Posted on Oct 18, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Proverbs 3:5 (The Message)
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.”
Everyday we are presented with opportunities to lean on our own ability. Yesterday my husband shared an interesting thought, and that was that we spend much of our life developing our abilities yet God desires that we not put our trust in them. The Lord delights as we develop our gifts yet He also desires that we remain humble, and truly lean on Him in every area of our life. May we be diligent to entrust every talent and ability to Him, and praise Him for all of these good things come from His hand!
I am very sure that if you are truly honest with yourself you would admit that there may be times that you try to figure things out on your own. At a very young age even little ones begin to want to do things their own way regardless of how they have been told the right way is. In an age of much information it is very easy to turn and trust the information that is all around us. I believe that God wants us to seek to use our minds as we purpose to fill it with good things. Knowledge is good but be careful that you turn to Him that He can help you rightfully sort through your thoughts and what you are to do specifically in a matter that you may be facing. Here is another translation of Proverbs 3:5:
Proverbs 3:5 (GNT)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
Never rely on what you think you know.”
God desires that we trust Him, and keep our focus toward Him so that we can discern when our thoughts are not in agreement to His will and purposes for our life. Many times we can overlook the fact that God may be seeing our situation in an entirely different way, and it would do us good to be quiet and consult with Him Remember…He cares about every detail of your life! Today I encourage you to learn of Him, and lean on Him, and trust Him from the bottom of your heart.
Posted on Oct 18, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
What does it mean to have abundant peace? This sounds like such a treasure doesn’t it? Daily our lives face disruptions that serve to dampen 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. Face it, sometimes it seems like all is going well, and all of a sudden one thing can pull your heart and mind into a place of confusion. It is only His peace that can minister to our heart and mind and that very peace will keep our hearts still and our minds guarded. 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.”
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, you not only need peace for yourself but extra to share with those around you. That peace that belongs to you not only keeps you but it can spill out and touch hearts that are also needy for His wonderful peace. I love meditating on the fact that this is a fruit of His Spirit, and it belongs to us!
There is one thing the Lord asks that we do and that is to 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!
Posted on Oct 17, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
It has been said, “Actions speak louder than words.” It seems this old saying seems to be spoken more after someone has exhibited some sort of negative behavior. The truth is our body language is speaking at times even when we are not saying a word. I well know as a photographer that an image is capable of speaking volumes to the one looking at it. Images can freeze a moment for a lifetime, and yet an image never speaks a word. Our actions can exhibit things that others see, and those actions can be misinterpreted as well.
Let us remember that our actions that proceed from a loving heart, and a heart that seeks to do the right thing will speak and produce good things. On the other hand if you are angry or disturbed with someone or a situation, your body language, and behavior may be exhibiting something that could be a hindrance or offense to someone around you.
Lord, help us to seek Your wisdom in our behavior whether it be in word, deed or actions. May our words and actions speak of Your character especially Your love. There are many people that need to see You as You live and dwell within us. We thank you for Your help in this area of our life. In Jesus Name we ask this!
James 3:13 (HCSB) “Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness.”
Posted on Oct 16, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
John 15:5
The Voice (VOICE)
“I am the vine, and you are the branches.
If you abide in Me and I in you, you will bear great fruit.
Without Me, you will accomplish nothing.”
This is such a wonderful scripture to keep fresh in our hearts. Without Him we can do nothing, and yet with Him ALL things are possible! All means all, and that little word with three letters contains big possibilities. Whether we are trying to do things for Him or the things that involve our daily accomplishments, it would do us good to know that we are pulling ALL of our strength and wisdom from His resources.
I can remember once putting some fresh batteries into something I wanted to use. I checked and checked to make sure all the batteries were in the right position and secure. It made no sense to me that there was no power. My husband opened it and examined it and sure enough one of the three batteries was in the wrong direction.
Sometimes that is how it is for us. We can seem to have all that we need, yet one thing is out of place and there will be no power. When we are connected to God, He assures us that all things are possible as we stay hooked up to His divine ways and purposes! God bless you.
Posted on Oct 15, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Wisdom is one of the most powerful things we can embrace. It is the ability to know exactly what to do in a situation. It will bless your heart because you know the word you just spoke to a friend in need was exactly what they needed to hear. It is knowing in your heart that you have a peace to step out in a specific direction or new path because you feel it is the voice of wisdom speaking to you. When things seem confusing and without answer, God desires to shed His wisdom to help you walk through whatever it is you are dealing with. Yesterday I shared with you about hearing His voiceand the blessing of knowing that He is setting your course. Today we will meditate onHis voice being filled with divine wisdom from above.
