Daily Bread_August 19, 2014

Title: Why Pray?

Text:

Philippians 4:6-7 (HCSB)
⁶ Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Observation:

Prayer is the means that God has provided for His people to communicate with Him. It is through prayer and the Word of God that God's people are able to align our will with God's will. It is the means by which we get the power to fulfill our purpose, and reach our potential.

Who wouldn't want to exchange worry for the peace of God? You can have it when you pray; Prayer is the key to God's storehouse. There is no scarcity in God's storehouse; nothing you need is ever out of stock.

"O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!"

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn.php/h/789#ixzz2bByM6HRr

When fears knock on my door, I choose to reject it; I choose faith instead. The exercise of faith in God results in the favor of God. Can I get a witness that God hears and answers prayer? Don't respond to me; say Yes to our Father in heaven; give Him a hand clap of praise. When the praises of God's people go up, the power of God comes down.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, if there was ever a time to pray, we sure do need to pray during these trying times. Father God, I am so glad that this world is not my home; that I'm just traveling through this world to my home in heaven.

Father, pour out Your Spirit in Holy Ghost power across the length and breathe of this world; everywhere Your people are praying and praising You, show off Your mighty power. Father, reign over us, and rain on us with favor.  Father, shine on us, in us, and through us. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Matthew 5:16 (KJV)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Daily Bread_August 18, 2014

Title: 3 Blessings That Are Available to You Today

Text:

Psalm 118:14 (ESV)
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

Observation:

No matter what your present circumstance or condition may be there are three things that are available to you today. Consider the circumstance and condition of the Psalmist.

Psalm 118:10-12 (ESV)
¹⁰ All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! ¹¹ They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! ¹² They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!

Here is where the Psalmist found hope and help.

Psalm 118:13 (ESV)
I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me.

You may be facing terrible conditions and circumstances, but there is a way out. The key is to how you react; what you do next. This is what the Psalmist did.

Psalm 118:8-9 (ESV)
⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. ⁹ It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

The Psalmist song can be your song. You can have these 3 blessings today, and every day; look to the Lord, and trust in Him.

Psalm 118:14 (ESV)
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

The God I serve can do anything but fail.

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

Prayer:

Father God, I praise and thank You for the privilege I have of being able to say, the Lord is my strength, song, and salvation. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

"My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior Divine;"

Source of hymn: https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/429

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Daily Bread_August 15, 2014

Title: Key Ingredients in Getting Along with One Another

Text:

Romans 15:1 (HCSB)
¹ Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves.

Observation:

In every church there are members who fit the description in our focal verse for today. There are those who are weak in faith, and there are those who are strong in faith.

There are different levels of maturity. Those who are strong in faith; the mature, must be the adults. They should be helpers, encouragers, and teachers of sound doctrine.

The immature Christian does not need criticism; they need your patience and compassionate love and care to help them grow in their faith.

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

1 Peter 4:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Every person you meet is dealing with something in there life that you know nothing about; and, it has nothing to do with you. You can't fix it, but you can be a light and a model; you can love them. Love is a verb; it is something that you do. You say you can't, but the Word says the Christ in you can.

Ephesians 4:32 (HCSB)
And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful that you are a loving and caring father. Lord, I am so grateful that you have provided the ultimate covering of my sins through Jesus Christ, my Savior.

Father God, I pray that you will infuse in me a compassionate heart for those who are new in the faith, and those who are weak in the faith. Lord, it was love that lifted me; stir within me that love so that You can lift others through me.  In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB)
²¹ He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

"Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me."

Source of hymn: https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/1070

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Daily Bread_August 14, 2014

Title: How to Have Abundance and Joy At Harvest Time?

Text:

Hosea 10:12 (HCSB)
¹² Sow righteousness for yourselves and reap faithful love; break up your unplowed ground. It is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain.

Observation:

This is the classic case that you should begin with the end in mind; what you sow you will reap; it is the law of the harvest.

Galatians 6:7 (HCSB)
⁷ Don't be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap,

Instead of planting seeds of righteousness, and seeking the Lord; Israel was unfaithful and seeking things that were unrighteous.

Hosea 4:1 (HCSB)
¹ Hear the word of the LORD, people of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land!

Notice the result; the people of God reaped what they sowed.

Hosea 4:6 (HCSB)
⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.

