JACKS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
(Psalm 18:32) "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."
In her autobiography singer Dolly Parton writes…“My high school was small with a small graduating class. So during our graduation ceremony… each of us got a chance to stand up and announce our plans for the future”.
“I’m going to junior college” one boy said.
A girl who followed said “I’m getting married and moving to Maryville”.
When it was my turn Dolly says… “I told everybody… I’m going to Nashville to become a star.”
“Well the entire place erupted in laughter”.
Dolly say’s… “I was stunned at their sarcasm and unbelief”!
“If I was any other type of personality… that mocking crowd could have dashed my dreams to the ground.
I could have let that laughter quench my dream… and hinder me from becoming what I new inside I was destined to do.
Somehow though… that laughter instilled in me an even greater determination to realize my dream.
I might have crumbled under the weight of the hardships that were to come had it not been for the response of the crowd that day”.
Sometimes it’s very interesting and unique the way we find inspiration.”
Every hero in Scripture… without exception… overcame obstacles and opposition.
David wrote in (Psalm 18:18-19) “They confronted me in the day of my calamity… but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place… He delivered me because He delighted in me”.
(Psalm 18:29-30 “For by You Oh Lord …I can run against a troop… by my God I can leap over a wall.
As for God… His way is perfect… the word of the Lord is proven… He is a shield to all who trust in Him”.
(Psalm 18:32) “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer… and sets me on my high places”.
(Psalm 18:39) “For You have armed me with strength for the battle… You have subdued under me… those who rose up against me”.
Without a dream you will never leave the coal mines of Kentucky or the farm lands of the prairies or the cold streets of what ever city you now reside in.
With out a dream you will continue to live on the factory line… or God forbid the welfare line.
With out purpose and dreams to chase… you will continue to live “the same old same old”… always wishing things would change and life would be different.
Without a dream you will never rise up to become all that you can be in the plan of God.
(Jeremiah 29:11) God says “for I know the plans I have for you says the Lord… plans to prosper you and give you a future… not plans for evil.
(1st Chronicles 4:10)… Jabez had a dream and He asked the Lord… and Jabez called on the God of Israel saying… “Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed and enlarge my coast… and that thine hand might be with me,…and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil that it may not grieve me… and God granted him that which he requested."
The prayer of Jabez is composed of four parts.
First… Jabez asks God to bless him.
Second… he asks God to enlarge his territory or increase his responsibility.
Third… he prays that God will be with him and stay close.
Lastly… Jabez asks that God keep him from harm so that he will be free from pain.
Now you may be thinking that Jabez was pretty demanding of God… and perhaps even a little bit filled with himself.
However the word of God says that God heard Jabez and his prayer… and God granted him his request.
Jabez had a dream… Joseph had a dream… Nelson Mandela had a dream… Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream… and all of these hero’s of the past changed the world… because of their dream.
Dreams will change your life… especially when they are dreams brought to God and surrendered to His will.
(Psalm 37:3-5) “Trust in the Lord and do good… dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord… trust in Him… and He will do this”.
It all begins with a dream… so go to God today and share your dreams with Him!
Dream big!
It doesn’t bother God… and He delights in us when we stretch our faith out to Him.
The writer of Hebrews say’s… “for with out faith it is impossible to please God”.
So today start dreaming big plans for tomorrow… and watch as things begin to change around.
Jesus said “greater things than these shall ye do” (John 14:11-13)
Good Day!
(Ephesians 4:27) "Do not give the devil an opportunity."
The Bible says… “Do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27).
The word translated “opportunity” is the Greek word “topos”… the same term from which we get the English noun “topography”.
It means territory or ground.
So then anger and un-forgiveness… gives ground to the devil.
Bitterness invites him to occupy space in your heart and when he does… he will stink up the place with things like gossip, slander, temper, malice and bitterness.
Any time you see these things manifesting in your life… it’s a very good indication that you have given ground to Satan.
What should you do about it you ask?
The answer is simple… evict him just like you would with a tenant who won’t pay his rent... or is causing damage to your house.
