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BE the Change You Want to See
In Nehemiah 8:10(NLT), the prophet had to remind God’s people who they were and to remember who God is to them. Nehemiah said, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t…
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Wax in Our Spiritual Ears
Dear Heavenly Father, There are two things that I hear frequently from some of my brothers and sisters in Christ. The first is “I can’t hear God!” or said another way, “God isn’t speaking to me?” This implies that You are not communicating with them, and that can’t be true. You speak to us every…
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Happy in the Lord
Dear Heavenly Father, Sometimes we experience personal sadness because we look at ourselves and find fault. We don’t like our physical appearance or find some other attribute that we dislike. These kinds of feelings are sometimes intensified if we don’t have a special or significant person in our lives—someone that might reinforce the positive. You…
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Driven to God
Psalm 86:1-7 (NLT) “1 Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. 2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God. 3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly.…
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Eyes on the Prize
Dear Heavenly Father, I am learning very important lessons about different seasons in a person’s life. Just as You created the four seasons within the earth, You have created this same pattern within the lives of Your people. You tell us in Ecclesiastes 3:1(NLT) “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity…
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Stand Firm on the Promises of God
Exodus 23:20-22(NLT) “20 See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. 21 Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your…
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Prayer and Patience
Dear Heavenly Father, This week, the Holy Spirit spoke a word to me, and it was beyond wonderful! I hear people talking about how much they want to hear from You, and they don’t feel as though they can. I relate to their desire because I, too, had a deep yearning for two-way dialogue where…
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The Irony of Weakness
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT) 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”9 So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships,…
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You Will Find Rest
Matthew 11:28-30(NLT) 28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke…
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Fight the Good Fight!
Dear Heavenly Father, The Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT), “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” He had endured more than any of us living today can imagine. He had an intimate encounter with Your beloved Son on the Road to Damascus and…
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Speak Life and Not Death!
Dear Heavenly Father, You tell us in Proverbs 18:21(KJV), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” I love this verse because we so vividly see evidence of this truth every day of our lives. So many people do not recognize the significance…
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The Secret of Living in Every Situation
Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT) 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with…
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It’s Already Begun!
Isaiah 43:19(NLT) “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already Begun! Do you not see it?” Every year my family and I go out of town to visit relatives for the holidays. Before we leave, I make sure to put a new calendar on the wall; it’s one of my pet…
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Being A Proverbs 18:22 Treasure
Dear Heavenly Father, During a conversation with a friend, she told me that she’s tired of being single. It’s not the first time I’ve heard her say this. Despite her young age, she said that she’s ready to find her husband. This time during our conversation, I interrupted her. Your Word in Proverbs 18:22 (NLT)…
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Stand Firm in Faith
Dear Heavenly Father, A person I know is going through a very difficult time in her life. She said, “I’m giving up on Jesus Christ! How can there be a God if I’m going through all of this?!” She has been praying about the same situations for a while now and just wants to give…
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Spiritual Nutrition to Start Your Day!
As God’s people, we should make it our business to focus on the positive and steer clear of the negative. It’s no secret that today’s environment makes this more challenging, but it’s all the more reason why Christians should champion the goodness of God. And the one thing we learn very early in the faith…
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Spending Quality Time with You
Dear Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ instructed us in Matthew 6:6(MSG), “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense…
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Protecting the Perimeter
Hurricanes are among the most powerful and deadliest forces in nature. Some of their effects, such as storm surges and flooding, are perhaps the most dangerous and destructive aspects. The inland effects of winds and heavy rains can also damage businesses, homes, and communities. People are now more aware than ever of how devastating hurricanes…
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Transformation and Progression
Dear Heavenly Father, One of the greatest lessons that we can learn is that of transformation and progression. In Romans 12:2, You tell us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We have to change the way we think, so that our thoughts line up with…
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God Will Protect Us!
As parents, we go to great lengths to protect our children, taking whatever measures necessary to ensure their safety. Child car-seats, toddler safety gates, cabinet latches and locks, and furniture bumpers are just a few of the tools we use, and we should. Things like security systems, fire and carbon monoxide detectors, and lockable safes…
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Praying in the Spirit
Dear Heavenly Father, Sometimes we allow our lives to become so busy that we don’t talk with You as much as we should. We must remind ourselves that our whole reason for existing is to be in relationship with You through the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Life teaches us…
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Depending on You
Dear Heavenly Father, Your Word tells us in Lamentations 3:25(NLT), “The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.” I don’t think many people have grasped the importance of totally leaning on You for everything. This hit home for me the other day when I came across a…
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The Lord Is My Helper
Hebrews 13:5-6(NLT) “5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Some of the biggest…
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Because You Love Us
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Spirit. We can’t live a successful Christian life without Your precious Holy Spirit living on the inside of us. He guides us into all truth. He is our teacher, comforter, and friend. In John 16:8(NLT), You tell us another one of his occupations. This verse states,…
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Your Amazing Grace
Dear Heavenly Father, You tell us in 2 Timothy 1:9 that You have saved and called us to live a holy life. We didn’t deserve to be handpicked by You, but You did it because this was Your plan before the beginning of time. It was always Your plan to show us amazing grace through…
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Agree with God and Be at Peace
The other day, I happened to see a Christian friend I haven’t seen in a while. I asked him how he was doing, and he said, “I can’t complain, because I keep my mind on God’s peace all the time.” I thought this was one of the best responses I’ve ever heard. Often when you…
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A Season of Change
Dear Heavenly Father, You tell us in Ecclesiastes 3:1(NKJV), “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” I began to think about seasons, and how every new season will usher in change. You have woven this into Your creation, and therefore, we must learn from it. Most of us are…
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Don’t You See It?
Isaiah 43:15-19(NLT) “15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King. 16 I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. 17 I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves and…
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The Stress of Dealing with Life
Dear Heavenly Father, Sometimes it is challenging to know how to handle some of the situations that life throws our way, but You have given us a strategy in Your Word. You tell us in Philippians 4:6(NLT), “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all…
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You Can’t Afford to Keep Bad Company
1 Corinthians 15:33(NLT) Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” Some years ago, I made a conscious decision to distance myself from someone that I originally thought was a good friend. Gradually, I noticed she had done some things that I didn’t consider friendly, and I made…