Dona Hake, Author at The Abundant Life Center

5.23.16

Posted on May 23, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, May 23, 2016

“His Inseparable Love”

by Dona Hake

Romans 8:39 ERV “….nothing in the whole created world— will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I find these to be such powerful words written by the Apostle Paul. Think about it. There is not one thing in all of this earth that can separate us from His perfect love. Let us look at what the word separate means, and I think this will bring you an even deeper revelation of this scripture. To be separated is:

to keep apart or divide, as by an intervening barrier or space:

to put, bring, or force apart; part:

to set apart; disconnect; dissociate

Now let us look at how nothing can separate us from Him in light of these definitions. No matter what we face or how hard the devil tries to discourage us we can not be kept apart from the presence of our Lord, and His life giving love. There are no barriers strong enough to keep us from Him. There are no forces great enough to overcome the power of His love! We will not be set apart from Him!

Saying all of those words I must say this as well. Our lives are full of things. May our hearts be dedicated to His love as He is dedicated to us. You know we purpose to set time aside to eat, sleep, work and play. Let us be ever so diligent to carve out moments during the day and dedicate them to sit in His presence and acknowledge Him. Talk with Him about how you feel and what you fear. Ask Him about everything that concerns you. He is bound to you by His love! Do not go by feelings and do not go by what you see. He is ALWAYS with you and nothing can separate you from Him. Praise Him because of His inseparable love for you!!

5.22.2016

Posted on May 22, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Sunday, May 22, 2016

“Walking As a Child of Light”

by Dona Hake

Genesis 1 :1-3 (DARBY)

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

And the earth was waste and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, Let there be light. And there was light.

And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided between the light and the darkness. “

One of the first things the living God did during creation was separate the light from the dark. He saw it to be a good thing that light stood out from the darkness. We wake up to the light of our mornings yet in this world we can see that spiritual darkness still hovers over the lives of people that do not know Him. This darkness serves to create confusion and lack of direction to those that are lost. Darkness in one’s life can bring great depression and lack of hope to a soul. For such a time as this, we are called to be lights in the midst of darkness. He is watching for those that desire to shine like a light because He has been given us the Light that never grows dim.

Psalm 112:4 The Voice
“When life is dark, a light will shine for those who live rightly— those
who are merciful, compassionate, and strive for justice.”

I am sure you have been in your home, and all of the sudden out of nowhere without warning you lose your electrical power. One time it happened three times in one night in our home, and I can still recall thinking how it always amazes me that the light of one small candle can bring just enough illumination to help you see what needs to be seen. Even the faintest of light can lead you to where you need to go, and keep you from stumbling over something. Interesting analogy isn’t it? This serves to remind me how important even a little light is in the midst of total darkness. We can be that light to those that do not know Him in this very dark world. Never underestimate how God is using you as a light in someone’s life.

Luke 11:33 (CEB)
“People don’t light a lamp and then put it in a closet or under a basket. Rather, they place the lamp on a lampstand so that those who enter the house can see the light.”

I encourage you today that if you know the Lord Jesus to carry His light that burns within you to those that have no hope. God is looking for a people that will place their lamp before those that need to see in the midst of their darkness. We live in a time of great opportunity to be used by Him…seize the opportunity!

5.21.16

Posted on May 21, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Saturday, May 21, 2016

“Forgiveness and It’s Power”

Matthew 18:21-22
The Voice

Peter:” Lord, when someone has sinned against me,

how many times ought I forgive him?

Once? Twice? As many as seven times?”
Jesus: “You must forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven.”

Today I want to share with you about the power of us giving forgiveness to those that have hurt or offended us. When we are on the side of hurt and offense it can be so hard to let it go, yet the Lord commands us to do so. The Lord desires that we love His Word and within His Word are commands which are blueprints for our lives. He has granted us the grace to live this life as we ask Him for that grace. Within His all sufficient grace is the ability to go beyond our human abilities. His grace and strength causes us to rise above what we are feeling within our emotions, and it causes us to get the victory over the raging thoughts that serve to pull us away from His perfect will.

