Encourage Yourself In God

1 Samuel 30 : 6 (King James Version)

 ⁶And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 

David was under great stress. Not only was he hurting personally, but he was responsible for the great personal loss of the soldiers in his army.  They were about to turn on him!

So what did David do?  He “encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”  It says “his God,” which confirms to us that David had a personal relationship with God.  I call it a “working relationship” with God—one in which I can openly and honestly come to God and get His practical instructions for the situation that I am in. 

God’s encouragement (and strength) is always available to us. Just like David, we can say,  “God, I need your help!”  When David turned to God and asked for directions, God answered him with instructions of what to do.  And He added His grace (His strength) to get the job done successfully.  Whew!  Now that is a good word!!

GPS  (God’s Directions)

I Samuel 30: 1-6   The entire story

Psalms 18: 3,6

Psalms 55: 16

Prayer Focus: 

Spend a few minutes thanking God for the times He has helped you in the past and don’t be afraid to talk openly to Him about your present situations.  He is waiting to hear from you!

God Has Favorites

Luke 4:19 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁹To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day ^[a]when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.

Yes, God does have favorites and you are it!!  Remember how in gym class some kids always got picked first and some were always last.  Well, guess what?  In God’s kingdom He always picks you first—even if you are not perfect.

Acts 10:34 (New International Version, ©2010)

 ³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism. 

We are all His favorites!!  Sometimes in a family it “seems” like one child is favored over another.  But in God’s family, the Father loves us all the same.  He loves us all the most because He is God.

God knows we are human and we are going to make mistakes, just as we know that about our kids.  Do we love them any less?  Nope!

Here’s what God says….

Hebrews 4:16 (New King James Version)

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

If we are in the family of God—there is a place for us right up close to His throne.  If you are in God’s family, you are His favorite and  there is a place for you right beside Him.

GPS  (God’s Direction)

2 Corinthians 9:8 Amplified Bible     “every favor”

Exodus 33:21    “a place beside Him”

Psalms 103: 14   He knows we are human

Prayer Focus:

Thank Him for His favor towards you.

Day 235     Intimately Acquainted

    John 8:32  (NIV)

    Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The definition of the word KNOW is “to be intimately acquainted with.”  

Let’s say it this way:  You shall become intimately acquainted with the truth, the truth that will set you free.

What would our lives be like if we became intimately acquainted with the truth in all areas of our lives—God’s truth!

Our whole lives are directed about what we know to be true.  If we believe what God says, then our lives will line up with what God wants.

Here is a truth that we must unquestionably believe:  

God is good and good is what He does. 

Things may have happened in our lives and we wondered where God was at the time.  The truth is 

  God is good and good is what He does.

There were probably some other dynamics entering into the circumstance but one of thing we can count on is that “

God is good and good is what He does.

To be intimately acquainted with this truth will direct your life into a deeper relationship with Him.

GPS  (God’s Directions)

James 1:17

I Corinthians 2: 9-12

Romans 8: 32

Prayer Focus:

Stop and take some time to thank God for His goodness towards you.

God Is My Father

2 Corinthians 2: 14  (The Message)

In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade.

The NIV calls it a “triumphal procession.”

2,000 years ago when our Father sent His Son to the cross, He looked up.  Now every day He says, “Look what’s coming!”

God wants us to be excited in anticipation of all the good things He has planned for us.

1 Corinthians 2:9-11 (New International Version)

⁹However, as it is written:
   "No eye has seen,
      no ear has heard,
   no mind has conceived
   what God has prepared for those who love him"^[a]— 

¹⁰but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The Fatherhood of God far surpasses even the best earthly father we have ever known of.  God is a picture of what true fatherhood really is. 

Let me remind you of what your loving Father does for you.

 He saves us from our sins.  (I Tim. 1: 15, Matthew 1: 21)

 He heals us of our weakness, diseases and sicknesses.  (Isaiah 53: 4-5, 

 Mark 6:56, Hebrews 3: 8)

 He delivers us from demonic influence.  (Luke 8: 36)

 He rescues us and preserves us.  (Matthew 8: 24-25, Matthew 14: 29-31a)

 He delivers us from the attacks of the devil.  (2 Timothy 4:18)

 He favors you and protects you.  (Psalms 5:12)

 He makes a way for you.  (Isaiah 45: 2-3)

GPS  (God’s Direction)

Look up the above scriptures 

Prayer Focus:

Thank the Father for being so good to you.

Day 234   Holy Spirit- A Personal Friend

Romans 15:5-6

The Message (MSG)

God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. 

What if this is true?  What if “warm and personal” actually are words that characterize the Holy Spirit?  How about “dependably steady?”

I have found the Holy Spirit to be just that.  He is personal.  He is dependable.  He is steady!  AND if that is not enough, whenever I spend time with Him, I feel as if I am wrapped in a warm blanket of His presence.

When we receive Christ as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of us.  He is that "up close and personal" for us.  He knows us inside and out.  He knows what makes us sad, what makes us feel helpless, what makes us feel depressed, and he is always there to help us, encourage us and give us hope for the future.

Believe me, you have never had a friend like this—not even your closest can compare.  Be encouraged today that your best friend is always right there with you to help you to be the best “you,” you can be!

GPS  (God’s Directions)

I Corinthians 3:16  He lives inside of us.

John 14: 16  Up close and personal

Romans 15:13  He will fill you with joy.

Prayer Focus:

As you go about your day, talk to your Friend, who lives in you, and then listen for His reply.

Day 3     God Hears Us When We Pray

I John 5: 13-15  (The Message)

^13-15My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in His presence, freely asking according to His will, sure that He's listening. And if we're confident that He's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours.

I like that…..”know beyond a shadow of a doubt…..”  That fact has been established on the day I turned my life over to Jesus Christ and made Him the Lord of my life.

So then, knowing this, I can confidently ask my Father anything according to His will and know that He hears me. And not only that----but He gives me the answer.  I ask and He hears and answers.  That's my Father!  That's your Father!

That’s what this quiet time with God is all about. In your quiet time with God, you are getting to know His voice—and He already knows your voice because He created it.

You can talk to God about anything.  You can ask Him questions and you can listen for the answers.  He is not too busy for you and like any well meaning father, He loves to meet  your needs.

GPS (Directions from God’s Word)

Job 22:27

Psalms 6:9

Acts 10:31

Prayer Focus:

Thank God that He is always listening for your voice and be sure to listen for His.

Day 232 Revived from Discouragement

Leviticus 18: 1-5 NLT

Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Say this to your people, the Israelites: I, the LORD, am your God. 3 So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. 4 You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I, the LORD, am your God. 5 If you obey my laws and regulations, (instructions) you will find life through them. I am the LORD.

Watch this!  The Hebrew meanings for the word “life” are:

to live prosperously

to live with vibrancy

to live free

to  be revived from sickness, fainting, discouragement and even death

Hmmmm.....to be revived from discouragement!  Now there’s something we can all use from time to time.  It all starts with a thought---you know those things that we are to take control of so they don’t run away with us!  If we entertain the wrong thought, it grows into a monster and begins to control our thought-life.  This is where the downward spiral begins.  Do you recognize this scenario?  Like they say:  “Been there--done that!”

As soon as the wrong thought begins to formulate in our mind, we can stop everything and say, “God, what is the truth?”  Yesterday we talked about getting his “instructions.”

GPS (God’s Directions)

• Proverbs 4: 20-22
• II Corinthians 10:5
• John 8: 32

Prayer Focus:

Ask the Lord to show you when you first encounter a wrong thought so you can counteract it with the truth.