“The Sweet Fragrance of Christ”

Posted on Dec 20, 2015 in Devotions, Uncategorized |

by Dona Hake

Today I want to share with you about fragrance. Fragrance is anything having a pleasant scent or aroma; something sweet-smelling; sweet-scented such as a fragrant rose. This past summer I noticed we have an abundance of honeysuckle bushes around our property, and there were days as I walked around the yard with my dog that I was amazed at the beauty of their sweet smelling fragrance. If there is a beautiful fragrance in the air, it makes one just want to stop and enjoy it or you may try to figure out where the smell is coming from. God’s Word speaks of His paths being fragrant with His attributes, and as we walk in His Word, we too will give off the beauty of that fragrance. Let’s read this scripture from the the Living Bible…

Psalm 25:9-10 (TLB)

“He will teach the ways that are right and best to those who humbly turn to him.
And when we obey him, every path he guides us on is fragrant with his loving-kindness and his truth.”

Today I want you to meditate upon the truth that as you humbly turn to Him, He will teach you His ways, and you will desire to walk in the paths that will cause a wonderful fragrance of Christ to emanate to those that know Him and also those that do not know Him.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (TLB)
But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, he has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume.
As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us.”

I believe that this fragrance will cause people to seek out the Lord. It will expose to them their lack, and it will draw them to Christ. May we release our faith that the Lord is using us everyday to reach people whether they know Him or not. Many times we may never know how God is using the testimony of our love, deeds, and prayers that we offer up on behalf of people.

Lord, we thank You today that as we humbly look to You in all of our ways that You will teach us how to walk in Your paths. May that fragrance touch the hearts of even those that seem hardened and unreachable. We thank You for we know You are able to do above and beyond all that we dare ask or think as You permit us to be used as You desire! In Jesus Name, amen.

“Let His Light Shine!”

Posted on Dec 19, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Today let us meditate on His light that is within us, and for that we should feel honored and thank Him. We are His vessels and He desires to radiate that light each and everyday we serve Him. We live in a world in which there is darkness and there are so many that do not know Him. How else will they know there is light if we do not allow Him to shine through us.

Matthew 5:14-16 ( Amplified )

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.”

I think God is calling each and everyone of us as believers to shine and bloom where we are planted. In the plan of God, He has wonderful desires to use each one of us differently and uniquely. We should never compare how God chooses to use us to how He works through others. This is not a competition, it is command….we are lights and we are to shine! Today I encourage you to shine for Him through every word and deed you do. As He continues to mold and make you into His image He will be faithful to show Himself through you that others may see how awesome He is.

Father, we thank You that you have chosen us to be carriers of Your beautiful, life giving light! As we do good deeds and exhibit moral excellence, we pray that those that see this will be drawn to You that they may honor and praise Your Name. In Jesus Name, amen.

“The Power of the Persevering Heart”

Posted on Dec 19, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against

you until it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never

give up then, for that is just the time and place that the tide

will turn.”

Harriet Beecher Stowe

I love this quote. It makes me wonder how many times that I have given up on something or someone just when the tide was ready to turn. There is power in perseverance and the determined heart cannot be stopped or shaken. Determination is when you come to a decision or you fix yourself on a purpose, and nothing is going to hold you back.

I cannot help but think of Peter as he stepped out of the boat upon the Lord’s command. “Come Peter!” I can only imagine what was going through Peter’s mind as he looked down and saw himself walking on the water. His faith was at work and he was defying the impossible. Yet when his mind became focused on the wind, waves and the turbulent storm, he began to sink. Jesus reached out His hand to Peter, took a firm grip and kept him above water. The thing that always hit me the hardest with this account was that Peter was only an arm’s reach away from Jesus. Let’s look at the story in the scriptures.

Matthew 14:28-31 Amplified

“And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.

He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.

But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]!

Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

How many times are we just an arm’s reach away from the finish line of success in that which we are setting ourselves, but then our minds begin to “perceive” and we get ourselves into trouble? How many times is the tide ready to turn and we throw up our hands and give up? We must apply faith, persistence, and determination to all we set ourselves to do. As we fix our eyes on Jesus with determination and faith in our hearts, He will enable us to do the impossible. It is as we do this that we can share the testimony of what we learned in our accomplishment to those that need this same word of encouragement!

“And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for

after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.”

Galatians 6:9 TLB

“The Life Giving Force Within Us”

Posted on Dec 18, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

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.”

As we draw upon the living water from above, let us be mindful to share that water that gives life with those around us. Let us be thankful that the water He gives is the only water that will quench the thirst of the human soul. I love how this scripture in Isaiah says that we will be “like a garden that has plenty of water, a spring that never goes dry.” No matter how much we draw upon it, those waters will continue to flow toward us to meet our every need! The only requirement is that we continue to seek Him and draw upon that river of life that proceeds from Him.