Many times we are just like Peter. We want to feel as if we are so full of love, but you see our love has limitations. We all have our limits. God’s love has NO limitations. Today I encourage you to draw upon the love of the God in the midst of your day. Know that if you are that God desires you to draw upon His heart that you can freely forgive as many times as you have to. Continue to draw on and grow in God’s love that you may be able to freely give that which He has given you. Coupled with His promises and His commands are His grace, wisdom and ability to do that which He asks. Let us release our faith and do His Word!!!!

“Love is a fruit in season at all times, and
within the reach of every hand.”

Mother Teresa

5.20.16

Posted on May 20, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Friday, May 20, 2016

“Seeing Through the Eyes of Our Lord!”

by Dona Hake

1 Samuel 16:7(ERV)
“… God doesn’t look at what people see. People judge by what is on the outside, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 (VOICE)
“… for the Eternal One does not pay attention to what humans value.
Humans only care about the external appearance, but the Eternal considers the inner character.”

Something to ponder, isn’t it??? Our Heavenly Father does not pay attention to the same things we do. His eyes are focused on things that are beyond our comprehension. The Word clearly says His ways are higher than ours and so are His thoughts.

Today I want you to consider seeing yourself and others as God sees. More times than not seeing people as God does will require us to ask Him for His help. It will require us to release our faith for we as humans are moved quickly at times by what we see in people. Many times we can be guilty of judging a person or situation by the outward appearance. We stop at that and this is so very wrong. The old saying, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” is so very true , and it this needs to be heeded to. Many times we do not give people a chance simply because we are not looking closely and deeply into their heart.

I believe as we pray diligently and ask God for His wisdom into every matter He will begin to open our eyes and impart His sight to us. I find it so sad that many times we fall short of being merciful and forgiving because we are just being wise in our own eyes in our judgments of people and situations. Let us be cautious in this matter as we encounter people. Let us seek to see as God sees.

I pray today that you will look to Him and let His eyesight become yours. I believe as we do this we will begin to see ourselves grow in God’s mercy and His forgiveness like never before.

5.19.16

Posted on May 19, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Thursday, May 19, 2016

“Saturated In the Dry Lands”

by Dona Hake

Yesterday I shared with you the importance of stopping and resting. We need to recognize those times in which we must stop and lean upon Him for His strength. It is in those times of weariness that we need to know for sure that we are reaching upward and drawing upon the grace of our Loving God before we try to proceed any further. Many times people try to make decisions when they are at a point of physical or mental exhaustion. This is one of the biggest mistakes one can make. Today let us meditate on understanding that when we are in the “dry lands” of our spiritual walk that the Lord can still cause us to flourish.

Isaiah 58:11 (ERV)

“The Lord will always lead you and satisfy your needs in dry lands.

He will give strength to your bones.

You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring that never goes dry.”

There is such beauty in this scripture. Just think about the times in which you feel as if life has made you feel like you are in a dry land and your bones are weary. If you have lived on this earth for much time at all you well know and understand what I am referring to. The trials and tests of this life can drain us but bless God!!!….He has promised we can remain as a garden that has plenty of water. We can be as a spring that never runs dry!

Let us look closer at this word saturate. The origin of the word saturate is to be full or well-fed. One of it’s definitions is to soak, impregnate, or imbue thoroughly or completely. I am thinking how one could saturate a sponge with water and just lay it down. If one returns and squeezes it, the water will begin to fall. That which was within the depths of the sponge is now seen through the pressure of the squeeze.

Today I encourage you to dwell upon the fact that the Lord desires to lead you and satisfy your needs if you are walking through “dry times.” It is as life puts the squeeze on us that the Lord can release His living water from deep within our souls. He has promised to us that He would give us a river that was incapable of running dry. I would like you to also see yourself as a refreshment to those around you that may be walking through times of need and weariness. Let us be used as a blessing of the Lord where ever we can!

