“Jesus Our Understanding”

jesus is understanding
 
by Dona Hake
 
 

Proverbs 8:14 (ESV)
“I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.”
 
 
 
 

Consoling isn’t it…Jesus IS our understanding.  He gives us insight into  His mysteries, and His counsel is ours as we ask Him for it.   .As we search His Word He will help us understand it and apply it to our lives.   When you think about it, there is no end to the depths of understanding His ways and His Word.    May we continually pursue  greater depths all of His truth no matter how many times we have heard it.  In those times where things may seem to appear hard to understand …know that He is well able to unfold to you what you need to know. He is able to bring to you the clarity and light that you need.

 
 
 
 

1 Corinthians 2:16 (AMP)
” For who has known or understood the mind
(the counsels and purposes)
of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and
give Him knowledge? But we have the mind
of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Praise Him today that as we draw upon His understanding and the light of His Word that we will walk  in deeper realms holding the thoughts, feelings and purposes of His heart!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ephesians 1:18  (Amplified)
“And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people),”
 
 
 
 


“His Blessing Upon Us”

 
 
 
 
 
blessing of the lord
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
It is good for one’s soul to stop on a regular basis, and ponder how blessed we are. Maybe things are not going perfectly at times but if we know the Lord, our heart can rest in the hope that His hand is upon us, and He has a plan for us today. If you know Him you are blessed, and today He has
wonderful plans and purposes for you!   He desires to use you in special ways, so let us open our ears
and hearts to His desire for us.  God is so very amazing as He created such a grand and beautiful world yet not one small detail of our life goes unnoticed by Him.
 
 
 
When I look around and see the work of His mighty hand I often wonder how one could not believe there is a God in Heaven. I am thankful that His hand of blessing is upon my life. It is such a comfort to know that His loving eyes are upon me at all times.
 
 
 
Psalm 139:1-5
Living Bible (TLB)
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it. You both precede and follow me and place your hand of blessing on my head.
 
 
 

While reading these verses my heart is especially blessed when I read “You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.” Today as you go about your day I encourage you to be mindful of His plans for you as He works through your life. Also, be ready to stop and rest as He instructs you to do so in order that your may receive refreshing and strength from His mighty and gentle hands. Many times we can get so focused on the work that we forget that our spirit and in body need rest. He desires to continually empower us with His strength and wisdom that we would not get weary in doing His will. God bless you as you ponder His blessings and plan for your day!



“Pushing Beyond Ourselves”

pushing beyond ourselves
 
by Dona Hake
 
 
 
FOX News had former Army veterans on their morning show the other day. It totally touched my heart and amazed me as I watched these young men and women push beyond their inabilities, and take charge of their life so that they can return to a life of some degree of normalcy. Each one had been injured or lost limbs in the war. There were physical trainers there sharing how they were helping them to get their lives back through a physical fitness program, and also using dogs  to help them with mental health and companionship. It was amazing as they shared how this program was such a success, and how each veteran supported each other in what seemed to be situations that would be hard if not impossible to deal with.
 
 
 
 
 

They began to show different men and women demonstrating their strength by lifting heavy weights .  It was amazing seeing them  display their fitness and strength in spite of their injuries. It was so touching  to see such strength and perseverance even though they had been severely injured or lost a limb.

 
 
 
 

The one young woman that really blessed and touched my heart had suffered the loss of her one leg. She stood among her injured comrades with complete poise and balance. You see, even though she  only had one leg  she determined her life would go on and she would press in, and do all that seemed impossible. She stood there like a beautiful statue. She was a picture of complete balance, dignity and strength, and not once did she lose her balance nor did she hold onto anything to help her. Not only was she able to do that, she was able to reach down and pick up a barbell and then put it back down perfectly. Again, even with the heavy weight in her hands, there was no loss of balance or strength. It was simply amazing!
 
 
 
 

They began to interview her and ask her how could she do such a thing? She began to share that when she first lost her leg, her physical trainer began to share with her how she wanted to rehabilitate her. At first this young lady struggled with believing her physical trainer. She kept working with the trainer and she gained the ability to keep her balance and stand strong even though she only had one leg. When she reached that goal, she said to her trainer, “I want to go further!” I was blessed and touched, as I saw her share her heart of rising above such a huge difficulty and misfortune, but yet she purposed to go further. She purposed to go for even greater strength, and she purposed to accept even greater goals!

 
 
 
 

This challenged my heart, because we all have things in our life that we need to look beyond what we think we can not do or inabilities that are very real. We need to believe what God says about us, and what He says about our situation. We need to lay hold of it, and move in the direction of His vision of our life. When we are strong, let us not stop there but let us say as this young woman said, “I want to go further!”

 
 
 
 

May I encourage you today to look to the Lord as the greatest Spiritual and Physical Trainer ever! Yes, you may have inabilities and lack of development in certain areas of your life. And yes, you may have experienced things that have set you back, but know that the Lord your God is able to strengthen your feet to stand strong again, and He will lift up your arms in times that you are weary. Let us look forward and persevere and reach for the goals that the Lord is setting before us in Jesus Name!
 