Think about it; what do you want at harvest time? Are you sowing the seeds for the harvest you desire? O the blessing of sowing seeds of kindness, and the joy of reaping at harvest time.

Psalm 126:5-6 (HCSB)
⁵ Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. ⁶ Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I lift my eyes up to You; and I ask for sufficient grace to be able to sow seeds of righteousness so that I might reap a harvest of righteousness and faithful love.

Father, I pray that anyone who is on the wrong track will repent, and get on the right track. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

"Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter's chilling breeze;
By and by, the harvest and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves."

Source of hymn: https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/1349

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Daily Bread_August 13, 2014

Title: Have You Received the Gift of Life?

Text:

2 Peter 1:3-4 (HCSB)
³ His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
⁴ By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

Observation:

The enormity of this passage leaves me speechless. What can I say about the hugeness of what the Sovereign God gives to His people?

Notice what the Lord gives to His children: "Everything required for life and godliness". But, there is more: "You may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires".

I thank the Lord for His Word and for His precious promises: the power to live in the present; for covering our past, and giving us hope for a bright future.

2 Peter 1:4 (HCSB)
⁴ By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires.

2 Peter 1:19-21 (HCSB)
¹⁹ So we have the prophetic word strongly confirmed. You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dismal place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰ First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one's own interpretation, ²¹ because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:

Father God, I praise You and thank You for giving Your people everything we need for life and godliness. Father, help us by, by faith in You, to appropriate the grace that You have provided us. Father God, when I am tired and weak, may I remember to lean hard on Thee; to not forget Your promises.

Father, I thank You for Your Word, which is a lamp for our feet, and a light for our pathway.  In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

"Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God."

Source of hymn: https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/340

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Daily Bread_August 12, 2014

Title: What It Takes to Be a Leader?

Text:

Deuteronomy 31:6-7 (ESV)
⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." ⁷ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it.

Observation:

This truth  leaped off the page, and into my heart when I read this phase from today's text: "for it is the Lord your God who goes with you".

Everyone needs a leader. We also need to be a good follower. Moses was a good leader, and one of his faithful followers was Joshua. Moses had the privilege of passing the leadership role to Joshua. God requires obedience in those who lead His people.

Joshua 24:15 (ESV)
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

This is the prayer that Joshua prayed:

Deuteronomy 3:23-24 (ESV)
²³ "And I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ²⁴ 'O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I pray that You would enable me by Your divine and almighty power to be the person that You purposed me to be; that I would be strong and very courageous. Father, I agree and declare that there is no god like You.

Father God, lead me, and all of Your people by Your powerful right hand. O, Father, how we need in our time  leaders who love, trust, and obey You; give us such leaders. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

 "When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey."

Source of hymn: https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/582

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

 

Daily Bread_August 11, 2014

Title: How to Cope with the Enemies of Your Peace?

Text:

Psalm 42:5 (HCSB)
⁵ Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Observation:

The pain of the Psalmist is common to God's people of every generation. Who among us have not cried out with words that were similar to his? When we face difficult times we are prone to ask these three questions: why me, why this, and why now?

It is not possible for any of us to escape the presence of the world, the flesh, and the devil. It is a universal problem that only the blood of Jesus can atone for. We are all in the same boat.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (HCSB)
¹ And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
² in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient.
³ We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

We may all be in the same boat, but we are not without help. There is hope for you and me if we are able to say like the Psalmist, "My Savior and my God".

Ephesians 2:4-5 (HCSB)
⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us,
⁵ made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

The cure for the presence of sin is the presence of God. Have you received the grace gift of salvation? It's only a step to salvation; if you have not taken it, why not take it now?

His promise is that He is coming soon. Are you ready?

Revelation 22:20 (HCSB)
He who testifies about these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, I am so grateful for the blessed hope we have, when we are in Christ, that we can say like the Psalmist, "My Savior and my God".

Father God, in these trying and difficult days it is comforting to know that there is a God in heaven who loves us supremely, and who knows what we are going through.

Father, when we look around us we get discouraged by all the evil and turmoil in the world. However, when we look up our hearts rejoice because of Your promises. Lord, I'm looking up; watching and praying. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Come into my heart, O Lord Jesus,
Come into my heart, I pray;
My soul is so troubled and weary,
Come into my heart, today.

Source of Hymn: https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/1061

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/