5.18.16

Posted on May 18, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Wednesday, May 18, 2016

“Stop, Lean, and Rest Upon the Lord”

by Dona Hake

Proverbs 3:5 (AMP)
“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.”

It is as we try to trust God yet still embrace our own insights and understanding that our faith will lack strength. In the book of James he warns in his letter to guard against being double minded. Some days it can be tempting to just see things as we are perceiving them to be. We can tend to view things from the “glasses” of our formed opinions and thoughts, and we can fall short of seeing things as God sees them. If we are leaning on our own understanding we are seeing things as we have concluded them to be. We need to remember that God is always seeing the bigger picture and He sees how all is working together for the good if we trust in Him.

Now let us look at totally trusting our Lord. If we are leaning on God and trusting in Him with all of our hearts and minds, it is truly a wonderful thing. Leaning upon God will bring rest to our souls. Sometimes in the midst of life’s hard blows it can cause us to be weary and tired. Let us meditate upon this refreshing scripture…

Psalm 37:7
Amplified Bible

“Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him…”

Have you ever been so tired and you stopped to just lean against something, and once you felt strength to go again you then proceeded. The psalmist was encouraging the reader to stop and lean on God and do it with patience. Wow!!! There’s that word

patience

again!!!! Today I encourage you that if you are needing rest and refreshment in your soul to STOP, BE STILL, AND PATIENTLY LEAN YOURSELF UPON HIM! Wait patiently and as you do so, expect for Him to refresh you and cause new strength to rise up from within you. God is good!

5.17.16

Posted on May 17, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Tuesday, May 17, 2016

“Jesus Is Always True To His Word”

by Dona Hake

Jesus is true to His Word, and when He says He will restore our soul, then He will for He is eternally faithful in all of His ways. Jesus told us that in this world there would be times of trouble. I am quite amazed when people try to live in an ideal place that pain and trouble should never cross their path. Even as we are under the tender, loving and faithful care of our Shepherd, there will be times in which our soul needs restored. Every one of us will encounter those times in which weariness is within our soul yet our Lord promises to lift us up, strengthen, and restore us. He knows exactly how to bring us back to a place of being energized in spirit in order that we may go on another day. I love how The Message translation brings to light “He restores my soul.”

Psalm 23:3 (The Message)
True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.

I would like to share with you a bit more regarding becoming weary in our souls. There are times in life in which we have all experienced one thing hitting us right after the other. Many times we can become weary in what this life throws at us, and we can feel that there is no rest for us in sight. Sometimes life can feel like ocean waves knocking us down one right after the other. There will be those times that we just know that if we are able to stand long enough we will be able catch our breath again. Sometimes life can make us feel this way. Today let this scripture remind us that the restoring and refreshing touch from our Lord will help us catch our breath and invigorate our souls.

Let us take hold of the truth that He is able to lift us back up no matter how long we have been down. His tender touch is able to wipe away the tears from our hurt, pain and sorrow. He is able to renew to us the strength we have seemed to have lost as our soul has grown weary. No matter what we have walked through and whether anyone understands, it matters not. Jesus understands any and all things we have walked through, and He will restore our souls as we ask Him to.

If your heart is weary and aching from pain, just ask Him. He is faithful and loving and ever ready to touch those that look to Him for true restoration! Remember, He is true to His Word and willing to accomplish it in your life.

5.16.16

Posted on May 16, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, May 16, 2016

“Patience At Work In You”

by Dona Hake

It is vital that we continue to walk patiently with those we live with and work with. There is also the whole realm of patiently waiting for circumstances to change in our life. Today I am reminded of patience as I think of a particular area I travel through almost every day. It has been road work in progress for years now. At times the work these workers are doing will bring work hour traffic to a halt, and if you do not plan for this, it may make you late. It seems they are working diligently on this, but honestly at times it seems like there is little progress. I simply do not understand all that goes into such an undertaking so I would never totally understand all the details and working of such a great project. I have come to understand that regardless if I understand what is going on or not this area commands my patience. I see this to be somewhat of an analogy of our lives in progress as the Lord works in us.