Get rid of him and don’t give him the time of day.
In the name of Jesus… tell him to pack his bags and hit the road.
Then begin the process of forgiveness and don’t keep a list of wrongs.
Pray for your antagonists rather than plotting against them.
Hate the wrong without hating the wrongdoers.
Turn your attention away from what they did to you… and begin to dwell on what Jesus has done for you.
Outrageous as it may seem… Jesus died for them too… and if He thinks they are worth forgiving…then they are.
Does that make forgiveness easy?
No… It comes in fits and starts… it has good days and bad.
Some days when you think your old wound has healed and you’ve gotten over it… someone will knock the scab off it and the pain will return.
Don’t feel bad about it or walk around with a load of condemnation on your shoulders… because when it comes to forgiveness… all of us are beginners.
As long as you are trying to forgive… believe it or not you are forgiving.
It’s only when you no longer try… that your giving ground to the devil.
Someone once asked me “so am I just supposed to forget what the person whom wronged me did… and the answer is yes!
Forgive it… and walk away from it… and forget it!
That’s what God did for you and for me.
He buried all of our wrong doing… in “the sea of forgetfulness”.
Now granted there is no real “sea of forgetfulness”… and the phrase “sea of forgetfulness” is not actually found in Scripture.
When people mention the “sea of forgetfulness”… they are usually referring to several passages that talk about God’s forgiveness… and how we are justified in Christ.
God forgets our sins so completely that they might as well be buried at the bottom of an ocean.
The main passage in the scriptures that contains the idea of “a sea of forgetfulness”… is found in (Micah 7:19) which says “He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
(Isaiah 43:18-19) tells us to “forget the former things… neither consider the things of old”.
He wants you to let go... and stop remembering the mistakes you made in the past… as well as the wrongs that were committed against you.
Stop dwelling on what others did to you.
Forgive them and forget them… plain and simple!
“But how can I just forget” you might be wondering?
That’s where the cross and forgiveness comes in.
Ask God to forgive you for your hard heartedness… your stubbornness… and your arrogance.
You see… those are parts of the trap that compel you to hold onto an offence and not be able to forgive it.
Go to the cross and give it to God… then leave it in His hands to deal with.
Contrary to some points of view and thinking… you don’t have to turn around and open your life to that person or individual again.
Its alright to be wary of them… but you must not harbor malice any more… or hatred… or anger… or any of the feelings that stir up your emotions… causing you to take back your forgiveness of the person or persons whom offended you.
And you may not ever forget what they did to you but you can be free of the anger… and the bitterness towards them so much so… that their offence doesn’t bother you like it once did.
And stop thinking about it! Stop dwelling on it…stop stirring it up… let it go!
Heed Paul’s advice in (Philippians 4:8) “Finally, brothers and sisters… whatever is true… whatever is noble… whatever is right… whatever is pure… whatever is lovely… whatever is admirable… if anything is excellent or praiseworthy…think about such things.”
Stop “thinking about the offense” or the wrong-full act… or the wrong doing against you!
The disciples asked Jesus... “how many times must we forgive someone… seven times?”
Jesus replied “not seven times… but seventy times seven!”
God wants us to realize that His forgiveness… includes His forgetfulness.
Too many times we cry out and repent of our sins to the Lord… then we go back and reflect on our sins when what we have prayed for seems like it has been delayed.
(Proverbs 23:7) says… “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he!
The same thing happens with forgiveness.
You must think... or quit thinking about about the offence and the offender… in a completely different manner than what we ordinarily think.
If we don’t change the way we think… the enemy will hold us in bondage forever… and bitterness will consume you.
One of the primary ways we are often defeated in our daily living… is when we allow the enemy to remind us of our sins… or the offences... and or the failures that have caused us so much turmoil.
We allow him to play them over and over in our minds as if they are movie videos… and we are watching a new release.
Why would you allow him to do this… and why do you want to remember the offence that caused you so much pain over and over?
Doing this will only make you weary… stressed and depressed.
