Thoughts by All Archives - Page 2 of 154 - Daily Thoughts about God

Published October 31, 2023

There is Room for You

“As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NLT)

Who are you? What is your place in this world?

This question often baffles many. In our quest to be prominent or recognized we tend to overlook the obvious. There is a uniqueness we bring to this world. I have witnessed in my own life, the very area we tend to struggle in is sometimes the area God has chosen us to bring about change and healing in the lives of those that have been in a similar place.

God chose us to be vessels of His grace in the lives of others. The truth be told, it does not always look glamorous because we sometimes have to bare our souls or show our vulnerabilities, but we have been called for such a time as this to help transform lives. When we begin to embrace the call on our lives to be instruments of love and lead others to the divine grace of our Lord, we find that it is only by God’s grace that we are able to do what He has called us to.

He has equipped us with everything we need to carry out our function in the body of Christ. No, what we have been called to do may not look like the calling of others. It may not be our “ideal” assignment but our part is necessary in bringing the good news to those that we encounter in need of the same grace that we received.

Lord teach us to recognize our value to the Kingdom of God. You have called each of us to impact the lives of those around us. Help us to embrace the place that we have been called to even when it appears that our part seems small and insignificant. Help us to remember that we have been called to help bring Glory and Honor to your name and not our own. In Jesus name, Amen

Thought: If you have struggled with knowing where you fit in the Kingdom of God, ask God to show you through your everyday life what He has called you to. Keep your eyes open and attentive and begin to take notice of the people that seek you out for help.

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

The Light

The Light shone brightly in the splendor of Heaven.
Then looking down upon His creation Abba Father
Being moved by His compassionate heart of Love,
Said, “Who will go and become sin to redeem man
Back to Me.” Right away the Light said ” I’ll go Father.”

The Light shone very brightly in a dark world without hope.
The Light now is the candle within each of us dispelling
All darkness.

The light brings hope, healing, and deliverance to all
Who will walk in the Light!
The Light is Jesus Christ, The King of Glory!

by Margaret Mullings
Used by Permission

Words, Words, Words

Sharon Autry scolded her three-year-old daughter for what seemed like the tenth time that day! And it didn’t help when those little hands went on her hips and she said defiantly, “Words, words, words. That’s all I get?”

Believe me, that got Sharon’s attention. And she began praying that God would help her speak words of “encouragement” rather than words of “criticism“.

Proverbs 18:21 says

“the tongue has the power of life and death.”

Look for the reasons to praise your children. Do it often. Every day! Use words that encourage. Things like, “I love you sweetheart.” Or, “I couldn’t be more proud of you.” And “God loves you, my little one, you are His child.”

The Bible never neglects discipline, nor should we as parents and grandparents. But, always with words prompted by love!

By Vonette Bright
Used by Permission

From: Mom and Loving It, Finding Contentment in Real Life, by Sharon Lovejoy Autry and Laurie Lovejoy Hillard
(Bethany House Publishers),

Thanksgiving in Prayer

When we pray, expressing our concerns to God, we should take time to express our thankfulness.

• We tell God our problems, making our requests known to Him with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6).

• We are devoted to prayer, staying alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2)..

• We rejoice, praying without ceasing, giving thanks to God (1 Thessalonians. 5:16-18).

A thankful life is a prayerful life. A life void of prayer is an unthankful life.

Thanksgiving in Heaven

We don’t know a lot about heaven, often making us wonder what it will be like. One thing occurring in heaven is thanksgiving.

• The angels in heaven give thanks to God (Revelation 11:17).

• When we get to heaven, we will give thanks to God for salvation, as those who were washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:1-15).

If we’re not thankful in our prayers upon the earth, it’s doubtful we’ll live in heaven, where we’ll be busy offering thanks to God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every Day is Thanksgiving, for Christians

As we experience God’s goodness in our lives, and offer thanks to Him, we could say that every day is a day of thanksgiving. We don’t feast upon turkey every day, in observance of a secular holiday, but we offer our thanks to God in prayer, reflecting our thankfulness in everything we say and do.

• The result of our thankful lives, doing the good works God has ordained, is that it produces thanksgiving to God.

• The effect of things we do upon the earth is far reaching, even reaching the throne of God.

