Dona Hake, Author at The Abundant Life Center

5.13.16

Posted on May 13, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Friday, May 13, 2016

“Equipped In Him”

by Dona Hake

Have you ever prepared to travel and you want to make sure that you are packing everything you need. I have always thought it to be wise to make plenty of lists of things to take so nothing is missed! I want to flow as efficiently as possible in my time away from home. I am the kind of person that likes to be ready for anything so I probably over pack because of that. Needless to say, it is good to feel that you are properly equipped for your time away from home.

As we spend time on this earth serving the Lord we are on a journey. We must be assured that we are equipped for all that He has for us to do. It is wonderful to know that He has equipped us with everything we need. I love the image I shared today because it ministered to my heart relative to God giving me all that I need. First of all, His Word will keep me full of the knowledge of His will. Any door that I need to walk through whether difficult or not, He has the exact key and He also provides me with His perfect timing and I need to keep my eyes on His watch not my own. It is when we get our eyes off of all that He has provided that our hearts can be tempted to fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”

Let us be reminded today to stay focused on all that He has given us through His love for this very special journey on earth. We can live this life with spirits full of power, love, and calm well balance minds! It is Him that can help us to remain disciplined and self controlled for the God given work He has for us.

5.12.16

Posted on May 12, 2016 in Devotions, Uncategorized |

Devotional for Thursday, May 12, 2016

“Remember Where To Look!”

by Dona Hake

We all need to be reminded of things. Sometimes even the most important things can be forgotten. We get too busy, our minds are full, and we just forget. Today I want to remind you to keep looking up. This is something you have to do, and no one else can do it for you. I want to share several scriptures that will stir your heart to continue to look in His direction.

Psalm 143:8
“Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I LIFT UP MY INNER SELF TO YOU.”

Psalm 63:4

“So will I bless You while I live; I WILL LIFT UP MY HANDS in Your name…”

Psalm 121:1-3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“I WILL LIFT UP MY EYES to the hills —From whence shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

I want you to take note that in all of these scriptures “I Will” proceeds the lifting up of our inner self, our hands, and our eyes. You see, it is an act of our will to look up and lift up. He promises that as we make a decision to look away from all that is trying to hold us back and hold us down that He WILL lift us up!!

5.11.16

Posted on May 11, 2016 in Devotions, Uncategorized |

Devotional for Wednesday, May 11, 2016

“Encouragement vs. Discouragement”

by Dona Hake

It is when we are full of God’s courage that we feel we are able to accomplish anything with His help. Today we will look at two words encouragement and discouragement. We know that the opposite of courage is discouragement, and both of these are powerful forces. Discouragement has the power to paralyze someone from moving forward. It has the power the keep you unmotivated, and tempt you to wallow in the past. Today we will look at how we must guard our hearts against discouragement.

Abraham Lincoln wisely said,

“Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.”

Courage is that thing that empowers us to do what we may be afraid of. It helps us go forward into things we thought was too big for us to handle. Let us live with determined hearts and never allow discouragement to prey upon our hearts.

Many times discouragement will be birthed as a result of being preoccupied with cares in our life. We are commanded to cast all our care over to God. As the scripture says below, we need to keep our minds clear and alert because the devil is watching for those opportunities to pull us down.

1 Peter 57-9
Names of God Bible

“Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you. Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. Be firm in the faith and resist him, knowing that other believers throughout the world are going through the same kind of suffering.”

If your heart is in a place of discouragement, I want to encourage you today to look up and know that He is well able to pull you out of that place and bring courage back to your heart. Release your care and hold fast to His loving hands and you will be made courageous!

5.10.16

Posted on May 10, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Tuesday, May 10, 2016

“I Will Rest In God Alone”

by Dona Hake

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him,”
Psalm 62:5 HCSB

We overwork our bodies at times and more than likely our minds are overworked on a regular basis. Daily responsibilities and cares can just take it out of us. Where do we run when this happens? Are we supposed to run somewhere when this happens? Of course ! … God wants us to run to Him when we are in trouble. May I humbly submit to you that if you run from your problems that you are going the wrong direction.

God’s desire is for us to stay in a place of rest for it is there that we are able to live refreshed and drawing upon Him. It is there that our hearts, minds and bodies are kept in check. It is there that there is strength and peace beyond any comprehension exists. If we are honest with ourselves we need to admit there are times when we are pushing the boundaries of our bodies and minds beyond what they are created to endure. It is God’s plan and desire for us to live on this earth drawing upon His grace and strength and we purpose to do His will. We need to return to His rest that He desires for us.