One thing the Bible clearly states throughout Proverbs about wisdom is that it is to be sought after and held as valuable as a jewel. One can embrace wisdom and yet be fooled by people’s opinions or the voice of circumstance and turn from wisdom’s way. Over and over Proverbs emphasizes the need to embrace wisdom. Don’t let it go! Clearly God understands our human nature that we can tend to look to doing things our own way or we are moved by what we see and not what He sees.
Proverbs 8:17 (NASB)
“I love those who love me;
And those who diligently seek me will find me.”
Wisdom desires to be loved and embraced. Wisdom desires to be sought after with one’s whole heart. I would like to share a handful of translations of how wisdom desires to be sought after.
(NLV) “…those who look for me with much desire will find me.”
(VOICE) “… those who search hard for me will find me.”
(WYC) “…and they who wake up early to seek me, shall find me.”
(YLT)”… And those seeking me earnestly do find me.”
Let us look straight to the Lord for His wisdom for our lives each and everyday!
Posted on Oct 14, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Recently my sister and niece and I went to an Apple Harvest Festival. The crowd was so overwhelming, and we were trying to find one of our favorite places to eat. We ask for help at the information booth, yet the directions we got really did not help us out at all. We had a map of the whole place, but we just had the worst time finding what we were looking for. The map was hard to figure out, and we just gave up at one point and ate at a different place. Things such as this can really be frustrating. When I used to shoot weddings I depended greatly on my GPS to guide me where I was going. A few times it would tell me to make turns onto one way streets, and I would have been going the wrong way! These are the times where all you want is someone or something to get you where you want to be!
I am so thankful that God’s direction in our lives need not be vague but rather clear and decisive. When we come to “forks” in the road, we need to simply be ever conscious that He desires to point us in the exact direction that we are to go. He does not want to see any time wasted in our lives so He promises to stay with us, leading and guiding us to our destinations.
Isaiah 30:21 (Douay-Rheims American translation)
“And thy ears shall hear the word of one admonishing thee behind thy back:
This is the way, walk ye in it: and go not aside neither to the right hand, nor to the left.”
I was drawn to this translation over all the others simply because it used the word *admonishing*. He understands how our human nature can be at times when we make decisions based on the “easy way” rather than His way. Today I encourage you to listen for that quiet voice that desires to be your Compass in life! In those times that you to not know what to do or where to turn…know this…. God will always get you the right answers and direction that you need. Praise God for that!
Posted on Oct 13, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
There is so much power in simplicity. I believe this truth can be applied to every area of our life, especially prayer. Many times we can seem to think that because our problem is so complicated that the problem must be prayed with complicated wording and thoughts. Let us consider the prayer of a child. They speak with honesty and simplicity, and usually the prayers are quite short. They just have this sweet childlike faith that should challenge our hearts God sees our heart and that is the most important thing of all. He desires that we keep our hearts clean, and humble before Him in order that we may serve Him without inward distractions. He also loves when our hearts and faith are like that of a a child.
I would like to share a precious prayer that I found in a book of prayers that I have. I want you to take note of how simple yet profound it really is.
“Help me to live this day quietly and easily,
To lean upon Thy great strength trustfully and restfully,
To wait for the unfolding of thy will patiently and serenely,
To meet others peacefully, and joyfully,
And to face tomorrow confidently and courageously.”
Anonymous
The beginning of the prayer asking God for help to live the day quietly and easily. I love this. I do not see this as a request for the easy way but rather that one’s heart would remain quiet in the midst of any confusion or difficulties that may be encountered. How beautiful it is to wait patiently as His hand directs His will in our life and on that path we can seek to be at peace and maintain joy as we live and work with those around us. How powerful this simple prayer is yet it will help us see our tomorrow with confidence and courage rather than dread and fear. Remember to simply pray and pray simply. It’s just that simple! God bless you!
Posted on Oct 12, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
Philippians 4:6 exhorts us to not be anxious or worried about anything. Today I want to put emphasis on the word ~anything~. I have been sitting here during my prayer time reading this scripture, and this is the word that stands out to me in the scripture. Think about it, Paul is exhorting us to think about ~anything~ within us or around us that may be causing us anxiety or worry. Is there ~anything~ troubling your heart today? The word ~anything~ encompasses the big and the small, and I I am sure Paul understood that the smallest of cares are significant enough to hinder our walk in the Lord.
