Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 31, 2015

Title: Why Are We So Reluctant to Talk to One Another?

Text:

Matthew 18:15 (ESV) 

15  "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 

Observation:

I recently heard a very powerful and penetrating sermon at our church about The Jesus Way of Forgiveness. I have been meditating on this for several weeks, and I have had some of those conversations.

I am ready to share what I have learned and experienced. It's not as hard as you imagine, and I survive to talk about it. If we are to love one another, we need to learn how to forgive one another. The pastor pointed out to us this Old Testament passage that is frequently quoted in the New Testament.

Leviticus 19:17-18 (ESV) 

17  "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 

18  You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. 

We often quote the passage in verse eighteen that says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself". However, the people who say this seldom hold a private conversation with their neighbor about their sins against you or anyone else; and, all sins are against God.

Notice that in verse seventeen in talks about a conversation with your neighbor, "You shall reason frankly with your neighbor". We tend to avoid having those conversations.

This talking to one another should begin with those who are members of the Body of Christ. In our focal passage; Matthew 18; Jesus is talking about the sins of a brother or sister in Christ.

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian Church said this about those outside the church.

1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (ESV) 

12  For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 

13  God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you." 

We may need to reexamine our frequently heard assertion that we should not judge others.

Prayer:

Father, I praise and thank You for the teaching of Jesus about the Jesus Way of Forgiveness. 

Father, help us to not be reluctant to hold those private conversation with a brother or sister in Christ for whom we are carrying a hurt or a complaint.

Father, prepare our heart to have that conversation; gives us a tender heart, and the attitude of wanting to ask for forgiveness, and to grant forgiveness.

Father, help us to trust in You to provide us with the wisdom, and the power to say those words of love, "I forgive you", and give us the grace to accept forgiveness when it is offered to us. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 28, 2015

Title: How to Live in a Manner That Pleases God

Text:

Psalm 131:1-3 (ESV) 

1  O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 

2  But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. 

3  O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. 

Observation:

In this Psalm David acknowledges that the Lord is God, and that he is not. He realizes that there are some things that are beyond the ability of humans to understand. He is not alone in this belief.

Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV) 

29  "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. 

David said that he has calmed and quieted his soul. He was able to trust in the Lord with his whole heart.

Psalm 37:3-5 (ESV) 

3  Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 

4  Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

5  Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. 

This is the reason that David gives for why he was willing to trust in the Lord with his whole heart.

Psalm 138:6 (ESV) 

6  For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 

Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT) 

5  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 

6  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 

7  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 

8  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. 

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I pray that all of Your people would have weaned hearts for God like a weaned child has for their mother. Father, help us to be willing to be humble like Jesus was humble. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 27, 2015

Title: What Are Your Dreams and Vision?

Text:

1 Corinthians 9:12 (HCSB)
12 If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don't we even more? However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:15-18 (HCSB)
15 But I have used none of these rights, and I have not written this to make it happen that way for me. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast!
16 For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a stewardship.
18 What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel.

Observation:

When I open my bible each day, this is the prayer that I pray in my heart. In the depths of my heart, I want to hear a word from God.

Psalm 119:18 (KJV)
18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

What I saw with my eyes, heard with my ears, and felt in my heart is the purpose, priority, and the passion that the Apostle Paul had for the ministry that God had given him.

The Apostle Paul was willing to give up his right to compensation by the church for the sake of advancing the gospel of Christ.

Paul's compensation did not come from a paycheck. Rather, it came from something far more valuable, and money cannot buy what Paul valued most.

1 Corinthians 9:18 (HCSB)
18 What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel.

Paul got his reward from preaching the gospel free of charge, and not taking advantage of the church by the full exercise of his Apostolic authority. The servant of the Lord has the freedom to give up their rights. Paul did, and he encouraged others to do the same.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I ask that you form in me, and all of Your children, the character traits that we see in the life of the Apostle Paul in today's bible reading.

Father, I am so thankful for the dream and vision that I had last night, and early this morning. Father, I look forward to developing actionable goals to move toward turning the vision into fruitful service for the advancement of Thy kingdom coming to earth as it is in heaven. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 26, 2015

Title: Does It Seem Like Problems Are Multiplying?

Text:

Luke 22:35-38 (HCSB) 

35 He also said to them, "When I sent you out without money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Not a thing," they said. 

36 Then He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money-bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn't have a sword should sell his robe and buy one. 

37 For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted among the outlaws. Yes, what is written about Me is coming to its fulfillment." 

38 "Lord," they said, "look, here are two swords." "Enough of that!" He told them.

Observation:

The words that Jesus spoke to his disciples before his departure from this earth are as timely for us today as it was for them on the occasion when he spoke them. The message of Jesus to his disciples was to be prepared for trouble.

