Day 331

We are all made with unique gifts. The Lord has designed it this way in order for everyone to use those gifts for His glory.

Romans 12 verses 6 through 8 say, "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

The Lord says in these verses that no matter what your gifts are, use them to the full to bring Him glory. The point too is that we use them. Do not hide them, but instead use them to the full!

We are here to give God glory in all we do. Our gifts are the way we do that; a way of giving back to Him for the gifts He has given. Let us remember to use them to give Him glory.

Day 330

Romans 8 verses 35 and 37 through 39 are amazing verses! They say, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor power, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

What an amazing couple of verses that sum up the amount of love the Lord has for us! Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord! I find great comfort in these verses.

Not only will God love us in all things, but in all things we as Christians are more than conquerors! Through whatever trials and tribulations that come our way, we come out victorious since we are in Christ!

Day 329

Romans 7 verses 21 through 23 describes the inner torment that we go through. These verses say, "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members."

There are several good points in this and the first one talks to the fact that when we want to do right, when I want to put my trust wholly in the Lord, evil lies close at hand! When I try and fully turn my worries and troubles over, evil is right there! Evil is what drives me to ask why. Evil is what puts doubts in my mind that pull me away from the Lord.

These verses also show that both good and evil are present in our bodies at one time! We strive for good, but the evil takes over! This is a somewhat scary concept!

This war and battle is never ending, however, I know that I have someone on my side who is more powerful than the evil inside me! They have the power to overthrow the evil inside and make me pure! Only through Jesus can we do this! All we must do is trust and pursue Him!

Day 328

It is always good to review the basics of the faith. This is done in today's reading.

Romans 3 verses 23 and 24 say, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

The basics: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We do not deserve to be saved! However, by His grace and mercy, we are justified, we are forgiven, through the redemption in Christ Jesus. We have done nothing to earn this forgiveness. It is a gift from Christ. We are helpless to save ourselves. It is only through Christ that we are saved!

We thank God, and in response to this, we live to give Him all glory and honor and praise! What an awesome God we serve!

Day 327

Quite often, I believe people do not realize the importance of the Holy Bible. They do not realize the contents of it and what it can do!

However, Romans 1 verse 16 reminds us of this, "For [the gospel] is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..."

The gospel, the message, is the power of God for salvation. This is given to all who believe! All we have to do is believe and salvation is given to us! What a plain and simple truth that is so important! I thank God for His word and for the salvation, grace, mercy and love found there.

Day 326

I take comfort in knowing that the Lord has made me the way I am. He has given me the spiritual gifts I possess, and has blessed me with other gifts as well.

1 Corinthians 15 verse 10 says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believe."

By the grace of God, I am what I am. That is a solid truth! The only way I am where I am today is through the grace of God. I thank Him every day for the blessings I have and the gifts He has given me, and I know that all good things come from Him!

I trust Him for all things. I know that He will take care of me and my family and I thank Him for being a God who is trustworthy. What a God I serve!

Day 325

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about how each person has their own spiritual gifts. Each person is different, and that is what makes up the body of Christ. All of the different members are needed to make the body complete. Paul calls the spiritual gifts, higher gifts.

1 Corinthians 12 verse 31 says, "But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way."

Paul is saying that if we chase after and pursue spiritual gifts, we will find a more excellent way, or a more excellent life! Every spiritual gift is different and each one is needed to complete the body.

No one has the right to say that the gifts they have are worthless, or they wish they had some other gifts. We are all created by God and have the gifts we have to complete the spiritual body.

Day 324

As I said about two weeks ago, my wife and I just had a baby girl! However, we are now going through the tough time of little diapers, little clothes, and most of all, little sleep!

We also have a son who is almost two with more energy than both my wife and myself put together. This combination of newborn and energetic son puts us at the end of our rope!

That is why it is relieving to read verses like 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13. It says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

God will not let us be tempted beyond our ability! At this stage, we feel that we cannot do it; we cannot handle it! It is too much! We are not going to make it! But God is with us! And He will not let us be tempted beyond our ability. We must endure! We can endure with God's help! With God's help.

Day 323

In 1 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul is talking about boasting. In verse 7, he says, "For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?"

