The first chapter of Psalms tells us of one who is strong, well-rooted, grounded, productive, prosperous… not easily moved in their Christian faith. “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 ALL needs are met for this well-planted tree…the nourishment of sun and a continual supply of water for the roots. Because the roots are healthy, the tree is able to be firmly and deeply planted. Think today about your own spiritual life… Are you planted deeply with a good foundation?…
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I Stand Amazed at God’s Goodness
Guest Post by Mary Sparks, Pastor’s Wife, Joplin, Missouri Count your blessings, name them one by one….. Have you had one today? two? three? more? Stop and just think about those “little things” that happen each day that we take for granted. Did the red light stop you and found you waiting? Perhaps you missed an accident ahead that you might have been in had not the light turned red. And how about the food you eat each day? The farmer labored hard to raise that crop, to harvest it, and then to bring it to market, just so that they could supply the supermarket, and thereby you have food…
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A Lesson From David on How to Present Ourselves Before God
Psalm 40 has been a real blessing to me this week. As I discussed this chapter with my sons, I explained how David set a good example for us on how to present ourselves in prayer to the Lord. To keep my devotional short, I will not be discussing every verse, but there are a few Bible verses from this chapter that I specifically wanted to share with you… 1. David Dedicates Praise to God We should come before God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 100:4). In Psalm 40, we see that David dedicates some of his psalm to expressing his praise to God. “Many, O LORD my God, are thy…
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What to Do When Others Let You Down
Are you disappointed in someone who let you down? Perhaps you’re angry or frustrated with someone who did you wrong. The reason why we get disappointed is because we had “better” expectations from someone who would possibly fail us. We put our confidence in someone who has flaws. Of course, if we’re honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we’ve also let others down as well. What is our reaction when others disappoint us? It could be to pout, feel sorry for our selves, criticize, gossip, get even or never speak to them again. Unfortunately, these reactions stir up bitterness in our hearts. We may carry the load of…
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What Sins Are You Talking About?
As you’ve probably experienced, Satan likes to remind us of our sins and our failures. He wants us to feel discouraged and defeated. There are sins that I’ve asked forgiveness for at least 100 times or more. And the song below is what God is saying to me when I repeat myself over and over again. “What sins are you talking about? I don’t remember them anymore…” We must take God at His Word. He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. Every time Satan reminds you of your sins and failures, stop and thank God for His faithfulness to forgive you. If you haven’t yet asked…
