Monthly Archives: June 2021

“And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.” (II Chronicles 12:14 NKJV)

It takes daily preparation to achieve an established heart.  We must pray daily and renew our minds in God’s Word so we will be spiritually in tune with our Father’s will, Jesus’ will, and the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Many times, we become involved in sin because we have not spiritually prepared ourselves to meet the day.  It is good to seek God early.  Sometimes people find it very difficult to “seek God early.”  Morning is often a time when our minds are fuzzy.  It seems easier to do anything except spending some concentrated time with the Lord.  But when we try to “meet the Lord,” He will, in turn, help us “meet the day.”

When God helps us to go out to “meet the day,” we’re prepared for good, not evil.  We, thereby, have brought the supernatural into our day long before we have encountered anything else.  Learn to see the Lord early.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Truly it is good to seek You early in the day; thank You that we have a way to prepare our hearts.  In preparing our hearts, we are kept free from evil.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.  The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

(Zephaniah 3:16-17 NKJV)

One day, all of the faithful will be gathered in one place, and the Mighty One will be in our midst.  We will shout the victory!  We will rejoice and be glad with all our hearts.

And God will sing back to us.  He too will rejoice — over us!

What an awesome sound that will be — a duet between the Creator and His creation.

“You enlarge my path under me; so my feet did not slip.” – (II Samuel 22:37 NKJV)

When we walk as the Lord leads us, we will not stumble because He leads in a very clear direction.  Although we may feel that we lack the natural ability to walk where He leads, He will endow us with the spiritual ability to do it.

One time I was a guest speaker at a large convention.  One of the other guests was an outstanding preacher whom I had admired for years.  When he said that he could hardly wait to hear me, fear stuck!

I thought, “Dear Lord, if he stays to hear me, I’ll faint on the spot.  Let him receive an emergency call; get him out of here!”

I was overwhelmed by insecurity.  The Lord encouraged me.  He reminded me that my presentation alone wouldn’t impress anyone, but that the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit would inspire the people.

In my fear I had seen a lack of ability in myself, rather than God’s sufficiency.  I repented quickly, dismissed the fear, and asked for God’s anointing on my message.  God’s anointing was especially sweet that morning, and I gave Him all praise for it.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to be led by Your Spirit and not by our flesh.  Help us to know that wherever You guide us, You will also enable us.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God.  People in general liked what they saw.  Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.  –(Acts 2:46-47 The Message)

This passage from Acts describes the daily lives of the first believers.  It is a life marked by simple acts — worshiping, taking meals together, and praising God.

Amazingly, these simple acts put the early Christians in a favorable light, and every day their number grew.

Living a simple life of prayer and praise may be the most powerful thing we can do to reach the world with the good news.