Today I want to encourage you in the fact that the Lord has a great work to do in you. It requires of you that you stay submissive to His loving hand. We need to permit God the time that He needs for His timing is perfect timing! This great work requires that you be humble in times that the Holy Spirit corrects you to keep you on the right path. It also requires you to be patient with yourself as the Lord is working on your heart and on your life. You see, so many times we desire to see things happen quicker than what they do. Let us be patient with the work that the Lord is doing in our lives.

As we pursue to grow in God’s love and in His Word sometimes we focus too much on what we are NOT rather that how far He has brought us. With any work that needs done in us there needs to be a time of waiting for His loving hand to work. I guess there are all times we wished He would work a bit faster, but His wisdom encompasses more than we will ever understand. As He works, He promises that the transformation will indeed happen, but remember sometimes we can tend to be impatient in that which we have to wait for.

Be encouraged today that as you are applying yourself to do that which is right and good in His sight that His loving hand is at work in your life. Guard yourself from focusing on your weaknesses but rather the gifts, the strengths and abilities He has blessed you with. As we keep our hearts humble and open to Him, He will be faithful to show us the areas in which we need to give attention. He will lead and guide us into ALL truth in every area of our lives! God bless you.

5.15.16

Posted on May 15, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Sunday, May 15, 2016

“There Is Nothing Too Hard For God”

by Dona Hake

Oh the beauty of our Lord’s wisdom that He has for us! It causes us to use knowledge rightly and direct every path that we walk on or pursue. It keeps us from moving forward when it is time to stand still yet it prompts us to step out when the time is right. God’s wisdom is amazing. Is there anything that can come our way that is too complicated for our God to take care of? His wisdom and ways are above our understanding. May we trust Him with the smallest of our cares!

Proverbs 3:19 (TLB)

“The Lord’s wisdom founded the earth;

his understanding established all the universe and space.”

Isn’t it awesome to ponder that the God in heaven desires to give you wisdom when you need it? If He was able to establish all that we see on this beautiful earth, surely He can make our feet firm and our direction sure! Why would we go anywhere but God for the wisdom we must have in our time of need? Surely the wisdom you need is there for you as you ask Him for it.

Jeremiah 32:17 NIV

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens

and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.

Nothing is too hard for you.”

5.14.16

Posted on May 14, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Saturday, May 14, 2016

“Yearning For God’s Truth”

by Dona Hake

“But still, You long to enthrone truth throughout my being;

in unseen places deep within me, You show me wisdom.”
Psalm 51:6 (The Voice)

Do you yearn for the truth of the Living God in your innermost being? Do you know there is truth that has not yet touched your soul? No matter how old of a Christian you may be, there is still something that you have not yet learned about Him. Even the truths of God’s Word that you do know have no depths therefore we need to go deeper into the depths of learning His wonderful truths!

I can remember many years ago reading a book by Watchman Nee, and I will never forget a statement he made. He shared that there are virgin caverns within your soul that God has not yet touched with His light. He was likening the caverns of our soul as veins in which God’s light and life are flowing. The virgin caverns are those that have not yet been discovered by the light of His truth.

These words could serve us with some real enlightenment regarding the truth that is within us. Every time I think about this statement it reminds me that there is truth that I still need deeper understanding of, and there is truth that God has not yet touched my soul with yet. Lord, help me to remain humble that I may receive ALL that you desire for me to know regarding your truth! God desires that we cry out for the wisdom and truth that the unseen places of our soul have not yet experienced. He desires that the truth we know of to have a place in our heart that is protected and honored. In Psalms 51:6 the psalmist is saying,

“But still, You long to enthrone

truth throughout my being…”

Let us be reminded that the truth that we know should be guarded and NOT compromised by what we feel or do not feel like doing. Truth must reign above our feelings, emotions, and it is not moved by what is going on around us. Let us ask Him today for His wisdom on how to keep the truth we have embraced enthroned within us.