admin, Author at The Abundant Life Center

Monday, September 25, 2017

Posted on Sep 25, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, September 25, 2017

“It Is Through Him…”

by Dona Hake

I can remember a few years ago our youngest Granddaughter wanting to help me take our German Shepherd out in the backyard so she could run and play ball. Since it was bitter cold she needed to put some gloves on to throw ball for Aasha. I stood by her and gave her the opportunity to try and put the gloves on herself. You can only imagine what I saw…first, two little fingers were shoved into one finger of the glove, and she ended up looking up at me with a frustrated look exclaiming, “Grandma…this is so complicated!” We laughed together as we looked at the glove on her little hand for one of the fingers of the glove was motionless because there was no finger in it. I said, “Okay, let’s try this again…” She opened her little hand and along with a little bit of my help she did her best to carefully place each finger in the appropriate finger of the glove. Then I heard, “There!!!! I got it Grandma, now let’s go!!!” It is little things like this that speak things to my heart, and the Lord uses them to enhance a spiritual truth to me. This is what He showed me….

We too are just like that one finger left empty in the glove when we try so hard to do things apart from His help. Without the Lord helping us and moving through us by His Spirit we can be left motionless and without use apart from Him filling each and every aspect of our being. He desires to live and flow through us in every area of our life. This is His perfect will for us! Today I want you to remember that you are His very special vessel and He wants you to submit yourself to Him that He can breathe His life into every word you speak, every deed you do, and every circumstance you face today. Oh praise Him today for He wants to move through us and make us a vessel of honor for Him. Let us live and move and have our total being in Him!

Acts 17:28 (East To Read version)

“It is through him that we are able to live, to do

what we do, and to be who we are…”

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Posted on Sep 24, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Sunday, September 24, 2017

“It Is Not Our Ability”

by Dona Hake

“It is not my ability, but my response

to God’s ability, that counts.”

Corrie ten Boom

We have all been faced with things we have had to do that seem impossible to do in our own ability. It is in those times that our mind may give us fits but we need to stop and remind ourselves that we are in a perfect place, and that is when we are weak HE IS STRONG. It is in these times that when we face the impossible that we stop and remind ourselves that we serve a God that is able to take our impossibilities and turn them into testimonies of His greatness!

Philippians 4:13 (AMP)“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].”

Today I encourage you to look up and draw from Him. Draw upon His grace and all of those heavenly possibilities! Know that God can make you able through Him. If you are dealing with something that seems too big for you, set aside your thoughts and plans. Ask Him to infuse you with His strength and His thoughts on the matter. Remember, respond to His ability with faith in your heart and watch Him work mightily on your behalf!

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Posted on Sep 23, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Saturday, September 23, 2017

“Whatever May Be Your Task”

by Dona Hake

Colossians 3:23 (AMP)

” Whatever may be your task, work at it

heartily (from the soul),

as [something done] for the Lord and not for men…”

In this scripture we can see that whatever our task may be, no matter how simple or complicated, our focus needs to stay on the Lord We need to be working wholeheartedly from our soul . Whatever the task is may it be as unto the Lord. As I think about this I cannot help but to think about how our hearts would be more willing diligently even if the job is not pleasant. Another translations says, in ALL the work you are given, do the best you can. I think that is a great attitude to carry with us as we face each day’s demands whatever our job or task may be. No matter what it is your responsibility is to simply do the best you can, with a heart of determination and love. As we purpose to make this a habit of our heart, He will prosper all that you put your hands to.

Lord, help us to keep our hearts and minds toward you this day. We call upon you to remind us to work wholeheartedly no matter what we put our hands to. We thank you for blessing the work of our hands that we may bless You, and then be a light and blessing to those around us.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Posted on Sep 21, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Thursday, September 21, 2017

“Do You Have Abundant Peace?”

by Dona Hake

What does it mean to have abundant peace? This sounds like such a treasure doesn’t it? We may find those days in which disruptions try to rob the peace that we strive to hold fast to. I do not know about you but when I feel His peace in the midst of turmoil it is the most wonderful thing to know. Sometimes it seems like all is going well, and suddenly the winds of this life pick up and we are confronted with a circumstance or some sort of trial. It is only His peace that can minister to our heart and mind, and that very peace will keep us above any thing we may face. So as we look and meditate on God’s peace, let us ponder dwelling in an abundance of peace. I love that thought…how about you? The Psalmist speaks that if we love God’s instruction, we will have abundant peace that BELONGS to us.

Psalm 119:165 (HCSB)

“Abundant peace belongs to those
who love Your instruction;

nothing makes them stumble.”

I love this…when I am loving His instruction for my life, I will have an abundance of peace, and nothing that crosses my path will make me stumble. Peace in abundance means that it is present in great quantity; more than adequate and over sufficient! I love the “more than adequate” because sometimes in stressful situations, we not only need peace for ourselves but extra to share with those around us. That peace that belongs to us not only keeps our hearts and minds but it can spill out and minister to the troubled hearts around us.