I am totally sold out in believing that God wants us to live in a place of rest that ONLY He provides. How precious are the words that David wrote in Psalm 23…He makes me to lie down in green pastures and He restores our soul.

So what is this rest? Here is one definition that I loved…relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs. Let us abide under the shadow of His wings and I mean abide…live there, hang out, stay there….God wants us to remain before Him. He does not desire we come and go as we please. He does not desire that we come to Him only when problems come up, but He desires we stay put. It is as we rest in this place that we really do experience the power of His restoring strength to our soul!

5.9.16

Posted on May 9, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Monday, May 9, 2016

“Walking In the Way of God”

by Dona Hake

I love feeding birds on my deck, and I love watching them come and go. I have really been enjoying seeing the Momma birds coming with their young and feeding them just feet from my window. I literally have a bird’s eye view of nature at it’s best!!! Unfortunately I have also seen little birds hit my window, and it upsets me because many times they do not make it. One day a few year’s ago I heard a bang on my deck door window. I walked over to see, and I was holding my breath that I was not going to find a dead bird. I dreaded going to glance out the window because I hate seeing anything suffer or lose it’s life. I was surprised to find one of the little Catbirds sitting on the deck looking around quite dumbfounded and you could tell she did not know what hit her or should I say…she did not know what she hit. She saw me and glanced my way, and I just stood and observed her. She just stayed quiet and little by little looked around. She sat there observing other birds coming and going and did not move. Finally, she lifted up her wings and flew away. Whewwwww! I took a deep sigh of relief!

This little incident blessed me with a little analogy to share with you today. Sometimes we too can think we are perceiving that we are going the right way to find ourselves running into “windows” or dead ends. Things like this can blindside us especially if we feel we are on the right path, yet it happens. Sometimes our wrong perception of things could get us into trouble. Maybe we are not paying as close attention to things as we should and we end up being stopped suddenly without warning. We can learn from this because there will be times when we are taken off guard in life or hit hard with circumstances beyond our control.

A little observation I made of my little recovering “feathered friend” was how she sat so quietly and was cautious not to move until she knew she could. She just kept still, observed quietly what was going on and waited till the right moment. She knew exactly the right time to try and fly again. It seemed that she just knew when she had her bearings back, and she opened her wings and took flight.

Let us learn as well in those situations that cause us confusion or when we feel we lack wisdom in a situation . Let us be still before Him, patiently wait to hear direction from above, and when we get our strength , He will cause us to soar again!

Psalm 17:4-5 (MSG)

” I’m not trying to get my way
in the world’s way.
I’m trying to get your way,
your Word’s way.
I’m staying on your trail;
I’m putting one foot
In front of the other.
I’m not giving up.”

5.8.16

Posted on May 8, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Sunday, May 8, 2016

“He Is Boundless!”

by Dona Hake

God is great and all His works are to be greatly praised. From the time that He created the Heavens and Earth to this very day, He continues to show Himself mighty and His wonders never cease. When I think of how great our God is, I realize that our understanding is limited because He is God, and everything about Him is beyond the bounds of human comprehension!! Today we look at our God that we serve, and how He is a God that is boundless! I just want to share a few scriptures with you to think upon relative to this word ~boundless~.

Psalm 147:5
“Great is our Lord and of great power;
His understanding is inexhaustible and boundless.”

~~~~~

Ephesians 6:10
“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord
[be empowered through your union with Him];
draw your strength from Him [that strength
which His boundless might provides].“

~~~~~

1 Peter 1:3
“Praised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)!
By His boundless mercy we have been born
again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

Today I encourage to allow Him to show you His boundless mercy, His boundless might and His boundless understanding which is inexhaustible! How great is our God!

5. 7.16

Posted on May 7, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Saturday, May 7, 2016

“The Still Small Voice of a Very Big God”

by Dona Hake

Sometimes life can become so hectic that we do not realize that are souls are no longer quiet before Him. There may be times that we need to hear from Him, and our days just seem to fill up with “things” before we know it. These “things” really are important and needful to take care of but let us guard over the most important thing, and that is our fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father. Let us be watchful for this is the area in which we permit our days to rule us rather than God’s peace and quietness ruling our hearts. We don’t even notice that our peace is slipping away until everything seems to swirl around us, and our souls are no longer quiet. If we are not careful we could miss His gentle voice that so desires to fellowship with us, and give us the direction that we need. We serve a very big God but more times than not His voice is sweet, and His voice comes in a whisper.