This type of abundance is not just for our survival alone but it is there for us to give. God desires to see us active in doing good for others from a heart of faith and love. He desires that we share from that well that promises to never run dry. I encourage you to think about the abundance in your life, and how He would have you be a blessing to those around you. Think about the many times He has rescued you from a problem that seemed unsolvable. Thank Him for those times that your anxiety tormented you and His peace permeated you beyond your understanding. We have so much to be thankful for, may we ponder our blessings, and meditate upon the testimonies, and share them with those that need lifted up.

Lord, we are so very thankful that You are our Shepherd, Your eyes are watchful, and You know how to satisfy our every need. We thank You for the strength You bring to us in our times of weakness, and we praise You that everyday You bring us the provision that we need to accomplish Your will. Lord as we live and draw from that spring within us we ask that You would help us to look beyond ourselves, and be givers of that life giving force that comes from You and You alone! In Jesus Name, Amen.

“He Hears the Prayer of the Humble”

Posted on Dec 17, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Today I want to encourage your heart in the fact that we serve a mighty and living God that hears and listens intently to the cries of the humble heart. God desires to move mountains on behalf of those that truly reverence His Name. You may wonder who are those that truly reverence His Name. It is the man or woman that consistently looks to Him every day to be the Lord of all things in their life. It is the man or woman that calls upon Him for help whether it be a big or small thing. He is looking for the dedicated and humble in heart and He desires to move on their behalf.

I find it sad whenever I hear people make bad comments about God in the midst of a problem or tragedy. I am speaking of those that it is obvious that it is not in their heart to acknowledge God in any way when all is well, yet they want to speak poorly of Him and blame Him for evil circumstances. They may say, “Where is God in all of this?” or “Why did God make this happen?” The wonderful hand of our Lord is not a magic wand that one can wave whenever they desire. His hand is moved by a humble and dedicated heart that calls upon Him in truth in his time of need.

Psalm 145:18-19 TLB

“He is close to all who call on him sincerely.
He fulfills the desires of those who reverence and trust him; he

hears their cries for help and rescues them.”

Father, we thank You this day that You desire to move in great ways in our lives. Whether it be a big or small thing, Your Word says that You desire to perfect all that concerns us. Help us by Your Spirit to look to You in all things, and help us to stay humble before You. In Jesus Name, amen.

Psalm 51:17 ERV

“The sacrifice that God wants is a humble spirit.God,

you will not turn away someone who comes with a humble heart

and is willing to obey you.”

“Rejecting Compromise”

Posted on Dec 16, 2015 in Devotions |

Psalm 119:1-5 TLB

Happy are all who perfectly follow the laws of God.
Happy are all who search for God and always do his will,
rejecting compromise with evil and walking only in his paths.
You have given us your laws to obey—
oh, how I want to follow them consistently.

The other morning I was feeling to turn to Psalms 119 and read, and I found the TLB translation of these scriptures to touch my heart. These scriptures speak to my heart that I will be happy and joyful as I purpose to follow Him and walk in His ways. I will also be fulfilled as I search for Him in the midst of my day. I love the next part…~rejecting compromise with evil and walking only in his paths.~ There will be times that the devil will try to tempt us to compromise God’s Word and replace it with his evil ways. We must refuse to do so, we must take a stand to never grant the devil an in to our life for it will grieve the Lord, and rob us of the joy we have when we are walking uncompromisingly with the Lord.

The portion of scripture is summed up with the fact that we were given His Word to obey, and we should desire to follow every one of His commands consistently. Lord, we ask You this day that You would teach us and give us discerning hearts that we may recognize when the evil one is trying to get us to compromise the truth of Your Holy Word. We desire to walk wholly in Your Word that our life would bless You and glorify You in all that we do and say! In Jesus Name, amen.

“To Be Content”

Posted on Dec 15, 2015 in Devotions |

but godliness with contentment is great gain

by Dona Hake

One of my fondest memories of my Grandmother is when she would take my sister and I to the York Fair. What a treasured memory I have of her. I can remember how she would put us on the Merry-go-round and stand and watch us. Each time we would pass her, we would wave and there would be joy all over her face as she would wave back at us. There was one thing though that I could remember , and that was the faster the Merry-go-round went I could no longer seem to find her in the crowd of so many faces watching. Till the end of the ride, I was always a bit dizzy and disoriented and I was always glad when it finally slowed up, and even though it was fun, I was glad to get off.