 
 
 

Hebrews 12:1-2 Amplified Bible

Jesus, the Example
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of [a]witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, [b]disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].”



“Living Life Wisely”

 
 
 
 
Praying Child Christian Stock Photo
 
by Dona Hake
 
 

Psalm 111:10

“To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living; all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight .  He will receive praise forever.”
 
 
 

Today I want to share with you about the value of living every day of your life wisely as you serve the Lord. In Proverbs 3:5-6 the Word admonishes us to trust in Him and lean NOT on our own understanding.  This scripture will serve to keep us humble and growing in our walk with Him.   Many times it can be a struggle to resist leaning  upon our knowledge. We live in an age where information is so easy to get our hands on. Any information that we need is at our finger tips as we google in our questions  on our computers. Quite honestly, I have found the more I know about things sometimes it can actually hinder my faith.   The tendency to trust in what man says above what God says about a particular thing will hinder our faith and trust in the Lord.

 
 
 
 

Leaning on God for all that we need is so vital, and it must be our pursuit for this is very much a part of living wisely and being a doer of the Word!    Living by faith will always challenge us in the realm of thinking we have to see, feel or understand things with our minds.  Sometimes we want so badly to understand things that we are walking through, and there are times we may be putting  too much focus on figuring things out.  Understanding things can be beneficial at times but remember, peace does not come because we understand a problem but rather peace comes from knowing we serve the One that can solve our problem. May our hearts be reminded that His peace surpasses our understanding, and it surpasses the ways and thoughts of man.   Even in the midst of turmoil going on within us, we can hold fast to a peace that permeates our soul, and keeps us from being tossed around by the circumstances we are facing.  

 
 
 
 

I know I have shared this before but I love to repeat it because it was a special time of imparting truth to our youngest son.    When he was small, he was full of  questions, and he tried so hard to understand everything.   There was a particular time he was having a very hard time trusting my judgement on a particular thing. I can remember sharing with him that he just needed to respect my judgement, and not try to figure it out for he was just too young to have wisdom on such a matter.   I began to share with him that there will be times in life that we will face things that we do not understand.   I stressed with him to trust me as his  loving mother and authority in his life.   I encouraged him in the fact that someday he would understand but for now he just needed to trust me.  He submitted to that, and all was well within his soul regarding his questions.      

 
 
 
 
 
 
This truth also applies to us as we entrust ourselves to the Lord.   Many times we may not understand everything, but as we lean on Him and not our own understanding, He will be faithful  to keep His Word.   He will in His timing give us the understanding we seek, and we will learn and grow from situations that we walk through.  We just need to trust and obey for we serve a God that is faithful, and He promises to never leave nor forsake us.     Today I encourage you to purpose to obey Him in every area of your life, and lean not on your own understanding so that you can live this life wisely unto Him, as we live and do His precepts.


“The Wonderful Power In the Blood”

power in the blood
by Dona Hake
Today I want to encourage your heart to think about the blood that purchased your redemption.  Oh that we would remember and give thanks to Jesus for the supreme sacrifice as He gave His life that we would be set free from the bondage of sin.   Do you remember the day that you were born again?  I can remember it like it was yesterday.   As a new believer in the Lord Jesus I experienced the miraculous feeling of heavy weights falling off of me.   Everything was different, and my eyes were opened to the light of His glorious love.   I love returning to that memory because it was truly the most miraculous thing that ever happened to me.     Let us read a portion of the beautiful hymn written by Lewis E. Jones.

“Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow;
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.

There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder-working pow’r
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder-working pow’r
In the precious blood of the Lamb.”

Lyrics from “There’s Power In the Blood”
by Lewis E. Jones

I love this old hymn because it challenges my heart to remember that Jesus did what no one else could do for me. Today I encourage you to remember that your heart is whiter than snow because of what He did at the cross. Because He lives we can face our today and every tomorrow in the strength and power of all that He is!

Psalm 103:12 (CJB)
“He has removed our sins from us
as far as the east is from the west.”



“Trusting Him From the Bottom of Your Heart”

trust in the lord with all of your heart lean not
 
 
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.



“Abundant Peace Belongs To You!”

peace in abundance
 
 
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!

 


“The Voice Of Our Actions”

 
 
Actions louder than words
 
 
 
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.”


“He Makes All Things Possible”

Without Him I Can Do Nothing
 
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.


“The Voice of Wisdom”

 
Wisdom seek early
 
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!




6 Responses to “Devotional”

  1. Lisa Viands says:

    This is a good way of teaching the kids to forgive each other(Matt. 5:7). I like the power of this gentle scripture and lesson… Thanks!!

  2. Selena Neely says:

    Ralph &I are really enjoying your devotional together.

  3. Selena Neely says:

    Oh, what a wonderful reminder! I want to break the magnifing glass of worry and trust God for each step I take.

  4. Dona Hake says:

    It is interesting Selena how the more we worry the bigger and more magnified things get in our minds. Oh how important it is to trust our God for the smallest of things! Thank you for sharing!