Our circumstances are constantly changing. Therefore, to be prepared we need to be ready to change our methods to meet the new challenges. Keep the message the same, but be willing to adapt your methods to the new reality on the battlefield.

The good news about our circumstances is that troubles don't last forever. The scriptures predicted the suffering of Jesus. The things concerning Jesus had an end.

Luke 22:37 (HCSB) 

37 For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted among the outlaws. Yes, what is written about Me is coming to its fulfillment."

Jesus predicted that his followers would have troubles in this world. However, we have the blessed promise that Jesus has overcome the world. Our troubles will have an end.

John 16:33 (HCSB) 

33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world."

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, O how blessed we are to have the peace in knowing that the troubles that we encounter in the world are not predictive of our destiny.

Although storm clouds may rise and strong winds may blow, we have an anchor that is sure and secure, and Jesus will lead his children safely to the shore.

Father God, I thank you for giving us peace in the midst of our troubled and storm tossed lives. Lord, thank you for being a God in whom we can trust with our whole heart.  Father, I trust You, O for faith to trust You more. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 25, 2015

Title: Two Reasons Why You Should Have Hope

Text:

Hebrews 6:9-12 (HCSB)
9 Even though we are speaking this way, dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with salvation. 

10 For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them. 

11 Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope,
12 so that you won't become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

Observation:

One of the things that keeps hope alive in my life regardless of the circumstances I encounter is the hope that fills my heart, and it is this, "God is not unjust, and he is not forgetful". Friends will forget you, and fail you, but God will never do either.

If you are a child of God, you have the iron clad promise that what God says in his word he will do. God is trustworthy; a promise made is a promise kept.

Yes, life is hard, but God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. I know one who will agree, and he is David.

Psalm 37:25 (HCSB)
25 I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned or his children begging for bread.

How then shall we live?  First, you should love the Lord, and his children. Hope in the promises of God. Have faith in God, and the patience to wait on God. He will get you safely to the finish line. Have faith in God.

The word for today is perseverance; never give in, and never give up. God is faithful to the end; he is God on the mountain, and God in the valley. 

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful to you that the circumstances of life do not determine my destiny; I am so glad I have a choice, and I have decided to follow Jesus. Father, not just part of the way, but all the way that my Savior leads me and guides me; I will follow.

Father, I am so blessed to know that I am in the hands of my Maker and my Keeper. Father, there is no place I would rather be than in the hands of my Lord and my God. I'm praying that many would join with me in this prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 24, 2015

Title: What Happens When You Let God Abide?

Text:

John 15:4 (ESV) 

4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 

Observation:

One of the abiding truths that I read in the bible, and that I know through the hard School of Experience is that without God in my life that I can do nothing that will glorify Him. My only hope is in Christ alone; He is the solid foundation upon which I have chosen to build my life.

This hymn by Edward Mote expresses my hope and my faith:

"My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus' name. 

Every hard thing we face in life can seem like mission impossible when God is not in it. However, when God is in it, every mountain seems like a molehill. My God can do anything but fail.

Luke 1:37 (ESV) 

37  For nothing will be impossible with God." 

If the church is impotent today; if our lives are impotent today, a good place to examine is our prayer life.

I have heard that the average pastor prays less than 15 minutes a day. I recently read that couples spend less than 3 minutes of meaningful  conversation together in a typical day. We don't talk to God, and we don't talk to our spouse in a meaningful way; yet, we spend 70% of our time communicating. Lord, we need to examine our heart, and our relationship with You. We need to take care of first things, and leave the rest in Your hands.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name; Lord, hasten the day when Your will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

Father, help each one of us to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem. Lord, helps us to focus on first things.

2 Chronicles 7:14-15 (NLT) 

14  Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 

15  My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 

Father, I pray that You will find nothing in us that will prevent our prayers for the kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven, or to hold back You restoring our homeland.

Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 21, 2015

Title: How to Have Unity Out of Diversity

Text:

Galatians 3:26-29 (NLT) 

26  For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 

27  And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on the character of Christ, like putting on new clothes. 

28  There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

29  And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you. 

Observation:

If you are a child of God this is a picture that should cause hope to spring up in your soul, and give encouragement to your soul; to think about how victory comes from the Lamb being slain. Think about this; "all who have been united in Christ in baptism have put on the character of Christ".

What you are going through now may be hard, but look to the Lamb of God, and be courageous because you have victory in Jesus, if He lives in you. And if He lives in you, then nothing can separate you from the love of God, and all who belong to Him from one another.

Revelation 5:8-9 (NLT) 

8  And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. 

9  And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 

If we belong to Christ, we need to start showing it by loving one another as God has loved us. The time is now for us to demonstrate the character of Christ in our talk, and our walk in the world.

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful for Your love, and the price that Jesus paid so that those who believe in Him might have everlasting life.

Father, in these last days I pray that You would move among us in pentecostal power so that the world would see that we are a people who have put on the character of Christ, and that we are one in Him. 