Whatever you do in the bustle of day-to-day life, remember to give thanks. And live in such a way that others, who watch you and experience God’s goodness from your hands, can’t help but pause and offer up a prayer to express their thanks. In these ways, God will be glorified, and receive the thanks He deserves.

Author Unknown

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” Psalm 46:7 (NLT)

In first Samuel chapter one we are introduced to Hannah, a woman unable to bear children. While she is at her yearly visit to the temple she makes a vow to Jehovah Sabaoth that if He will give her a child, she will give him back to God for all of his days. (1 Samuel 1:11)

It’s interesting that she doesn’t use the name Jehovah Jireh (The LORD provides) or Jehovah Rapha (The LORD heals). Instead she chooses to use a name that proclaims the might and power of God: Jehovah Sabaoth, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

Hannah called on the Lord of Heaven’s Armies in her time of great need because she understood through His might and power, nothing was impossible with God. By calling on Jehovah Sabaoth she was reminding God of His superiority over all things and declaring her faith in His almighty power to open her womb.

Do we really believe in the Lord of Heaven’s Armies like Hannah did? Do we believe He is the God of the Impossible? The supreme ruler over EVERYTHING?

Do we dare pray like Hannah, asking God for the seemingly impossible?

This past year a group of ladies from our church decided to take God at His Word and pray the impossible. At the end of the eighth month period we had twenty-eight “impossible” prayers answered!

What insurmountable burden are you carrying? Will you choose to believe like Hannah and pray the impossible?

Oh LORD of Heaven’s Armies, teach me to trust; not just say that I believe but readily and wholeheartedly take You at Your Word and pray the impossible. Give me eyes to see how you will answer. Amen.

Begin today to pray for the “impossible” request in your life that you have doubted would ever get answered. Pray daily and look expectantly. Don’t limit God. You just might be amazed at how He answers your prayer.

By Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission

A Fortunate Lesson

“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry” 1 Corinthians 10:14

A friend came over to watch my latest movie I got in the mail. We ordered Chinese food to be delivered. At the bottom of the sack were two fortune cookies. I like fortune cookies. They are just sweet enough without totally wrecking my diet. I cracked mine open to see what silly fortune lay inside. I always like to look and read it, roll my eyes, then toss it away, ignoring the lotto numbers on the reverse side. This time, it was empty! No fortune. At first I felt rather cheated. Then God, in His subtle way, let me know He was teaching me a lesson.

As Christians, we are to worship only the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three in one. After all, the first and second commandments instruct believers to have no other god before Him and not to worship idols. Today, we don’t sacrifice to Egyptian, Roman or Greek gods and goddesses, or bow down to Baal, but idol worship is still prevalent in many subtle ways in our culture.

Like reading a fortune from a fortune cookie. Have you read your horoscope in the newspaper? Do you avoid ladders or black cats? Habits and traditions seep in. It may sound innocent enough, but each time, it is chipping a little chink in the armor of the Spirit of God. Whether we realize it or not, each time we turn our attention away from His control over our lives there’s a slight indentation from an arrow aimed at our faith, a crack that lets in a tiny bit of temptation. No big deal, or is it?

The next time you wish upon a shooting star, blow on a dandelion, throw salt over your shoulder, knock on wood, read your horoscope or crack open a fortune cookie, think about it. God is a jealous god. He wants us to rely on Him and remember He is Lord over our lives, our thoughts and our actions. A fortune-less cookie became a fortunate lesson for me. It was a reiteration that my Lord is all I need. Jesus told us not to be anxious about our futures but to seek first the righteousness of God. (Matthew 6)

Next time, I’ll pray for another empty cookie! I still like to eat them.

Question: What are you relying on instead of God’s Word?

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

A New Quality of Life

“When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, He shall guide you into all truth, for He will not be presenting His own ideas, but will be passing on to you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He shall praise Me and bring Me great honor by showing you My glory. All the Father’s glory is Mine: this is what I mean when I say that He will show you My glory” John 16:13-15

Steve asked me the question, “What is my number 1 priority as a Christian? I want to be a man of God, so I need counsel as to what I am to do first.” This is a good question for every Christian to ask.

The answer is simply: to glorify God. Jesus tells us how we can best do this in John 15:8, “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (NASB). Or, as the Living Bible states it, “My true disciples produce bountiful harvests. This brings great glory to My Father.”

