Daily Bread_May 9, 2015

Title: How and When Do You Respond to the Goodness of God?

Text:

Psalm 65:1-4 (HCSB) 
¹ Praise is rightfully Yours, God, in Zion; vows to You will be fulfilled. 
² All humanity will come to You, the One who hears prayer. 
³ Iniquities overwhelm me; only You can atone for our rebellions. 
⁴ How happy is the one You choose and bring near to live in Your courts! We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple. 

Observation:

Every day I live, each breathe I take, every morning I wake up with a reasonable portion of health and strength; I give thanks to the Lord for His goodness.

There are so many things that we receive on a daily basis that we take for granted. You never take the time to consider your blessings until things go badly in your life or in the life of your loved ones.

This Psalm is an annual harvest psalm; a time in which God's people would take the time to acknowledge the goodness of the Lord during the year.

The thought that grips me this morning is why I should wait so long to give thanks to God for His goodness. God's mercies are present and new every morning, and every evening; there is never a time when God is not good. Every day should be a day of thanksgiving and thanksliving.

Psalm 65:8 (HCSB) 
⁸ Those who live far away are awed by Your signs; You make east and west shout for joy. 

Psalm 65:11 (HCSB) 
¹¹ You crown the year with Your goodness; Your ways overflow with plenty. 

I don't know how you will choose to respond to the encouragement of this Psalm, but as for me; I will thank the Lord every day for my blessings. I will never forget that there is never a time that God is not with me; that is enough for me to praise Him every day.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (HCSB) 
¹⁸ Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, with a grateful heart, and with all that is within me I give praise to You for being a God who loves, cares, and is so good to Your children. Father God, I acknowledge that You are the source of life; physical life and spiritual life. Father, I link my heart with the heart of the Psalmist in singing Your praises all the day long. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Psalm 146:1-2 (HCSB) 
¹ Hallelujah! My soul, praise the LORD. 
² I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live. 

Song:

Lord, for this day, thankful to You:

http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn.php/ns/362

 

--

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_May 8, 2015

Title: The Qualities of a True Best Friend Forever

Text:

Psalm 73:25 (ESV) 

25  Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 

Observation:

What's on your mind? That is the question that is asked at the top of your Facebook wall when you click update status.

When I woke up this morning I had several things on my mind. My phone was on the nightstand, and a notification message advised me that I had a message. I picked up the phone and this was the message:

Title: A Glorious Destiny

Text: Psalm 73:25

Prayer: 1:14 minutes

I listened to the prayer with music playing in the background. An amazing thing happened. I forgot about the things that were on my mind, and I thought about the message in this daily devotional that had been pushed to my phone.

Now, I am at my desk. I opened my electronic bible to Psalm 73; I read the verse, and then read the entire Psalm.

The Psalmist, Asaph, had a lot on his mind; we all have things in our lives that vex and trouble us. This is what bothered Asaph.

Psalm 73:2-3 (ESV) 

2  But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 

3  For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 

This all changed when he realized that God was his friend and he didn't lack anything that God could not supply. When Asaph went into the sanctuary of God he discovered the cure to his vexation.

Psalm 73:22-23 (ESV) 

22  I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. 

23  Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 

O, what a blessing this word from the Lord has been in my life today; it has been an answer to my prayers. It has brought me to the place of being able to say this to the Lord.

Psalm 16:1-2 (ESV) 

1

 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 

2  I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." 

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so thankful for this wonderful reminder that when I have the presence of the Lord in my life that I don't lack anything. Lord Jesus, I am so grateful that You are my best friend forever.

Father God, when the cares of this world press down upon me, I ask that You would bring into my memory Your precious promises from Your Word. Father, I thank You that Your promises never fail.

Father God, I pray that what has been an answer to prayer for me, will be an answer to prayer from someone who will read this devotional. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

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_May 7, 2015

Title: Will You Pray?

Text:

1 Kings 8:28 (HCSB) 

28  Listen to Your servant's prayer and his petition, LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant prays before You today, 

Observation:

Today, May 7, 2015, is recognized by the USA as National Day of Prayer. If you are willing, please join with God's people across the nation by demonstrating the unity of God's people, and acknowledging God's dominion over the circumstances we are facing. There is nothing that is beyond the reach of prayer.

Philippians 4:6 (HCSB) 

6  Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 

When Jesus was teaching his disciples on the topic of prayer, in the gospel of Matthew, chapter six, He said, "When you pray". Notice He did not say if you pray; Jesus expects His followers to pray. Notice what happened when the first century believers prayed like Jesus taught them to pray.

Acts 4:31 (HCSB) 

31  When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God's message with boldness. 

Prayer:

Father God, Sovereign Lord, my dear Father, I link my heart with those of believers across our nation and around the world who are uniting in prayer for the needs of people everywhere.

Father God, hear our prayers as we cry out to you; not only on this special day of prayer, but whenever we pray. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (HCSB) 

1  First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 

2  for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 

3  This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 

4  who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

--

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_May 6, 2015

Title: The Power of Living in the Present

Text:

Psalm 34:11-15 (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. 