Quit often, we boast about ourselves. We boast about our abilities, our possessions and our friends. But Paul poses some questions. First of all, what do you have that you did not receive? Or in other words, God has given us everything. Why then do we go around acting like we have obtained or earned anything?

The second question is, if we were given those things, why do we boast as if we earned them ourselves? The credit goes to the Lord, not to ourselves! He is the one who has blessed us with our gifts. He is the one that deserves the credit!

I will continue to give God the glory and the credit for the gifts He has blessed me with! I know I could not earn or obtain any of those things on my own!

Day 322

I find it fascinating how even the evil spirits knew Jesus. They had never met him before on Earth, but they still know him. There were men who were using both Jesus and Paul's name to try and drive out evil spirits.

Acts 19 verse 15 says, "But the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?'"

First of all, it is only by faith in Christ that this could have been done. Second, the evil spirit said he knew Jesus; not just recognized or heard of, but knew. This goes to show that Jesus has even conquered Satan! He has conquered the evil spirits and is Lord of all! What an awesome and worthy God we serve!

Day 321

What encouraging words Paul gives in 2 Thessalonians 2 verses 14 and 15. They say, "[The Lord] called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that were taught by us..."

I like that mandate to stand firm. It clearly portrays how we as Christians are empowered through Christ. With Christ in us, we are able to stand firm before all that is thrown at us but the evil one because Christ is in us, with us and for us!

I will stand firm in the promise that the Lord is with me and I am in Christ. I can stand firm with the confidence of knowing the Lord is with me, who can be against me?

Day 320

All too often it seems as though we are prone to tear someone down than to encourage one another. But Paul writes to encourage the Thessalonians and also in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Encourage one another and build one another up. Do not tear down. Also, encourage one another in Christ. Be there for others physically but also spiritually so you may grow together. This is what we are called to do!

Day 319

I find it amazing, the great example Paul and Silas were! They were spreading the Gospel to town after town. They were then thrown in prison for advocating customs that did not follow the Roman ways.

Acts 16 verse 25 says, "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."

Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for spreading the Gospel, but still they praise the Lord! They are in a cold, stone prison with shackles on their hands and feet, but they are still singing! For they know the Lord has them there for a reason and are resting in that comfort. They have faith that the Lord will bring them out.

What an example of faith and trust! Even when they are in prison with shackles on, they continue to praise and believe! I must learn from Paul and Silas to always trust, and always believe, no matter what!

Day 318

Paul spoke very plainly to me today in Galations 4 verse 9. It says, "But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?"

There are a few things said here. First of all, when we accept Christ, we are then known by God, or acknowledged by God as His own! Once we acknowledge Him, we are His children!

Also, once we are His children, how can we go back to the ways of the world? How can we be influenced by the evils of the world, or the worries or troubles? How can we becomes slaves to the worries and troubles of the world when we know God and God acknowledges us as His children?

What a strong question for me to answer! Why do I let the worries of this world enslave me when I have a God who has taken me as His child and promises to take care of me? Why do I worry when I know my God can do all things and loves me with a love deeper than I can imagine? I don't know. And if I don't know, then it doesn't make any sense to continue!

Day 317

As I am going through these readings, I am finding that I both want and need to rely on God for everything.

I try to do good. I try to set an example of Christ in all that I do. However, in the end, that really means nothing! Galations 2 verse 16 says, "yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

No matter what I do, I cannot earn my way to Salvation! It is only by faith in Christ that we are saved! No matter how good we are, we still need God! We need His grace and mercy.

Once we believe, we are to do good and set an example of Him in response to His grace and mercy in order to glorify Him! We do these things to glorify Him, but not to be saved. This is good to keep in mind!

Day 316

Again I see the reactions of believers and I can relate.

Peter was imprisoned and sentenced to death. A group of believers gathered together to pray for Peter. An angel appeared to Peter in the cell at night and helped him escape! Peter then went to the house where everyone was praying and told them he was okay.

Acts 12 verse 16 says, "But Peter continued knocking and when they opened, the saw him and were amazed."

It is quite often amazing to me too when the Lord answers prayer! After thinking about it, I am not sure why it is so surprising, but it is wonderful to know that the Lord answers prayer!

What an awesome and all powerful God we serve! A God capable of doing anything and a God who answers prayer! Praise be to the Lord!