Today as we meditate on possessing peace in abundance may we keep our minds always renewed that the Lord desires that we love His Word. I believe that loving His Word means to embrace it no matter what is going on around us. Loving His Word means looking daily to it for our instruction in the way that we are to walk. His Word is our instruction manual for life. As we love His Word and make a decision to do what it says, He promises that abundant peace belongs to us. I thank Him for that peace!

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Posted on Sep 19, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Tuesday, September 19, 2017

“Dwelling In His House”

by Dona Hake

“…I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23:6

To dwell in a place means to live or continue in a given condition or state. God desires that His children never leave the beauty of His presence. He desires we never stray or entertain thoughts of the “grass being greener on the other side.” As He follows us all the days of our lives, He so longs for our love. He longs that we give Him everything. Oh how He longs that we dwell in His house forever!

Let us declare His wonderful works and may we be used as a humble vessel for Him. We should delight to give testimony of what He has or is doing in our life. I encourage you to look for opportunities to share the wonderful things He has done for you as you dwell in Him all the days of your life. It is good to draw near to Him, and trust Him with your whole heart.

Psalm 73:28 Amplified

“But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have

put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my

refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.”

Monday, September 18, 2017

Posted on Sep 18, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, September 18, 2017

“Forget, Focus, Persevere, and Reach”

by Dona Hake

Philippians 3:13 (ERV)

“Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go.

But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and

try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me.”

The Apostle Paul was one determined man. I love his honesty here as he admitted in his writing that he still had a long way to go. Paul understood the power of focusing on what really mattered, and he understood the grace that came from above. He understood that his past needed to be forgotten and his future needed to be reached for with great perseverance. There are four words in particular that I am meditating on as I read over this portion of scripture in Philippians.

Forget

Focus

Persevere

Reach

Many times we can get so hung up on our pasts , and if we do so that mindset can cause a spiritual stand still in our walk with the Lord. It is sad to think one’s purpose and determination is robbed by their yesterdays. I do feel strongly that there is importance in learning from mistakes or bad experiences. These things can serve to help us learn and gain wisdom. Wisdom gained from bad experiences or mistakes can be carried with us the rest of our life. This wisdom is something we can embrace and pass on to others.

Many times in our journey in life we may come to a “dead end” on a path that we were traveling You may had thought that the path you were on seemed so promising, but just like that…it did not turn out the way you planned. Do not let that discourage you but rather seek the Lord and what He would have you to do. I believe there are many times that “dead ends” on the paths that we walk are God’s favor on us, and He is sparing us from a bad decision or mistake. Sometimes you just never know. One thing we do know though, and that is that we need to keep moving forward. Remember to forget the past, focus on His plan for you, persevere in the journey, and reach forward!

“One of the greatest and most comforting truths

is that when one door opens, another closes,

but often we look so long and

regretfully upon the closed door that

we do not see the one that is open for us.”

(Anonymous)

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Posted on Sep 16, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Sunday, September 17, 2017

“Staying On Course With God”

by Dona Hake

A few years ago I read a woman’s writing about life’s lessons had taught her. She decided to celebrate aging by passing on what she learned. I love this! Her name was Regina Brett. She really shared some interesting things that she deemed as valuable wisdom from her experiences she lived through. I loved so much of the wisdom that she shared but a few really hit me as very awesome to ponder. The one in particular was…

“Don’t compare your life to others.

You have no idea what their journey is about.”

In the world in which we live there are so many opinions of what dictates how success is defined. These people are the “they” voices. You know…”they” say you should do this, “they” say you should look like this, etc… “They” really can put some real pressure on us at times, can’t “they???” Peer pressure is not only among the young, for it will be among any age group. I think it can be so easy to fall into comparing ourselves to those around us. We can never let our focus be on the success of another man therefore making that our standard of what we strive to attain. We are to please our Lord as we seek Him every day. God wants us to seek His perfect will for us as individuals, and go forward into that journey with our whole heart.

My friends, we are uniquely made by Him, therefore He has a unique and special plan for each of us. Let us make a practice of rejoicing in our hearts as those around us succeed. Enjoy who God made you to be and relax and enjoy growing each day as you walk with Him! Today I encourage you to compare yourself to no one, rejoice in His perfect plan for you and may we proclaim “Lord, I’m going to do what you tell me to do…!”

Psalm 119:1-8 (The Message)

“You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do…”

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Posted on Sep 16, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Saturday, September 16, 2017

“The Rock That Is Higher Than I”

by Dona Hake

Psalm 18:2 (ERV)

“The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety.
He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection.
He is my shield; by his power I am saved.

He is my hiding place high in the hills.”

Praise the living God! How awesome it is that we can proclaim the Lord to be our rock, fortress and our place of safety! He IS the Rock on which we stand, and we know that as we stand upon that Rock we shall not be moved.