You should be reminding yourself that you are “a child of the King”... and you are “too blessed to be depressed.”
The scripture says in (Psalm 103:12) “that God has put our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west.”
This is a statement of infinity.
After we confess our sins… and let go of the offense and grant forgiveness to the offender… God no longer remembers your sins.
When you gave your life to the Lord… you became a new creature in Christ.
(2nd Corinthians 5:17) “Therefore if any man be in Christ he is “a new creature”… old things are passed away… behold... all things are become new.”
God only sees us through the blood of Jesus Christ.
We are made whole and righteous in His eyes.
We have been completely forgiven... because of the blood His Son shed for us on the cross.
It’s not the Lord that is causing you to remember… it’s the enemy of our soul Satan.
So how do you defeat the enemy when he brings up the past?
Well for one thing don’t hold conversation with him.
Tell him to "talk to the hand"!
Put your hand up!
Let him know you don’t have time to talk to him.
If he wants to talk to someone send him to Jesus.
The battle belongs to the Lord not you… (1st Samuel 17:47)… so get out of God’s way and let Him do His work… and forgive!
Now turn your back on it and forget it!
Stop looking in the rear view mirror!
Good day!
(Joshua 1:5) "No one will be able to stand against you."
Standing on the threshold of the Promised Land… Joshua realized there were seven nations and forty kings to be conquered before the fledgling nation of Israel could possess it.
It was a daunting task… one that was near to impossible had it not been for his faith and trust in God.
As he stood before God and poured out his fears God told him… “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life…I will be with you… I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Know this fact folks…when you’re in God’s will… the forces and resources of heaven are behind you… and that means you’ll ultimately win.
It doesn’t mean you won’t have to fight… but it means you’ll win!
The Hollywood classic… the movie “Ben Hur”… won more Academy Awards than any other movie in history.
Charlton Heston, who played the hero in this movie… had to drive a chariot for his role.
He was supposed to win the climactic chariot race… but there was a problem.
He was having trouble learning to drive the chariot.
He walked over to his director William Wyler and said… “Mr. Wyler… I can barely stay on the chariot… let alone drive the horses and win this race.”
Wyler looked at Heston and said… “Son… your job is to stay on the chariot… my job is to make sure you win.”
Every time you head to the office or walk into a pressure-packed meeting… a job interview or any of life’s challenges… you need to do the same thing… stay on course and trust God!
When you get that dreaded diagnosis from the doctor …or have to confront a friend who has done you wrong… trust God!
When you face economic upheaval from the loss of a job or a mechanical breakdown on your vehicle… trust God!
When life fires a curve ball at you… trust God!
Stay on the chariot!
Don’t quit on God… and don’t stop trusting in Him.
Your job is to obey… His job is to make sure you win.
And when you do your part… you can be sure that He will do His.
(Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the plans I have for you say’s the Lord… plans to prosper you and give you a future… not plans for evil!”
“Some trust in chariots and some in armor… but we remember the name of the Lord” (Psalm 20:7)
I have learned in all I do to trust God in every thing… and stay as obedient to Him as I possibly can… given the hurdles that we have to jump and the arrows of the enemy that are thrown at me every day.
Trusting in God completely has kept me in this game of life… with a peace and a joy for life that does not come from the world.
The bible says in (Romans 8:28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him… who have been called according to His purpose.”
(Romans 8:37) “we are more than conquerors thru Him that loves us.”
Come on… stay on the chariot and hang on!
Give the reigns to the Master and let Him do the driving.
(Psalm 37:3-5) “Trust in the Lord and do good… dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord…and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord… trust in Him and He will do this”.
Good Day!
(John 4:14) "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give...will never thirst.
One day the Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples… “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” (Luke 5:30)
Such contempt… and from those who should have been the first to show love and compassion to the down and out and the outcast of our society!
As Christians… as believers in Christ and Children of God… we are called to love people just as Jesus loved people… especially the outcast… and the rejected
He never treated any one differently because of their status or position in life.