Day 315

In today's reading, Peter went to visit the house of Cornelius who was not a Jew. Although, Cornelius was a man who pursued God and had faith.

When Peter arrived, Cornelius came out to meet him. Acts 10 verses 25 and 26 say, "When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, 'Stand up; I too am a man.'"

I think this is so cool because Cornelius bowed down to Peter, but instead of accepting the recognition, Peter told him to stand up, for Peter is just a man.

Peter was showing that the Glory does not go to ourselves, but instead to the Lord who is more than a man, but also God! I need to keep this same mentality always, that I am just a man, but the Lord is God!

Day 314

In this reading, Saul, a persecutor of Christians, experiences the Lord and all his wonder, and believes.

Ananias is a prophet who was sent by the Lord to minister to Saul (now Paul). When Ananias heard the Lord say to go to Saul, he was apprehensive since Ananias had heard of what Paul was doing to those who believed.

But the Lord responded in Acts 9 verse 15. He said, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine..."

How cool is that? But I think about it and realize that we are all chosen instruments of the Lord! We all have special gifts given to us by the Lord. We are all chosen instruments of His!

Day 313

Stephen was a man chosen to serve others out of the increasingly large number of disciples. He did great wonders and signs among the people.

However, some people belonging to the synagogue rose up against Stephen and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses against him and made him out to be a liar. But through it all, Luke (the author of Acts) writes in chapter 6 verse 15, "And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel."

The Holy Spirit was with Stephen that day. Stephen was later led out and stoned, but it says that after Stephen prayed, he fell asleep rather than dying from the stones.

Even through trials and tribulations, the Holy Spirit was with Stephen and it was outwardly visible. I pray that even in tough, trying times, others can see the Holy Spirit in me and the Lord can be glorified!

Day 312

In today's reading, a few of the apostles were arrested by the council of the Pharisees. They were being questioned about the teachings they were giving.

When the council demanded that they stop teaching and the apostles said they would not, the council was furious and wanted to kill them.

Then one of the Pharisees named Gamaliel stood up in Acts 5 and said in verses 38 through 39, "If [the plan of the apostles] is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!"

How amazing of a statement is that! If the plan is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, nothing can stop it!

I believe this is true in most things in my life. Anything I try to do on my own, anything of man, fails. But everything that I do that is of God cannot be stopped! I have to have faith and see which things are of man and which are of God, and chase after those of God!

Day 311

What an example of generosity the apostles and others showed after the Holy Spirit came.

Acts 2 verses 44 and 45 says, "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need."

This was the first church! All who believed were gathered together. They were also giving of themselves in order to help those in need! What a great and difficult example of what we are called to do. We are to give and help to those who are in need, even if it means giving of ourselves.

I pray that I can recognize these needs and have the faith to give up of myself and fill those needs as shown in the example of the apostles.

Day 310

Another one of my favorite stories is of Jesus and the men on the road to Emmaus. I love how it is made clear that the death of Jesus was talked about by many.

Although, the verse that caught my eye was Luke 24 verse 32. It says, "Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?"

Jesus, with the Holy Spirit, has the power to fill us and overwhelm our hearts with His love and mercy. His scripture can set a fire within us, a burning desire for Him!

I look forward to this time every day. I long for His word and am thankful for a book that describes how to discover my Lord. Through it, Jesus has the power to touch our hearts and make them burn within us.

I pray that every day, He touches my heart and enhances the desire I have to dive into His word to discover more about Him and His love and mercy!

Day 309

Again I find it fascinating how the Lord shocks and awes! The guards at the tomb saw the angel rolling away of the stone and felt the earthquake. The only reaction they had was to shake and become like dead men!

How amazing the Lord's resurrection is! But that is not all! Not only His resurrection, but also His love, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, and His power also are so splendid, that the only rational reaction is to shake and become like dead men! His characteristics are so overwhelming that we cannot even move, or think. All we can do is be still in shock and awe!

That is my God.

Day 308

What a Savior! What a sacrifice. Jesus was crucified for us! God sent His son to save us from our sin.

