14 Thursday Aug 2014
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Sometimes foolish people are simply foolish and there is nothing we can do to help them. Proverbs 27:22 says, Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him. Ultimately only God can change someone’s heart, mind, and direction in life. The key is to be mindful of how much you personally invest in them. Continue to love people and help them, but do not allow yourself to be drawn into their vortex of drama and destruction.
13 Wednesday Aug 2014
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It is easy to go back to the familiar no matter how bad it may be to stay in a bad situation. Whether it is a relationship, a job, or a community, it always seems easier to stay in the familiar than to go out and look for something new. Proverbs 26:22 says, As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Returning over and over to the same bad situation is not only foolish, but it also limits God from being able to show you what is really possible through Him.
12 Tuesday Aug 2014
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We must always guard our hearts, minds, and emotions from evil. If we do not put up barriers, they will take over and cause us to fall. Proverbs 25:28 says, Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. While self-control will limit us for sure, it is necessary because being out of control only leads to vulnerability to attack from the enemy. Self-control is our wall of defense and we should constantly strengthen and reinforce it.
11 Monday Aug 2014
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No matter what the past situation, we must never gloat over the misfortune of anyone. Even David, who was being pursued by Saul who wanted him dead, did not gloat over Saul’s death. Proverbs 24:17-18 says, 17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, 18 or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him. If we gloat at another’s misfortune, we are inviting the wrath back on ourselves. Instead we should lift, even our enemies, up in prayer that God will show mercy on them. No one is perfect, including ourselves and God’s grace is bigger than any sin.
10 Sunday Aug 2014
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The video below does a great job of showing how true Jesus’ words were in Mark 12:43-44 regarding giving. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
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09 Saturday Aug 2014
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As Americans, we tend to spend our time and effort chasing the almighty dollar. Some will say it is to give us the ability to help others. But what good is it to spend the majority of our time building wealth only to spend a minority of our time giving back. Proverbs 23:4-5 says, 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Chasing money, no matter how good the intentions, leads to chasing more money and not much else.
08 Friday Aug 2014
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Raising children is hard. Especially when there are days you feel like what you say is not sinking in. Proverbs 22:6 is a great reminder to keep going, Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. When it feels like all I am doing as a parent is being lost, I must trust in the Holy Spirit’s power to help it all sink in. It is a matter of perseverance and trust on our part and to never give up.
07 Thursday Aug 2014
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The truth is we can fool ourselves into think we are always doing the right thing for the right reasons, but God knows our true motives. Proverbs 21:2 says, All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. God is able to pull back the curtains of our heart and see our true motivation. Doing the right thing for selfish motivations and to receive something in return is not the right thing to do.
06 Wednesday Aug 2014
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Many things happen in our lives we will never understand and there are some we will not understand for years to come as we see how God has orchestrated the events of our lives. Proverbs 20:24 counsels us not to worry, A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way? We must always trust God that He knows what he is doing even when it makes no sense to us.
05 Tuesday Aug 2014
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We can try to plan all the outcomes for our lives, but in the end God’s plan is perfect. I need to be reminded of this. It is so hard to let go of what I want for my life and remember God has a much better plan for me. Proverbs 19:21 says, Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. We must remember it is all for God’s purpose and not ours. When we allow our lives to be fully aligned with God, we are much better off. I really needed to be reminded of this today.
Daily Devotion 