In His great "declaration" to the religious elite in (Luke 4:18)… He said "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor… he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted… to preach deliverance to the captives… and recovering of sight to the blind… to set at liberty them that are bruised,”
In (John 10:10) He said… "I have come so that they might have life and that more abundantly". T
This text should not be related to an idea that Jesus came to give us an abundance of material things… but rather its a promise to bring to each of us… a satisfaction and purpose in and for life.
Look how He dealt with the woman at the well.
First… He broke the rules.
Jesus was a Jew and Jews didn’t mix with Samaritans… and they certainly didn’t associate with her kind. (She’d been divorced five times)
Jesus walked for miles to meet this woman.
He went into her world to bring her into His.
He mixed with her not to take advantage of her or become like her… but to reach, redeem, and restore her.
That’s why He’s called “a friend of…sinners” (Matthew 11:19).
He came down to our level… to lift us up to His!
Can people say that about you?
Second… He broke the ice.
Jesus talked about what she was interested in and in this case it was water.
You must take an interest in people and reach them where they are at… where people are… not where you think they should be.
You must use words they understand… and get over your fear of rejection by those around you.
You may lose face if they say no… but think what they’ll lose if they never have a chance to say yes to the gospel.
You might be the only bible they’ll ever read… or the only Gospel they’ll ever hear!
Third… He boldly shared with her the “good news” of salvation.
He offered her living water instead of dead religion.
How can you say you love someone and not share with them the greatest thing you’ve ever found… salvation and a right relationship with God?
No matter where your at… or where you go… you will meet people who are hung up on the past… anxious about the future… and in need of a real friend.
Once you find which door they’re hiding behind… you need to walk through it with love and sensitivity.
They’re thirsty for “the living water”… something that is real!
And you might be the only one who will have the opportunity to share a drink of water with them from the “wells of salvation”.
Jesus loved sinners… people outside of yours and my comfort zone… and He wants each of us to follow His example.
Are you ready to follow the Master… or are you “too good” to get your hands dirty… or suffer the embarrassment that is generated by those who gossip or criticize… when they see you hanging out with the so called "wrong crowd".
Never forget… you might be the only bible another man or woman might ever read.
Your writing a Gospel a chapter each day… by deeds that you do and words that you say.
Men read what you write whether faithless or true… so what is the Gospel according to you.
Good Day
(Luke 6:38) "The way you treat others is the way you will be treated."
Too often the following verse of scripture has been erroneously used by those whom are fund raising… and trying to collect money from others.
“Give, and it shall be given unto you… good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over… shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete (give) … with all it shall be measured to you again.”
Sure there is truth to this verse of scripture… but the principle or the power of it goes beyond money.
If you give with the right attitude and heart… God will bless you for it… but it’s not all about money.
It’s about your attitude toward others… and your willingness to be an extension of Gods love to others.
Jesus said… “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults… That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging” (Matthew 7:1-2)
Think about it.
Do you really want to live your life judging and being judged?
Listen friends… we were created to be in a community of unity… not treating each other with a spirit of judgment.
There’s something in us (the sinful nature of Adam)… that “drives us” to vie for a better impression of ourselves… by belittling someone else.
It rages through our teenage years… and should end when we “grow up”… but instead it tends to mutate.
We judge each other’s relationships when our own are crumbling… we judge their parenting skills when our own are hanging by a thread…
We call those who never exercise lazy… someone who hides their feelings is cold or harsh.
We judge people by who has what job, who’s busier, who has more stress, who has it rougher.
Someone tells us bad news and we secretly rejoice that it’s not us… while someone else shares good news and we call them arrogant.
But the truth is that no one wins because we’re all on the same team.
Instead of judging and criticizing Paul says… “When we have the opportunity to help… we should do it” (Galatians 6:10)
So today…tomorrow… and in the weeks to come… determine to look for a way to bless somebody who is not in a position to reciprocate.
Identify someone you can encourage today… and go out of your way to make someone feel special.
Jesus said, “If you give to others… you will be given a full amount in return.