When Jesus died on the cross, there were many things that happened all at once. Rocks split, the curtain to the temple was torn in two, people rose from the dead and an earthquake occurred, all when the Lord died. After these events, a centurion keeping guard saw them and said in Matthew 27 verse 54, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

My daughter was born today. She is a perfect 6 lbs 6 oz and is a true blessing! I look at her and I see the Lord! I see the Glory of His design and the love He has for us!

After reading this and seeing what I saw today, I believe that we are to live in such a way where others will look upon us and say without a doubt, "Truly, the Son of God lives! I believe!"

Day 307

I have heard the story of the events leading up to Jesus's crucifixion, but there was one part that I do not recall that I find interesting.

When Jesus was before Pilate, Pilate's wife came to him and said in Matthew 27 verses 19 and 20, "While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, 'Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.'"

I find this interesting because it is almost as though it is Satan's last push to keep Jesus from dying for us! He was working through Pilate's wife to persuade him to let Jesus go! However, Pilate still went through with the crucifixion, fulfilling the prophesies of the Old Testament.

We have to work at determining what is from the Lord and what is Satan trying to lead us astray. To do this, I have found we must speak to God often through prayer, and also, take time to listen to what God has to say to us, so we can clearly know what is of God and what is not.

I pray that the Lord reveal His will to me and make it crystal clear what is of Him and what is not.

Day 306

After Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He was brought before the council to be tried. Matthew 26 verses 59 and 60 says, "Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put Him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward."

Matthew 26 verse 62 says, "And the high priest stood up and said, 'Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?'"

Many people tried to testify against Him, but they could not convict Him, for He was innocent! He only spoke once through the trial. Matthew 26 verse 64 says, "Jesus said to him, 'You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.'"

This truth was seen as blasphemy and it was this that they marked Him as guilty. Jesus was innocent and remained silent for us! He did this for us to save us from the punishment that we deserve! Thanks be to the Lord for the ultimate sacrifice for us!

Day 305

When Jesus went to pray in the garden, He knew what was ahead of Him. He knew that there was going to be great suffering and pain. However, Jesus still did it.

What an example Jesus is for us! When He was praying in the garden, knowing what was ahead, Jesus prayed in Luke 22 verse 42, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done."

How much strength and faith it takes to say, "Not my will, but Yours be done." It is a reminder that we are not on this Earth for ourselves, but to give glory to the Lord. It is all for Him!

I pray that the Lord works in me for His glory. I pray that His will is done through me. Not my will, but His be done!

Day 304

What an amazing God we serve! Whenever we feel insecure, or are troubled, we can remember what Jesus offers us in John 16 verse 33. He says, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Wow! How profound that is! Jesus says that we will have tribulation, not that we may. It is a certainty. But the comfort in that is knowing that there is hope! Jesus has overcome the world! There is not reason to fear or be worried. Jesus has overcome!

I rest in that comfort!

Day 303

I really like the analogy Jesus uses in John chapter 15 verses 1 and 2. They say, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

The Lord is my God and He is constantly working on me. He is pruning me and removing the dead parts, the withered parts of me that no longer bear fruit; that no longer give Him glory, so I can feed the good in me. He is constantly at work in me to make me more like Him!

I feel He has done a lot of work in me since the start of these readings, however, I feel like He has a lot more work to do in me! I look forward to being molded and pruned further to not only display His beauty in me, but also bear more fruit for Him!

Day 302

What an amazing illustration! Jesus, at the last supper, gets down and washes his disciples's feet! He shows by example what we are meant to be. We are meant to be servants.

Jesus requires that we serve others. He requires that we show others that we are lesser, humble servants of the Lord, and that means serving others and sharing the love of Christ with them.

I need to keep this in mind every day that I am not here to be served but to serve!

Day 301

I truly believe that the Lord entrusts us with a little. Then, based off of what we do with those blessings, He determines if we should be blessed further, like in the parable today.

The Lord has blessed me with so much! I am so grateful to Him for everything. I have an amazing wife who I love deeply, a great son who I am so proud of already, and also we are expecting our second any day now!

But I believe the one area where I have failed in is with our finances. The Lord has blessed us with a little and I do not think I am handling it as best as I should or could. I sometimes feel like the man who was given one talent. I am not investing my blessings like I should.

I continue to pray that the Lord will give me guidance as to how to handle His blessings and how to make them grow as He demands.