Father, we confess that we can't do this with the wisdom of man, but we need the wisdom and power of God.  Father, I'm praying for heaven to come down to earth and deliver us from ourselves. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

John 1:12 (ESV) 

12  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 20, 2015

Title: What To Do When You Are In The Wilderness  

Text:

Psalm 63:1 (ESV) 

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 

Observation:

This Psalm is about one of David's wilderness experiences. We get to see what he saw, and feel what he felt during his wilderness experience. We all have our times in the wilderness. Therefore, let's see what we can learn from David's experience.

This is so important when troubles and problems arise in our life. David found out that God is a very present help in times of trouble. He drew near to God.

Psalm 63:2 (ESV) 

2  So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 

This is a good and timely prayer to pray in times of trouble.

Psalm 28:2 (ESV) 

2  Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. 

Another thing that David did in his wilderness experience was to sing; there is nothing like singing praises to the Lord that will lighten our burdens, and lift our spirits.

Psalm 63:4 (ESV) 

4  So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 

There is nothing that will lift a bowed down head, and a heavy heart like singing praise, and giving thanks to the God of our salvation.

Psalm 104:33 (NIV) 

33  I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. 

Prayer:

Father, I delight to look up to You in the mountain top experiences of life, and in the wilderness experiences of life.

Father, I acknowledge that no matter what we are going through that You are still God, and Your promise remains forever true, "I will never leave you or forsake you". Father, I thank You for being a promise-keeping God.

Father, I praise and thank You for being our God. Father, as long as You are God, we will have something to rejoice about, and sing praises to You; we can always rejoice in the Lord. Father, thank You for satisfying our weary souls in our times in the wilderness. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Psalm 63:5 (HCSB) 

5  You satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise You with joyful lips. 

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 19, 2015

Title: The Promise of Favor with God and Man

Text:

Proverbs 3:3-6 (HCSB)
3 Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 

4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man. 

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Observation:

Today's devotional is from the achieves; I wrote this two years ago on my birthday. It has got a lot of page views on my Google Blog a few days ago.

Today is not my birthday, but it is my daughter's birthday, and I wish I could give her the gift of faith to trust in God for herself; to know God, and to know His power in her life everyday.

Although I can't give her that gift, my Father in heaven can give her that gift, and each of you who reads or hears this message; He can and will do the same for you.

In Proverbs wisdom is the theme, and the source of wisdom is the LORD. Above anyone or anything else, we need the LORD in our life. We need the LORD to lead and guide us, and to give us His strength to run, and win the race of life.

Proverbs 1:7 (HCSB)
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Wisdom is more than just knowing about the LORD; we must know the LORD, it is also about walking on the right paths.

Living a godly life is not beyond the reach of Christ followers; we just need to know the source for achieving this goal. The answer lies in the words of our text; read them and heed them, and allow the LORD to do in you, for you, and through you what you cannot do without the LORD. If God says it, that settles it.

"'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise;
Just to know, Thus saith the Lord."

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I praise and thank You for being a God who loves me supremely, and cares about me more than anyone on earth below or in the heavens above. Lord, I trust You, and believe every promise of the Word that applies to Your people. Father, give me the grace to love and trust You more. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 18, 2015

Title: The Power of One

Text:

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV) 

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Observation:

I read an eBook in January; It was about one word that will change your life. I was reviewing weekly goals last weekend, and I came across a report that indicated six people had viewed that post in my blog uploaded to Google. That came at a good time for me because I was reviewing my progress toward reaching the one word goal focus at the six month review.

My goal was to identify my one word goal for 2015. In working through the plan for how to accomplish that goal I decided to write about one word each day in January.

The word for today is one I wrote in January. There is great power in focusing on one thing. The key in selecting a one word goal is to select a worthy goal; one that will move you in the direction of fulfilling the purpose for which you were born.

There is amazing power when you focus on one thing; when you focus on the most important thing.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV) 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

You were not made to accomplish everything. But, you can accomplish the will of God for your life. You can't do all things, but you can do one thing.

What is the one thing that you could do today that would move you in the direction of being more like Jesus?

2 Peter 3:18 (ESV) 

18 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. 

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I ask this one thing from You today, and it is that You help Your people to accomplish one thing today that will move them toward fulfilling their tailor made purpose You have for them. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 17, 2015

Title: How Do You Reduce the Size of Your Problems?

Text:

Psalm 92:8 (KJV) 

8  But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore. 

Psalm 93:4 (KJV) 

4  The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. 

Observation:

Why would any believer, or non-believer for that matter, choose to carry the burden of our problems on our shoulders, when our Maker offers to carry them on His shoulders?

Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV) 

28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

I hear the protestations; you don't know what I'm going through. You are right, but it's not about what I know,  it's about what God knows; it's about what Jesus says. This is what Jesus invites you to do.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) 

6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

The lyrics of the song written by Charles Tindley in 1909 encourages me today.