Observation:

Do you want to know how to live your life in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord?

If so, David, the writer of this Psalm would be a good one to listen to. After all, this is what the Lord said about him.

1 Samuel 13:13-14 (ESV) 

13  And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 

14  But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you." 

Notice the emphasis on obedience; David had a heart that leaned toward obeying God; he learned obedience.

Psalm 119:34 (ESV) 

34  Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. 

In our focal passage David advice was to live life in the present; one day at a time, living in the fear of the Lord. Having the Lord in your heart makes all the difference in the world.

Psalm 4:7 (ESV) 

7  You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 

When you have the Lord in your heart, the Spirit of God will be able to control your tongue. That is the only way we can keep our mouth under control.

Psalm 34:13 (ESV) 

13  Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that You will help Your people to learn obedience like David learned obedience; even as Jesus learned obedience. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Hebrews 5:7-8 (ESV) 

7  In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 

8  Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 

--

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_May 5, 2015

Title: The Blessings of Being a Worshipper

Text:

Psalm 29:2 (KJV) 

2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 

Observation:

I have observed over my lifetime the inexpressible joy that comes into the lives of God's people when they recognize the source of their hope and their help as coming from the Lord, and they give Him the praise and the thanks that are due to Him. 

I saw that expressed yesterday in the Facebook update of one of my dear friend's daughter who graduated from college on Sunday.

Have you experienced the blessing that the Psalmist expressed in our text, and which my friend expressed in a Facebook update because of the what the Lord did for her in allowing her to reach one of her lofty goals?

One of the things that she said that got my attention was this, "I feel blessed beyond belief".

I get what she was saying. It is amazing how blessed we are when we give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; when we worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

The acquiring of knowledge is a wonderful thing. However, faith in God will take you further than knowledge alone could ever take you; faith will take you into the very presence of God.

Why not give yourself completely to God, and His ways; then enjoy the blessings of being in His presence, and experiencing joy unspeakable and full of heaven's glory.

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) 

6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, there is no place I would rather be than in the presence of my Lord.

Father God, I am so grateful that I serve a God who loves me with an everlasting love; who knows me better than anyone, but loves me still. O how sweet is the joy of knowing that the more I give of myself to Him, the more I receive from Him.

Father God, the thirst of my soul is, "O for grace to trust You more". In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Song:

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er,

Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!

  O for grace to trust Him more.

Source: https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/568

--

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_May 4, 2015

Title: How Small Things Cause Trouble

Text:

James 3:1-4 (ESV) 

1  Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 

2  For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 

3  If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 

4  Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 

Observation:

Yesterday the pastor used this as the title to his message, " There's a Horse in Your Mouth"; his text was James 1:26.

This morning I opened my bible to the book of James, and the passage that captured my attention is the passage I selected for today's text. Then my eyes parked on this verse.

James 3:3 (ESV) 

3  If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 

The recipients of the letter from James were having problems with their tongues.

James 1:26 (ESV) 

26  If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 

James 4:1 (ESV) 

1  What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 

James 3:11-12 (ESV) 

11  Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 

12  Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. 

However, the tongue is not the problem; it's the heart. James nails it here.

James 3:14 (ESV) 

14  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 

The key to taming the tongue is this, "Who is in control?" The answer lies in our text for today; go back and read it again. Submit to God, and He will control your tongue, and your whole body. Is God in your heart? If so, surrender to the Holy Spirit's control.

If you need help with taming the tongue, ask the Lord to help you. Let this prayer from the Psalmist help you in your talk with the Lord.

Prayer:

Psalm 141:1-4 (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! 

3  Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 

4  Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! 

--

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_May 1, 2015

Title: Who Do You Trust More?

Text:

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV) 

9  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

Observation:

The choice word for today is "weakness". I am reading through the book of James in conjunction with a preaching series on James. This verse comes to mind when I think about trials in the lives of God's people.

James 1:2 (NLT) 

2  Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 

It is normal for us not to be happy or joyful when our problems are so many or so large that we feel inadequate and unable of handling them.

Are you ready for a change in the way that you look at your trials and your troubles? Are you prepared to believe and rely upon a source that has the strength and the resources to meet your needs? 

Are you ready to exchange your inadequacy for the opportunity to turn to God and His sufficiency? Do you trust your self-sufficiency and Government provisions more than you trust God? 

Here is how God provides for His people when they look to Him, come to Him, and trust in Him for all of their needs.

James 1:2-4 (NLT) 

2  Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 

3  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 

4  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, I am so grateful that I have a God in heaven who sits high, but looks low; a God who loves and cares for all of His beloved children.

Father, help us all to pray; to be willing to surrender our weaknesses to You, and exchange them for Your strength. Father, when trials sweep us off our feet, lead us to fall on our knees and pray to the only one who is able to deliver us. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Psalm 62:8 (ESV) 

8  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah 

--

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/