May 22, 2019
God Cares
“She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, ‘You’re the God who sees me! Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!’ That’s how that desert spring got named ‘God-Alive-Sees-Me Spring.’ That spring is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael.”—Genesis 16:13–16 (MSG)
There are seasons in life when it may seem that no one understands or cares. God will show up in your time of need just as He did for Hagar. When you feel unseen, He reminds you that you are in His sights. During these times Jesus gives us what we need most: Himself.
Heavenly Father, I know You see me!
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The Lighter Side
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.—Job 8:21 (NIV)
Laughter and joy are great sources of strength. When you choose to see the humor in a situation by looking to the lighter side during dark times, you discover that you can find joy even in the midst of trouble.
Heavenly Father, You are the Light of the lighter side. Fill me with Your joy so that I smile easily and laugh out loud.
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Grow Your Faith
And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!—Mark 4:20 (NLT)
As every gardener knows, the best seed cannot do well unless the soil is prepared. God wants us to be “good soil” so that our hearts can receive His word. Allow Him to pull the weeds that block you from His love and help you see the purpose of the struggles in your life.
Heavenly Father, I hear and accept Your Word.
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Victory Over Your Problems
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.—Psalm 55:22 (KJV)
Today, write down something that is causing pain or worry in your life. Pray for relief from the problem. Resolve to take positive action if possible. Tear the paper up and toss it away. Symbolically, you will be saying goodbye to the concern, and claiming the victory God is sure to give you.
Show me Your solution, Father, and help me act accordingly.
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The Source of Courage
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.—Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV)
Where does courage spring from? For many, it comes from an abiding and deep trust that God is sufficient to see them through all of life’s trials. Know that with His help you can overcome any personal defeat. When the tide seems to be running against you and everything seems to be going wrong, take heart. God has not forsaken you. He never will.
Thank You, Father, for Your unconditional promise of love.
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Divine Protection
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.—Psalm 34:7 (NIV)
The Lord encamps around us. We may not even be aware of it, but He is there, always protecting us. Jesus said it Himself: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Are you facing a difficult problem? Remember that Jesus is protecting you.
Dear Lord, You are with me through thick and thin, helping me through every problem that comes my way.
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A Happy Heart
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.—Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)
Are you burdened by worry? If you can let go of focusing on your problems and center your thinking on the riches that are yours as a child of God, you will live a happier, healthier life.
Lord, when I begin thinking of myself as Atlas holding up the world, I will put my trust in You.
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Satisfy Your Spirit
For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.—Luke 17:21 (AKJV)
Do you find yourself thinking that if you only had this or that you’d be happy? Don’t confuse spiritual yearnings with material wants. Instead, build your faith, spend time in prayer in communion with God.
Father, speak to me in Your still, small voice.
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Sing God’s Praises
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.—Psalm 40:3 (NIV)
Our struggles, our successes, even our failures—these are not our song. God is our song. When you make time for Him, putting your faith first—you experience a new song, a new way of life, a symphony of His beauty.
Heavenly Father, help us to live joyously, to celebrate the song in our heart and rejoice always.
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Mother’s Love
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name.”—Luke 1:46-49 (NIV)
On this day when we honor all mothers, we look to the above verse. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the most beloved and revered woman in the Bible. She willingly accepted her role as the blessed mother and remained stalwart in her faith.
Dear Lord, You have done so many great things for me… most especially You have blessed me with a mother’s love.
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The Bright Side of Bad Experiences
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.—Psalm 46:1 (NIV)
Challenges have a way of transforming people. Hardship isn’t something God wants for His children, but they are a part of life. The good news is that people who rise above hard times, gain more sensitivity, more sympathy and more understanding for the problems of others.
Lord, thank You for seeing me through difficult days with grace and beauty.
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Keep Moving
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly…—1 CORINTHIANS 9:26 (NIV)
I’m Just Fine
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.—PROVERBS 12:25 (NIV
Take Care of Your Whole Self
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship.—Romans 12:1 (NIV)
Free Yourself from Sin
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.—Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Bless the Animals
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.—Genesis 1:21 (NIV)
You Deserve the Best
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.—Colossians 3:23 (ESV)
Renew Your Mind
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.—Romans 12:2 (ESV)
The World Needs Your Light
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.—Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
Sing a New Song
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.—Psalm 96:1 (NIV)
Trust His Plan
Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant my desire.—Job 6:8 (NIV)
Release Old Hurts
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.—Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)
Be Kind to the Unkind
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.—Romans 12:21 (NIV)
Celebrate Our Freedom
I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.—Psalm 119:30–32 (NIV)
Arbor Day Prayer
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.—Psalm 1:3 (KJV)
Prayer for Earth Day
But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.—Jeremiah 10:12 (NIV)
Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen!
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?—John 11:25–26 (NIV)
Accept One Another
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”—Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
A Village
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.—John 15:12 (ESV)
Four-Legged Love
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.—2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
With a Song in My Heart
My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.—Psalm 108:1 (NIV)