(Luke 6:38)
The bottom line is the way you treat others… is the way you will be treated.”
Believe me when I say Gosd will see to it!
I encourage you to take a few minutes to read (Luke 6:20-49) this morning… or at some point in your busy day… and then ask God to show you who you can apply this scripture to… as you walk thru the day.
People need the Lord… but their not going to find Him unless we interrupt their lives… and reveal the charity of God… thru us to them.
Too many times I have heard the lost in our society say to me… “if that is what a Christian is then I don’t need it”.
And sad to say… to many that call them selves Christians… have not been the example our world needs to see.
So it’s time we obeyed the scriptures that Jesus laid out before us… and started being His hand extended in love… to and for His creation.
Just as someone took the time for you… its time for you to take time for others… and let them see the love of God… as it emanates thru and out from you.
This needs to apply to your family at home… your extended family… as well as the community around you!
Remember… (Luke 6:38) "The way you treat others is the way you will be treated."
Good Day!
(Colossians 4:6) “Let your conversation always be full of grace."
The proverbs give us a verse of scripture that I have tried to store in the back of my brain and it keeps coming back to me periodically.
An old cliché says “it is better to keep our mouths shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and prove we are!
(Proverbs 17:28) says it like this “Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent… with their mouths shut they seem intelligent.”
(Proverbs 18:21) also say’s… ”life and death are in the power of the tongue”.
So one of the things I work at in my life… is to be conscious of the words I speak.
So much so that the following is often my prayer… “Lord I join with the Psalmist David and ask… ‘Let the words of my mouth… and the meditation of my heart… be acceptable in thy sight’ (Psalm 19:14)”
“Father God, I realize that the words I speak have tremendous power… both in my own life and in my relationships with people around me”.
“Father your Word says… ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue’” (Proverbs 18:21)
“Father teach me to always speak words that are true… words that encourage and speak life.”
“Help me to be an example of your Word and speak only words or engage in conversations that glorify You.”
“Help me to be careful to speak words that build others up and not tear them down… that edify rather than criticize… that are spoken in love and truth… and not twisted by my own desires and expectations… and to speak words that bring confidence and encouragement not discouragement.”
“Where I have spoken words that are negative or harmful about anyone else…please forgive me and make me aware of the wrong that I have done to others.”
“Father keep me, from saying things that hurt or cut others down in any way… making them feel less loved than what they really are”.
“God, I want to be kind with my words and have the tongue of the wise that promotes healing and blessing” (Proverbs 12:18)
“Help me to have such faith in your Lordship over my life so that I can “do all things without murmurings and dispute” (Philippians 2:14).
“Help me as well not to speak negative things about myself… or to listen to the lies that the enemy of my soul tries to deceive me with”.
“And every time I start to say a critical word… help me to stop immediately and keep a lid on it”.
“Your Word says… ‘To let my conversation be always full of grace… seasoned with salt [good taste]… so that I may know how to answer everyone’” (Colossians 4:6-7)
“Today let my words honor and glorify You.”
“In Jesus’ name I pray… amen.”
“Hey ya’ll… can we all start a new week in our lives with this prayer being our first conscious thought of the day… as we begin each day this week?
I’m thinking this is a good prayer for every one… every day of their lives!
Good Day!
(Psalm 73:26) "My flesh...may fail… but God is the strength of my heart."
As you drive toward your destiny… you’re sure to hit potholes along the way or take some wrong
turns or even forget to check your gas gauge and run out of fuel.
The truth is… the only way to avoid failure is not to leave your driveway!
In the words of author William Saroyan… “Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.”
The real issue in life isn’t whether or not you’re going to fail… but whether you’re going to “learn from your experience”… and turn it into the wisdom needed to succeed.
In a survey of successful people… not one of them viewed any of the mistakes they made in life as a failure
They considered them “learning experiences” or “tuition paid” or…“opportunities for growth.”
Now that’s the winning attitude!
