you rely on the promises of God, you can be the person God made you to be.

Life will present its obstacles. However, we should remember that God has a plan. Sometimes God's plan for us requires patience on our part.

Jeremiah 29:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ "For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

Things in this fallen world can get messy and untidy. Life can become very uncomfortable and difficult as you wait on God. Remember that God surrounds his children all the days of that life with two angels; goodness and mercy. When the going gets tough don't look down; you will get discouraged. Rather, look up, and be encouraged. And, don't forget those two angels; they are God's agents to guard you and guide you.

Psalm 23:6 (ESV)
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I am so thankful that I can go to bed every night, and wake up every morning knowing that my life is in good hands. Father, I thank you that I can sleep in peace, and walk in victory because my life is in your hands.

Father God, I pray that you will keep me close to Thee; when I faint and falter, help me to remember to look to Calvary; the place where my Savior died to pay my sin debt, and to give me the gift of eternal life with you. What a future, and what a friend I have in Jesus.

Father, help my family and my friends to keep the faith, and to keep their eyes upon Jesus. When life gets hard; I pray that they will remember to take the upward look. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/