Sometimes I think life can be like a Merry-go-round. Sometimes things just get going so fast that we forget to slow down and get our bearings and footing back. God desires for us to enjoy our lives and the many blessings yet He does not want us to get so caught up in them that we forget to look for Him and to Him in the midst of our day. Let us not make ourselves so busy that things swirl so fast that we can no longer find Him in the whirlwind that we have created with our own busyness. We have so many things to be thankful for, and many are the materialistic blessings we enjoy yet He does not want them to hold our attention to the point that our focus is off of Him.

1 Timothy 6:6-7 (VOICE)
“…because godliness, along with contentment, does put us ahead but not in the ways some imagine. You see we came into this world with nothing, and nothing is going with us on the way out!”

Today I encourage you to desire a heart that is contented with Him. He is all that we need as take this journey here in life. Thank Him everyday for His wonderful and bountiful provisions in your life. Let us learn how to live our lives enjoying the blessings but not loving the blessings more than Him.

“Nothing Is Too Hard For Him”

Posted on Dec 14, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

Oh the beauty of our Lord’s wisdom that He has for us! He is so awesome, and so are all of His ways! His wisdom enables us to use knowledge rightly and direct every path that we 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. Have you ever felt overwhelmed because you did not understand what to do in the midst of a problem? I am sure we can all agree that we have felt like that at some time or other in our lives. Praise God, that we serve Him who understands everything, and there is not one thing that we ever face that is too hard for Him. All we have to do is turn to Him and ask Him for the wisdom and understanding that we are in need of.

“If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 Amplified Version

Proverbs 3:19 (TLB)

“The Lord’s wisdom founded the earth;

his understanding established all the universe and space.”

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 need? All we need to do is ask Him for exactly what we need, and He has promised He would answer us with His wisdom.

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.”

Father, today we look to You and praise You that You are the God that made this beautiful earth with Your great power and wisdom! We ask You today to lead and guide us upon every step

that we take. Keep us mindful to look to You for wisdom and understanding in those times we may

be facing confusion or lacking understanding in situations. Your wisdom is great and nothing is too hard for You, and we praise You for that! In Jesus Name, amen.

“All We Have To Do Is Believe”

Posted on Dec 13, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

“The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want…” Psalm 23:1 I would venture to say that it is one of the most favorite Psalms of many. While He promises tender loving care and provision, we still need to believe that He is willing and able to do what He says. May we look to Him with hearts that believe that He is who He says He is. Many times our circumstances in life can test our faith yet God is calling us to believe upon Him no matter what we face in this life. I would like to share a quote from one of my favorite authors Francious DeFenelon. His writings have always challenged my heart, and I love the depth of revelation that he shares in his writings.

“Faith discerns God behind all the circumstances that try to hide Him.
Faith also holds you in a state of uncertainty.”

Many times we can find our hearts in unbelief simply because our eyes are too focused on our circumstances. The more we look at our circumstance the more real and powerful that circumstance seems. But we must ask the Lord what He is seeing in the midst of our circumstance. Behind the circumstance God is seeing an opportunity for His hand to graciously move in our lives. Also, our human nature sometimes hates to be in a place of uncertainty. We want to get through the trial and get it over with. Many times even in the midst of a trial, God is looking to work a new thing in our heart by His love and tender instruction. May I remind you of what I had shared yesterday about how God desires that patience have it’s perfect work in us in the midst of a trial. The God that asks us to live by faith is so ready to perform that which He said He would do, and all we need to do is release our faith and believe!

Hebrews 11:1-2 (VOICE)

“Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for,

the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen.”

“How Well Do You Behave While Waiting?”

Posted on Dec 12, 2015 in Devotions |

by Dona Hake

The other day I found a quote that inspired me to share about patience. Really…can any of us ever develop too much patience? Maybe there are areas that you are more patient than others but I want to encourage your heart in the fact that the development of patience is needed, and it is a much needed thing in our walk with the Lord. Here is the quote!

“Patience is not about how long you wait,

it is about how well you behave while you are waiting.”

Now as you read and meditate upon this quote, I want to share a scripture with you to also ponder.

James 1:2-6

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

“My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations;

Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.

But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind.”

The other day I had shared how being double minded can hinder us, and today we see how double-mindedness can hinder our patience . Many times when we are in the midst of a test, we have to wait. Waiting requires us to be patient. So how we behave during our waiting can determine if we endure or not. I encourage you to ponder this quote along with this scripture and search your heart relative to the fruit of patience in your life. I know for myself there are many areas that my patience needs to grow deeper in the Lord.

Lord, we thank you for the fruit of patience, and we desire to grow in it. We ask that You reveal to us areas of weakness in the fruit of patience in our hearts that we may be perfect and entire as we purpose to walk in faith. In Jesus Name, Amen!

2 Thessalonians 3:5
“May the Lord bring you into an ever deeper understanding

of the love of God and of the patience that comes from Christ.”