1 Kings 19:11-12 (AMP)
” And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice.”

Elijah knew that the gentle whisper was God’s voice. He understood that God did not just reveal Himself in the big and the powerful, but also in the sound of stillness. The Lord is often found in the gentle whisper in the quietness of a meek spirit. It is there that He is able to whisper to you the secrets of His perfect will and purposes for your life.

Today let us purpose in knowing that our hearts are quieted before Him. I believe even in the midst of the loud voice of the demands in our lives that we can maintain our hearts, and keep them at peace that we can hear His voice no matter what is going on around us.

“Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

5.6.16

Posted on May 6, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Friday, May 6, 2016

“The God of High Places”

by Dona Hake

1 Samuel 2:1-3Contemporary English Version

“No other god is like you.
We’re safer with you
than on a high mountain.”

I just want to encourage you today with the fact that God desires to be our Rock and our Redeemer! The writer declares in this scripture that we are safer with our God than on a high mountain! As Redeemer, Jesus restored us back to fellowship with the Living God of this Universe! We can be cleansed of any sin and we no longer need to live in guilt of past or present mistakes. At any given time in your day you are free to run to Him for the forgiveness and help that you need. Praise Him today for He is our Rock! A very present help in time of need!

As we look to Him as our Rock, we no longer stand in places that shake or can be moved but we can stand on that which brings us strength and security. I loved the one definition of rock that I found. It said to be lulled in security and hope. When one is lulled they are soothed and quieted. I could not help but to think of times when my sons were little and they would come and just be comforted as I held them tightly and prayed over them. We too can run to Him in those times that we are shaken and our soul will be quieted. As we sit at His feet we can be assured that He will calm us from our anxieties and strengthen the faith in our heart. Thank Him today that He is able to hold you and keep you, for He is the God that is seated in High Places that are secure and never moved!

Psalm 37:7
Amplified Bible

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

5.5.16

Posted on May 5, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Thursday, May 5, 2016

“Abundant Peace Belongs To Those That Love His Instruction”

by Dona Hake

Psalm 119:165 (HCSB)
“Abundant peace belongs to those
who love Your instruction;
nothing makes them stumble.”

When we love the instruction of God’s Word , we WILL have great peace. I can remember my husband’s words he spoke in one of his sermons a few years ago. “The spirit of this world is trying to drain us.”This is so true, and this truth needs to be heeded to. No matter how much we love and live for the Lord, we must continue to keep ourselves strengthened by the truths of God’s Word so that our souls are not drained and pulled down.

Many times when we are lacking peace, it is then that we are most vulnerable to offences. I shared with you a few days ago regarding keeping ourselves charged just as we keep a battery charged. It is on us to follow through with diligence to stay full of His Word by hearing the Word, reading the Word, and having communion with our Lord through prayer.

The second part of Psalm 119:165 says that “nothing makes them stumble.” When we are so full of God’s peace, we will be able to rise above things that would be trying to pull our hearts into being offended and stumbling. Offense can have power over our souls as it can cause us to be unforgiving and we could end up a bitter person.

This great peace that the psalmist is speaking of is not the peace that the world gives. This peace comes from the God of still waters that lives within you, and He promises to flood your soul with it. This peace is the peace that passes all human comprehension. It is above and beyond all we dare imagine. Today I encourage you to think about the God in Heaven that desires for His abundant peace to permeate your soul! As you love His instruction you will have abundant peace.

5.4.16

Posted on May 4, 2016 in Devotions |

Devotional for Wednesday, May 4, 2016

“The Power of One Encouraging Word”

by Dona Hake

Proverbs 12:25

“Anxious hearts are very heavy, but a word

of encouragement does wonders!”

Today I want to encourage you to seek opportunities to lift up hearts that may be heavy. As we ask the Lord for such opportunities He is sure to bring them in our path. We live in a time where it is plain to see that many have anxious and heavy hearts. I love those God given opportunities when I can lock my eyes with someone that looks grumpy or depressed, and try to get them talking. People like this need our loving smiles and encouraging words.

The Lord lifts us up and faithfully ministers His strength to us. Day by day He pours forth an abundant supply of joy and strength for our day. Let us be ready to give it to those around us as He provides us opportunities. God wants us to be givers not hoarders of all the blessings He has imparted to us.

Proverbs 11:24
Living Bible
“It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.”