The Holy Spirit has come to be a witness to our Lord Jesus. When the Spirit controls our lives, we too will be witnesses for Him.

Witnessing for Christ with our lips is not only a natural result of being filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, but also is a necessary act of obedience if we are to continue to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

That which is most on our hearts is most on our lips, so if we truly love Christ, we will want to share Him with others. But God does not want or need the witness of individuals whose carnal lives fail to give credibility to their testimonies.

The greatest experience that has ever happened to any believer is to know Jesus Christ personally as Savior and Lord, to be forgiven of his sins and to have assurance of eternal life.

Therefore, the most important thing we can do to help another person is to introduce him to Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can empower us to live holy lives and be fruitful witnesses for Christ.

Bible Reading: John 14:16-26

TODAY: I will ask the Holy Spirit to glorify God through the quality of my life and the witness of my words, as a demonstration of the supernatural life that I have received from God.

by Dr. Bill Bright
Used by Permission

Not of This World

“And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not. They are not part of this world any more than I am.” John 17:14, 16

In His last night Jesus took pains to make clear to His disciples the impassible gulf between Him and the world and also between them and the world (John 16:16-21). He had said of the Spirit: “The world at large cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him.” (John 14:17). “The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you.” (John 15:19)

One great mark of the disciples was to be as little a part of the world as Christ was. Christ and the disciples had become united in the cross and the Resurrection; they both belonged to another world, the kingdom of heaven.

Why is it that faith in the Holy Spirit is practiced so little by Christians?

The world rules too much in the lives of Christians. The “world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in possessions” (1 John 2:16) – all this robs the heart of its desire for that true self-denial necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit.

by Andrew Murray
Used by permission
From: ‘Teach Me to Pray‘
published by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Scripture Smorgasbord

As a young girl, I looked forward to potluck dinners in the basement of our small church.

I would stand at the top of the stairs and inhale the smell that was wafting its way up from the kitchen, causing my mouth to water and then I’d race down as fast as I could.

The various and sundry dishes seemed to stretch on forever.

My favorite thing to do, before it all began, was to walk up one side of the tables and down the other, trying to see all that was there. If I stretched my neck and stood on my tip toes I could just get a glimpse of what was in the those wonderful smelling dishes.

The good old standbys always brought a smile to my face; fried chicken, orange jello and deviled eggs. But other dishes like vegetables or weird salads would make me wrinkle my nose and rejoice that at this dinner I didn’t have to have a “no thank you” helping. And then there were the desserts, as usual the ladies of our church had out done themselves with warm brownies fresh out of the oven, enormous cakes, and pies galore.

My joy of potluck dinners was born out of a love for food and fellowship. My favorite thing about potlucks was that my parents weren’t as attentive to my eating habits which enabled me to eat whatever I wanted. This meant that I could forego the vegetable dishes and fill up on desserts to my heart’s delight.

I also enjoyed the freedom to be able to pick and choose what I wanted to eat. At home there weren’t a lot of choices. I had to eat a little of everything, even if I didn’t like it. I learned early in life not to complain because that would only get me more!

My love for potluck dinners was raised to new heights, when I realized for the first time that if I put something on my plate and didn’t like it, I didn’t have to eat it! That was never the case at home. The mantra, “Clean Your Plate” had been adopted by my parents, and there was no hope of changing it. Believe me, I tried.

Recently when I sat down to spend some time in the Scriptures; I was struck with the fact that I have a tendency to love God’s Word, like I love potluck dinners! Let me explain . . .

I choose to feast on verses like Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT) “The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”

But turn my nose up at verses like Matthew 5:44 (NLT) “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

My desire for things that are easy and tasteful hinders me from developing strength and depth as His disciple. And I can’t help but wonder if this is what Paul was alluding to in 1 Corinthians 2:2 (NLT) “I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready. . .”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that there are verses in the Bible that don’t have any value but the point I’m trying to make is that we hamper God’s work in our life when we pick and choose what we like and don’t take it ALL into account.

God’s Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. I readily confess that I don’t like to be cut open, to have my sin held up to the light of His Word. It’s so much easier to steer clear of God’s cleansing work in my life and focus on His unending love and faithfulness. But God desires so much more for me and for you!

My question to you is this: Are you approaching God’s Word like you approach a potluck dinner? Do you find yourself choosing the verses in God’s Word that are tasty and appetizing and avoiding those that seem distasteful or hard?

Lord, I confess in my heart of hearts I have approached your Word like I do a potluck dinner. I have feasted on Your grace and avoided Your commands. Thank you for extending Your mercy to me and open my eyes and my heart to ALL that you want to teach me. Amen.

by Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission

Within Reach

“Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalm 10:1

On a whim, I stopped at a fast food restaurant to get a cold drink while dashing about with my to-do list of errands. There was a line of cars at the drive-through, so I decided to go inside instead.

I saw a dear friend of mine bent over her computer, holding her right hand to her mouth, worry lines exaggerated on her forehead. I waved to get her attention but she was too busy concentrating on what was on the screen. Then I saw a tear run down her cheek, so I slid into the booth and placed my hand over hers as it crunched a to-go napkin. She jolted. Then relief filled her face. “How did God know I’d need a good friend right now?” she whispered. On the screen was an email from her son with disturbing news. We bowed our heads and prayed.

David asked why God seemed so far away in times of trouble. I think if we are honest, that same question has crossed our minds as well. God is always present. Sometimes we just need to look up from our troubles to see Him. Maybe in a rainbow, a song on the radio, or maybe a friend who comes alongside at just the right time.

Or, perhaps He will provide the opportunity for us to be there for someone else so that, as we give, we will be ministered to as well. As I held hands and prayed with my friend, I felt God’s loving touch.

Jesus, You knew suffering when You walked on our soil, and in Heaven You continue to pray for us here in earth who continue to suffer. Fill each of us with the assurance that You are there, You care, and You will provide support, comfort and love. And Lord, spur in us the desire to be there for someone else when You provide that opportunity. Amen.

Thought: Is God calling you to be a comfort to someone? Don’t shoo the thought away when their name enters your head. Pray for them. Then call them, text them or go hug them. And if you need comfort right now, be open to the ways God will let you know He’s there.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

Hard Life Journey

“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall” Malachi 4:2

Dear friend, you might relate to LL Barkat’s painful life journey.
She was abandoned by her birth father and abused by her stepfather.
As LL reached adulthood, she felt doomed by her past.
She believed she had become one more broken link in the chain of her dysfunctional family.

One day while sitting in church, she was overcome by a sense of failure.
Then she sensed God speaking through His Word, promising to heal her and use her.
Healing came through experiencing God’s grace and love.
Today she helps bring others that same hope and healing in Christ.

Friend, God can use your pain-filled past to share the heavenly message of hope in Christ.

Tell others how God loves you and by His grace gave you eternal comfort and a wonderful hope.

Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places
by LL Barkat

by Vonette Bright
Used by Permission

Long Lists of Stinky Trash

Life has a way of unloading its rubbish on us. Your boss expects too much. Your kids whine too much. Trash. Load after load of anger; guilt; pessimism; bitterness; and anxiety. It all piles up! As a result, we must guard our thoughts. Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions. Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s hate crime. Could that be why Paul writes in: 1 Corinthians 13:5,

“Love keeps no record of wrongs”?

Paul also says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we have a choice:

“We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.”

Selfishness, step back! Envy, get lost! Rather than store up the sour thoughts, store up the sweet ones. Make a list of God’s mercies; the many times he has blessed you…the many times he has forgiven you. And you will find your thoughts resulting in happy days.

By Max Lucado
Used by permission
From: A Love Worth Giving

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://maxlucado.com/about/

Handling the Tough Times

How do you handle your tough times? When you are tired of trying, tired of forgiving, tired of hard weeks or hard-headed people—how do you manage your dark days? With a bottle of pills? Alcohol? A day at the spa? Many opt for such treatments. So many, in fact, we assume they re energize the sad life. But do they? They may numb the pain, but do they remove it? We like sheep follow each other over the edge, falling headlong into bars, binges and beds. Is there a solution? Indeed there is.

Be quick to pray. Talk to Christ who invites. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life” (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus says, “I will show you how to take a real rest.” God who is never downcast, never tires of your down days! Just go to him!

By Max Lucado
From: Facing Your Giants
Used by permission

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
http://maxlucado.com/about/

Unshakable

“This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.” Hebrews 12:27-28 (NLT)

Life will not work except in God’s way and God’s way is Christ’s and Christ’s way is the kingdom of God.—E. Stanley Jones

Unshakable things are the things that are eternal, and the things upon which you can build your faith, your life, and your future upon. They are the things that cannot be moved, toppled, changed, or destroyed by people, cultures, or governments. Rejoice today if you are one who is building your life upon the unshakable things that last forever and bring an eternal reward. Here is what is unshakable and who is unshakable…

God
“Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.” Isaiah 26:4 (NLT)

The Throne
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. “ Psalm 45:6 (NKJV)

The Kingdom
“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe.” Hebrews 12:28 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:14 (NKJV)

Righteousness
“His righteousness endures forever.” Psalm 111:3 (NKJV)

Mercy
“His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 107:1 (NKJV)

Covenants
“He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:9 (NKJV)

Truth
“The truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!” Psalm 117:2 (NKJV)

His Word
“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89 (NKJV)

The Gospel
“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth–to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” Revelation 14:6 (NKJV)

His Life
“And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” 1 John 5:11 (NLT)

Redemption
“With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:12 (NKJV)

The Inheritance
“And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:15 (NKJV)

Christ the Lord
“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” Revelation 11:15 (NKJV)

Man needs nothing so much as he needs something to bring life together into total meaning.—E. Stanley Jones

By Roy Lessin
Used by Permission

What’s Holding You Back?

Please open your Bible and read Acts 1:1-11

One of John Ortberg’s popular books is titled “If you Want to Walk on Water, you have to get out of the Boat“. Although the title alludes to when Peter tried to walk on water (and succeeded, albeit briefly; (Matthew 14:22-33) this quote also applies to the apostles, just after Jesus ascended to heaven.

As Jesus “was taken up before their very eyes“, the apostles “were looking intently up into the sky” (Acts 1:9-10). Just before this, Jesus told them “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (v8) Yet after Jesus ascends apostles just stand there. How often do we do the same? God’s instructions are clear to us, but we just can’t seem to get going.

I can imagine the apostles were worried when Jesus left them. How would they survive without Him? They left their homes, jobs, and everything else behind to follow Him. And now He was leaving? But this is no excuse, and their lack of action prompts two angels to appear to them, who say “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (v11)

The angels gave them the reason not to worry: Just as Jesus had been taken away, He will return. Luke’s gospel tells us how the apostles responded to the angels: “They worshiped [Jesus] and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” (Luke 24:52) Their confidence was restored by God’s promise, which is trustworthy and true. And this confidence prompted them into action!

The question for us today is: Am I standing around, staring up at the sky? Or am I actively living out Jesus’ command to be witnesses to the ends of the Earth?

What’s holding you back from being an active witness? If you want to witness, you have to start witnessing! If your spiritual life lately has felt more like stargazing than navigating, it may be time to re-read the book of Acts and be inspired by the lives of some of the earliest Christian servants. I assure you that you are more ready than you realize, “for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (Luke 12:12)

Question: What’s holding you back?

by Darren Hewer
Used by Permission

Category: <span>Thoughts by All</span>

Who are you? What is your place in this world?

Further Reading

Further Reading

Further Reading

When we pray, expressing our concerns to God, we should take time to express our thankfulness.

A thankful life is a prayerful life. A life void of prayer is an unthankful life.

Further Reading

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” Psalm 46:7 (NLT)

Do we dare pray like Hannah, asking God for the seemingly impossible?

Further Reading

“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry” 1 Corinthians 10:14

FURTHER READING

Further Reading

Why is it that faith in the Holy Spirit is practiced so little by Christians?

Further Reading

As a young girl, I looked forward to potluck dinners in the basement of our small church.

Further Reading

“Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalm 10:1

Further Reading

Friend, God can use your pain-filled past to share the heavenly message of hope in Christ.

Tell others how God loves you and by His grace gave you eternal comfort and a wonderful hope.

Further Reading

Further Reading

Further Reading

Life will not work except in God’s way and God’s way is Christ’s and Christ’s way is the kingdom of God.—E. Stanley Jones

Further Reading

Further Reading