Henry Ward Beecher... a prolific author and guest speaker known for his famous quote… “music cleanses the heart” said… “It’s defeat that turns bone to flint… gristle into muscle… and makes men invincible.
Do not then… be afraid of defeat.
You are never so near victory… as when you’re defeated in a good cause.”
So the next time you fail at something… stop and ask yourself… “What have I learned?
Am I grateful for this experience… how can I turn it into success… where do I go from here?
Who else has failed like this and how can they help me?
How can my experience help others?
Did I actually fail or just fall short of an “unrealistically” high goal?
Where did I succeed... as well as fail?”
Then go one step further … and ask God for greater insight.
If you do… you’ll grow stronger and wiser because of what you’ve been through.
(James 1:5) “If any of you lacks wisdom… you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault… and it will be given to you.”
Notice the words in this verse that says... “with out finding fault”.
God does not get upset when you come to Him and ask Him “why”.
“Lord why did I fail”?
“Lord why did I not succeed in the endeavor I was pursuing”.
God does not find fault with you when you go to Him for answers… and if you will… He will point you in the right direction and help you get back up and start again.
The problem with most people though… is that they choose to ignore God… and they turn to the world and its natural thinking process and try to fix the problem or issue or mistakes… utilizing “the ways of the world.”
But God says… “my way are not your ways… my thoughts are higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8)
Never forget the promise and assurance of (Psalm 37:23-24)… “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him… though he may stumble… he will not fall… for the Lord upholds him with His hand”.
God loves you… and He has a plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11)
He is with you always… He will never leave you or forsake you! (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Ok so you’ve stumbled… so you’ve had a set back.
Learn from it and try again… this time you can make it with God leading you and guiding you,
Persistence and patience… those are the keys that unlock success.
And with God on your side… you cannot lose.
Good Day!
The truth is… the only way to avoid failure is not to leave your driveway!
In the words of author William Saroyan… “Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.”
The real issue in life isn’t whether or not you’re going to fail… but whether you’re going to “learn from your experience”… and turn it into the wisdom needed to succeed.
In a survey of successful people… not one of them viewed any of the mistakes they made in life as a failure
They considered them “learning experiences” or “tuition paid” or…“opportunities for growth.”
Now that’s the winning attitude!
Henry Ward Beecher... a prolific author and guest speaker known for his famous quote… “music cleanses the heart” said… “It’s defeat that turns bone to flint… gristle into muscle… and makes men invincible.
Do not then… be afraid of defeat.
You are never so near victory… as when you’re defeated in a good cause.”
So the next time you fail at something… stop and ask yourself… “What have I learned?
Am I grateful for this experience… how can I turn it into success… where do I go from here?
Who else has failed like this and how can they help me?
How can my experience help others?
Did I actually fail or just fall short of an “unrealistically” high goal?
Where did I succeed... as well as fail?”
Then go one step further … and ask God for greater insight.
If you do… you’ll grow stronger and wiser because of what you’ve been through.
(James 1:5) “If any of you lacks wisdom… you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault… and it will be given to you.”
Notice the words in this verse that says... “with out finding fault”.
God does not get upset when you come to Him and ask Him “why”.
“Lord why did I fail”?
“Lord why did I not succeed in the endeavor I was pursuing”.
God does not find fault with you when you go to Him for answers… and if you will… He will point you in the right direction and help you get back up and start again.
The problem with most people though… is that they choose to ignore God… and they turn to the world and its natural thinking process and try to fix the problem or issue or mistakes… utilizing “the ways of the world.”
But God says… “my way are not your ways… my thoughts are higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8)
Never forget the promise and assurance of (Psalm 37:23-24)… “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him… though he may stumble… he will not fall… for the Lord upholds him with His hand”.
God loves you… and He has a plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11)
He is with you always… He will never leave you or forsake you! (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Ok so you’ve stumbled… so you’ve had a set back.
Learn from it and try again… this time you can make it with God leading you and guiding you,
Persistence and patience… those are the keys that unlock success.
And with God on your side… you cannot lose.
Good Day!