Rancid

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.2 Corinthians 2:15

Do you know what rancid means? Spoiled, stinking, rotten. You as a believer never want to even closely resemble something rancid. It is all in the way you treat others and how you act in general. 

Do you have the aroma of a delightful follower of Christ attracting people to you? When I lived in Arizona for three years each citrus season when the orange blossomed, the blooms smelled absolutely wonderful! I loved it so much I tried to find a similar scent in a spray can but none did this natural fragrance justice. The four trees in our yard were a true blessing I hated have to leave. 

As you go through life day to day ask God to help you shine for Him and be the kind of person people are drawn to because of Christ in you. 

PRAYER: Oh Lord I want to be more like you every day and I can’t just wish that into existence but I know it requires me to do my part by reading your word daily and learning to reflect you to those I come in contact with. Break any stronghold in my life keeping me from spending time with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Daily Dose

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16

When I began my writing journey in 2009 my devotions were entitled ‘Daily Dose Of God’s Blessing’ until the Holy Spirit prompted me to change it to today’s title. A dose is like when you take medicine and need to not to forget it due to a doctors prescribed instructions. 

A dose of God’s word would mean you would not forget to get up daily and read the Bible or ‘take your dose’ of God’s medicine to keep you strong and healthy. So many are weak and sickly spiritually not following ‘Dr Jesus’ orders to get well by feeding on the word of God. 

Where are you today? Are you taking your dose of medicine each day or are you weak limping along spiritually? 

PRAYER: Lord I pray for those who need to start taking their spiritual medicine each day and I pray that I never get lazy taking my daily dose. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Don't Be A Know It All

Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them. Proverbs 26:12

Hardly anyone likes to be around someone who thinks they know it all or feels their opinion is the one and only. This person could be one who constantly brags and feels they don’t need to be told what to do, period.

Today’s verse speaks of that individual. A person should want wisdom from above and not think they can not learn from others. This person is conceited,arrogant,and feels they just don’t need advice. I certainly hope no one reading this fits into this category. It is not necessary toot your own horn. A foolish person will destroy himself if he or she does not do a course correction and learn wisdom and humility from God.

Stay on the path of truth and righteousness and seek wisdom from God above who will direct your steps and keep you from being a know it all.

PRAYER: Help me Lord to lean in to you and away from the path of destruction where I feel I don’t need advice. I choose to have your wisdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Despising God’s Word...Not A Wise Thing

Whoever  scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded. Proverbs 13:13

Why is the Bible so hard for some people to accept? Of course atheists hate it and would do anything to get rid of it but why? Even within the Christian community many don’t even pick it up at all to read it almost as if it is too sacred or more of a decoration than a useful tool. That is what the word of God is. A useful tool for life and full of wisdom and truth. 

The word holds the key to life and going away from it and making your own rules is not a good thing. Such as the recent gender confusion issues out in California. God made them male and female, period. Why is it so hard for people to accept truth? This writing is not meant to cause debate, but brother and sister the word is true, today, yesterday, and forever. 

Are you teaching the word to your children as it is your job and not the churches to do that? Are you feeding on the word daily? Can you imagine if you did not feed yourself you would shrivel up or if your plants did not get water they would die. Don’t despise God’s teaching. Ask God to help you daily to make time for it.

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for my Bible. Help me not neglect it. Help me realize it is a tool to help me be more like you. I pray for those I know who need to hide the word in their heart but are not doing so. May the Holy Spirit draw them closer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Leave It At The Cross

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14

Lay it down and leave it. Stop worrying. Believe. Trust God. These all sound well and good but how on Earth can you truly let things go? By focusing on something else, something positive. 

I have been to retreats and in prayer groups where symbolically we will write down our concerns and either put them on a cross with a thumbtack leaving them there as a symbol of letting God have them or better yet build a fire in a fire pit and burn them. This means to let them go. Satan is a master of recall and wants you to hang on to stuff because he knows you will be burdened and not able to fully trust God if you are fretting. 

Keep in mind all the worry in the world does not change a thing. But when you come to Jesus in confidence and give him your concerns or cast them on Him as  1 Peter 5:7 says, then ask God to help you let go. Worry is a tool in the enemies arsenal to keep you wrought up and defeated. Don’t allow this to happen. Trust God and be at peace. 

PRAYER: Lord I love you and I love the word. Help me not just let my Bible gather dust but use it to defeat Satan and stay at peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Distractions In Progress

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace-as in all the congregations of the LORD's people. 1 Corinthians 14:33

There is no question about it, but this world you and I live in is full of distractions to get you off the course God has planned for you. For instance, too much social media. Why does it matter? I am guilty of this and working on it. Trying to decide what truly is important all along insuring God is not put on the sidelines of your life.

Make a list of the ways you are distracted daily. How do you deal with these interruptions that take you away from what is important? You need to purpose in your heart how you will make sure time with God is not on the chopping block as I know it is for many believers. Somehow the idea that it is not needed or essential to being a believer has infiltrated minds of certain people.  Your mindset needs to be changed if you feel this way.

Stop letting this world tell you what is important such as watching the news, reading the paper, getting caught up in mindless TV and talk shows. Deep down you need a daily time with the Lord. If you have a baby or small children, include them as it is a command in Deuteronomy 11:18-19 which says “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Right now today decide you will stop distractions leading you away from Jesus.

PRAYER: I need self control to say no to distractions and yes to what is crucial and vital in my life. I choose right now to not allow the enemy to lead me away from you Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Fight The Darkness

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

There is light and darkness, good and evil. When you slip and find yourself having wrong attitudes, bad thinking, jealously, comparison, anger, resentment, or a host of other feelings you are slipping towards the darkness. Your job is not to allow Satan to hold you captive to wrong thoughts and attitudes so what do you do when this comes upon you? 

Recognize first the enemy wants you to be ‘down’, discouraged, upset, fearful, angry, jealous, discontent, burdened, and all the rest in between. If you have wrong thoughts for instance that make you feel bitter or jealous those are not of God. If you get angry at your spouse for hurting you that is not from God. You get the picture? 

To combat this darkness you have to do all you can to not ‘camp’ there and instead shine the light. The enemy would love for you to open your mouth irresponsibly and then end up regretting what came out of it. Instead, take a breath, pray, be calm, and then read some scriptures. Might I suggest Ephesians, Psalms, or 1 Corinthians 13. Now today  why not purpose in your heart you will shine light in to dark places wherever you go.

PRAYER: Lord I love you and occasionally I find myself slipping into the dark and feeling wrong thoughts. I cast these off right now. I thank you for setting me free to be a light. In Jesus’ name. Amen.