If the world from you withhold of its silver and gold,

And you have to get along with meager fare,

Just remember, in His Word, how He feeds the little bird -

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

Refrain:

Leave it there, leave it there, 

leave it there, leave it there,

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there;

If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out.

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

Prayer:

Father, I praise and thank You for being a God who loves, cares, and provides for Your children.

Father, help us to remember that when troubles come to take the upward look, and place our problems in Your hands. 

Father, I thank You for the provisions, the promise, and the power that You possess to keep the promise of Jesus that You would see us through all of our troubles in the world. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

John 16:33 (ESV) 

33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." 

Words to Remember:

We shall overcome because of the power of God to overcome. 

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 14, 2015

Title: How to Keep Your Praise in the Wilderness

Text:

Psalm 63:5-8 (ESV) 

5  My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 

6  when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 

7  for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 

8  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. 

Observation:

When we call upon God He always hears and He always answers the prayers of His people; we may not get what we ask for, but He always gives us what we need.

Therefore, David was able to sing praises to the Lord in spite of his circumstances. I am so glad to know that my worship of the Lord, and my joy in the Lord, does not depend upon my circumstances. It has been said, "Happiness depends upon right things happening to you, but you can have joy all the time". The secret to having joy is to have joy in the Lord. The Apostle Paul said it this way.

Philippians 4:4 (ESV) 

4  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 

In our focal passage David was able to rejoice no matter how he looked at his life, and his circumstances. Notice what he said as he looked at his past (v.6), his present (v.7), and his future (v.8).

Like, David, I shall never forget what the Lord has done for me, what He is doing for me, and praise God, what He will do for me in the future. Surely, the best is yet to come.

Prayer:

Father God, I rejoice every time I remember the greatness and the goodness of all that You are, and all that You do for Your people. I cannot resist lifting my hands in praising Your most holy and righteous name.

Father, I thank You that You are God on the mountain, and that You are God in the valleys of life. Whatever comes my way, I will never stop giving praise and thanks to the God of my salvation. In the mighty name of Jesus I  pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 13, 2015

Title: The Cost of Being A Disciple

Text:

Luke 9:23 (ESV) 

23 And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Observation:

The words of Jesus, in our focal verse from Luke 9:23, reminds us that there is a price for being a disciple of Christ. Although, the cost is high, the benefits are out of this world.

Jesus breaks the cost of discipleship down for us. The principles found in the words to his followers then still apply to Christ followers today. Here are the five "D's" of discipleship:

1.       Desire: "If anyone would come after me".

2.       Denying: "Let him deny himself".

3.       Duty: "Take up his cross".

4.       Dedication: "Daily".

5.       Devotion: "Follow me".

Have you counted the cost of being a disciple of Jesus? Think about it, the cross precedes the crown".

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that when you look into my heart that you will find a person who is willing to pay the price to be a disciple of Jesus.

Father God, I am so grateful that success is not dependent upon my ability, but upon my availability. Father, you want people who are willing. You are able to do amazing things in the lives of those who you call and equip.

Father God, I am so grateful that you provide to your followers the ability, authority, and the message that we are called to proclaim. However, you remind us that we don't get the power until we obey the call.

Luke 9:1-2 (ESV) 

1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 

2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 

Luke 9:6 (ESV) 

6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Father God, help me, and all of Your children, to be willing to "depart" and go where you send us. Father, I thank you for the enabling power You give to those who trust and obey. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

 

Daily Word of God & Prayer_August 12, 2015

Title: What Are Your Eyes Seeing and Ears Hearing?

Text:

1 Peter 3:12-13 (ESV) 

12  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 

13  Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 

Observation:

I had a thought on my mind when I woke up, and then while reading an article after eating lunch a few days ago, I read the passage that is our text for today.

I immediately went to my computer to capture that thought, and to see what was in my heart behind this thought. This is what I found as I search the meaning of what my eyes had seen, and my heart felt. This is what I found as I begin to look into this passage, and this topic.

Psalm 34:12-16 (ESV) 

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. 

What is in your heart? Where did you get it from? What is the source of what comes out of your mouth? The Bible says this:

Luke 6:45 (NLT) 

45  A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. 

This is sound advice that we should soberly consider.

Proverbs 2:1-2 (NLT) 

1  My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. 

2  Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 

Here is a life lesson for all of God's people.

Proverbs 3:1-3 (NLT) 

1  My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. 

2  If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. 

3  Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. 

Prayer:

Father, help us to guard what our eyes see, and what our ears hear; because they both go into our hearts, and what comes out of our mouths comes from what we allow in our hearts. 

Father, keep us as holy as You can; keep us in the Word, and on our knees. O, for more faith to trust in God each day, and all the day long. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry