Christian Daily Devotionals

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon. Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008.
____________________________________________________________________________________

"I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart" Psalm 9:1

Praise should always follow answered prayer, just like the mist of earth's gratitude rises when the sun of heaven's love warms the ground. Has the Lord been gracious to you, and heard your voice as your earnestly pray? Then praise Him as long as you live! Don't deny a song to Him who has answered your prayer and given you the desire of your heart.

To be silent over God's mercies is to incur the guilt of ingratitude. It is to act as ungratefully as the nine lepers. After they were cured of their leprosy, they did not even bother to return to give thanks to the Lord who healed them. (Luke 17:11-19)

To forget to praise God is to refuse to benefit ourselves. Praise, like prayer, is one great means of growing our spiritual life. It helps to remove our burdens, to excite our hope, and to increase our faith. It is a healthy and invigorating exercise which quickens the pulse of the believer, and nerves us for fresh enterprises in our Master's service.

To bless God for His mercy is also a way to benefit our fellow brothers and sisters: "My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice." (Psalm 34:2) Others who have been in similar circumstances will take comfort if we say, "Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." (Psalm 34:3-4) Weak hearts will be strengthened, and weak souls will be revived as they listen to our "songs of deliverance." Their doubts and fears will be assuaged, as we teach and encourage one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Then they too will "sing in the ways of the Lord" when they hear us praising His holy name.

Praise is the most heavenly of Christian duties. The angels do not pray, but they never cease to praise both day and night. And we the redeemed, clothed in white robes, with palm-branches in our hands, should never grow tired of singing the new song, "Worthy is the Lamb."

Question: Has your prayer been answered lately? Please share it with us, or a story about how God has answered your prayer in the past.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/07/03/cs_answered-prayer/

by Vonette Bright
_____________________________________________________________________________

“So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." 
And he worshiped the LORD there. 1 Samuel 1:28 (NIV)

Margaret McSweeney wrote,
“A mother’s heart knows how to stretch and to grow.
 A mother’s heart knows when it’s time to let go.�?

Yes, friend, letting go is an essential part of being a mother.
“Let go to let grow�? should be your motto as a mother too.
A mother lets go of her baby’s hand so he can learn to walk.
She lets go of the bicycle handlebars so her child can learn to ride alone.
And she lets go of the apron strings so her young adult can mature.

But especially, a mother needs to let go and let God grow her son or daughter.
In the Bible, Hannah is a fine example.  She gave her son Samuel completely over to God.
She said “he will belong to the Lord his whole life.�?

Yes, friend, let God have control over your children… no matter what age they are!

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/06/06/vb_let-go/

by Marilyn Ehle
___________________________________________________________

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,  and all these things will be given to you as well�?. Matthew 6:33

There once lived a young man who had inherited a great fortune and then multiplied it many times over by hard work and wise investments. In addition he was known in the business community for the liberal health benefits package given his employees (at great cost to his profit margin), and above all, his radically generous charitable donations. Both his net worth and his giving were frequently published so his financial situation was open to the world.

Wanting both a good earthly life plus an eventual home in heaven, one day he approached a religious leader inquiring if there was anything else he could do to ensure his desired eternal destination. The answer shocked him into silence. While all his good works certainly enhanced his public image, what the religious leader asked of him made no business sense at all.  “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.�? This would be utter foolishness. It would leave him without resources to expand the business, much less feed his family.

Jesus never asks us to be foolish, but he does demand total commitment. Sometimes dedication to him appears foolish to onlookers since such dedication means “seeking first the Kingdom of God.�? What would it cost you to follow Jesus? Are you willing to pay the price?

Lord, it is never easy to take that final step of faith whether it is to trust you to be our personal Savior or to hand over every aspect of our lives to you. But what incredible joy and peace when we begin to learn that our trust is never misplaced when given into your hands. Help me grow in loving and trusting you.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/03/06/me_selling/

____________________________________________________________________
Christian Wallpaper for your computer
Get the new wallpaper at  http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/wallpaper/
____________________________________________________________________