Today I want you to reflect upon how your Lord rescued you from the place of darkness and brought you to the place of freedom. Jesus cleansed us of our sins. Forgiveness is ours, and as we continue in the race set before us He has provided for us strong footing for He is the Rock on which we stand. He promises to give us everything we need as we stand upon this solid Rock.

Before I knew Him as a teenager I can still remember whispering a prayer before my eyes went shut each night. “God…there just has to be more to this life than this…” I just could not believe within my heart that there wasn’t more. I can remember what it felt like to not understand why I was even here. Tormented in my soul I would keep uttering this prayer, and then I met Him face to face at the last closing moments of a week long crusade I had attended. Each night my heart struggled as I fought to surrender my all to Him. What a fool I was to think that my ways were better and higher than His. I praise God that in that time in which my heart was overwhelmed and filled with anxiety that He led me to the Rock that was higher than I! Let us rejoice in our salvation, and never forget how He delivered us and set our feet upon the Rock that never moves!

Psalm 61:2 (KJ21)

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee

when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to

the rock that is higher than I.”

Friday, September 15, 2017

Posted on Sep 15, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Friday, September 15, 2017

“Great Is the Faithfulness of Our Lord”

by Dona Hake

Lamentations 3:22-23Amplified Bible
“It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed,

Because His [tender] compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.”

There is nothing so loyal and beautiful in this life like the love of our Lord. Whether we deserve it or not, He sheds His love toward us and He is a faithful God. I want to look closely at this scripture ….”Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.” As I was meditating on this my heart is resting not only on the word faithfulness but the word great. When something is great it is unusual or considerable in degree, power, and intensity. Just as His peace surpasses our understanding I believe His faithfulness also surpasses our comprehending. His faithfulness is beyond trying to measure. Oh how great is our God!

In another translation this verse says that His loyal love is enduring and it is inexhaustible. As He shows His love to us, it should challenge our hearts to love the same way. He desires that the love that flows from our hearts to be loyal, enduring and inexhaustible. After all, we were created in His image therefore He is well able to instruct us and empower us to love as He loves.

There may be people in your life that you find very easy to get along with, and yet there are those that may seem to drain you of your energy. Allow this scripture to challenge your heart. Seek to draw upon the love from above that never runs out of energy and it endures anything. God’s tender love within us promises never to fail no matter what things look like in the natural.

Remember every morning you wake up that He is seeking new ways to show His love to you. Everything about God begins afresh each day, and His compassion is NEVER limited. Everyone of us has a day ahead of us and each of us will face different challenges. Know this, the God of all love is able to help you endure and conquer anything. Praise Him for His great love and compassion!

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Posted on Sep 13, 2017 in Devotions |

Devotional for Wednesday, September 13, 2017

“The Power of Consistency”

by Dona Hake

Today we are meditating on a very powerful word and that is ~consistency~. I see the power of consistency being an anchor to our walk with Jesus. This is just one of the many things that the dictionary defines consistency to be:

Steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc

I would like for us to reflect upon the power of consistency in our words and our actions as believers. Let us look at what James wrote about the power of consistency in our conversation and behavior.

James 3:7-12 (Phillips)

“Beasts, birds, reptiles and all kinds of sea-creatures can be, and in fact are, tamed by man, but no one can tame the human tongue. It is an evil always liable to break out, and the poison it spreads is deadly. We use the tongue to bless our Father, God, and we use the same tongue to curse our fellow-men, who are all created in God’s likeness.

Blessing and curses come out of the same mouth—surely, my brothers, this is the sort of thing that never ought to happen! Have you ever known a spring to give sweet and bitter water simultaneously? Have you ever seen a fig-tree with a crop of olives, or seen figs growing on a vine? It is just as impossible for a spring to give fresh and salt water at the same time.”

Sweet and bitter water, blessing and curses simultaneously coming from the same mouth ought not to happen. Oh how our words apart from our Lord’s wisdom and love can really get us into trouble not to mention how damaging it could be to our testimony for Him. Words spoken apart from God’s wisdom can cut deep into the soul. Words that proceed from an angry heart can be mean and spiteful. God desires that our words and actions be the fruit of all that He is. Wisdom is knowing what is true or right coupled with His judgment as to what action to take.

I believe that James was stressing the seriousness that we be consistent with our words and actions. Again let me mention the words of James….“Blessing and curses coming out of the same mouth- surely, my brothers, this is the sort of thing that never ought to happen!” These are strong words that James spoke but yet they are true.

May we ponder the thought of the impossibility of bitter and sweet water flowing from a spring simultaneously. Oh that the Lord would help us by the power of His Spirit to be careful to speak only truth and love filled words. As we purpose to keep our words in line with what we believe, we will be examples of consistency in God’s ways. Our judgments will be pure and we will have discerning hearts.