As I have been meditating on this, it makes me realize the importance of having my mind totally clear and free of any anxious thoughts or worries, for it is then that I can totally think upon my Lord, and experience the peace that only He can bring. The Word tells us that it is the little foxes that spoil the vines, and so it is true. Paul goes on to say in Philippians to make our requests known or in other words, ask God for ~anything~ and everything you need.
Today, I encourage your heart to think about this, what do you need from God? If you do not know what you need, ask Him to show you. Many times we are sensing within our hearts and in our minds that something is wrong or we feel that we are spiritually void of something. It is frustrating when we are having a hard time putting our finger on what the problem is. Know this…God is well able to show you exactly what you need. Many times the small things that hinder us may also be cares that we are not even aware that we are carrying. The Word exhorts us to cast all our care upon Him for He cares for us. Many times there are things in life that we may have absolutely no control over, and we simply need to take that care and give it to Him as we pray. It is as we do all these things that we will experience the wonderful peace of our Lord that surpasses our understanding.
Philippians 4:7
And God’s peace, which ·is so great we cannot understand it transcends/surpasses all comprehension, will ·keep guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Posted on Oct 11, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
“Yesterday is gone,
Tomorrow has not yet come.
We have only today.
Let us begin.”
Mother Theresa
I love how each day of our life is as a fresh canvas. Our words, decisions, actions, etc…are what speak of our lives each day. As we love the Lord our God with all of our heart, we can awake each morning knowing that it is indeed a new day. On this new day we can start with fresh vision, and with His help and guidance we can release our faith that it is going to be a good day! The beautiful quote by Mother Theresa is simple yet profound. What happened yesterday is done. Think about your yesterday…was it good? or was it a bad one? Maybe it was just another day. No matter what kind of day it was…if it was good, praise God! If it was not, may I encourage your heart that maybe you can learn from what happened in your day. God can take our bad experiences, and turn them into stepping stones that enhance our wisdom and understanding. No matter what, let us be grateful for His tender mercies that He brings to us each day. So we are blessed to wake up to this new day…let us begin!!!
I am so thankful for God’s mercy toward me. It reminds me to be mindful about how I need to always be merciful to others as well. It is so easy at times to fall short of patience and mercy with those around us especially those we are closest to. After all, there is always the tempting thought that they love you so much that they will just put up with you no matter what. Let us desire to be reminded to be merciful to everyone around us just as our Lord is so faithfully merciful to us.
Matthew 5:7 (ERV)
“Great blessings belong to those who show mercy to others.
Mercy will be given to them.”
When those around us fall short of what we expect, let’s remind ourselves to show mercy to them. Maybe they are dealing with stress that you are not aware of, and it is causing them to behave in a wrong way. It is in those times that wrong words are spoken and wrong actions may be exhibited that I am reminded of the one verse in 1 Corinthians 13 that says “Love believes the best…” Today, I encourage you to ponder the fruit of a heart that is merciful. Be merciful for great blessings belong to those that show mercy.
Posted on Oct 10, 2015 in Devotions |
by Dona Hake
2 Corinthians 12:8-10Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
“I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. But the Lord said, “My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.” So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can stay in me. Yes, I am glad to have weaknesses if they are for Christ. I am glad to be insulted and have hard times. I am glad when I am persecuted and have problems, because it is when I am weak that I am really strong.”
In the scriptures (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) Paul spoke of calling out to God to help him. Paul had enough of dealing with problems for he was in his own ability, and weariness was upon him. He begged God that the whole issue would depart from him. God’s response…”My grace which is my favor, my lovingkindness, and my mercy are all that you need. My grace is sufficient against any danger and it enables you to bear this trouble manfully. My strength and power are made perfect and show themselves MOST effective in your weakness.”
Paul’s heart was totally toward God, and he realized his need to just allow God’s strength to arise in his situation. Even though he was weak, the revelation came to him through this experience that in his weakness, God was able to show Himself strong and mighty. One translation of this portion of scripture implies to allow God’s grace to rest as a tent pitched upon us. What an awesome way of looking at dwelling and drawing upon His wonderful grace.
In another translation Paul said, “when I am weak in my own human strength, then I am truly strong, able and powerful in God’s strength.” Paul saw that God’s grace was all that he needed. He saw that it was sufficient. God’s grace is adequate for any purpose and it is always more than enough.
Today we ask you Lord to reveal to us areas in which we still try to live in our own strength. Cause us to see your grace and strength in everything we do no matter how big or small it may be. We praise you for your abundant grace that you have made available for us to draw upon. You are so good to us Lord!
