Commit Your Way to the Lord

God already planned every aspect of our life before we were ever born (Ephesians 2:10). His plans bring us prosperity and hope, with a future in Him, which does not include evil, disaster or harm (Jeremiah 29:11). As we obey Him and keep His commandments, He increases our life with His blessings (Deuteronomy 30:16).

God calls us to commit to the Lord Jesus everything that we think, say and do, because He is the One who inspires our dreams and goals (Proverbs 3:5-6, 16:3). The Lord is our shepherd and He supplies the needs of our body, He restores our soul and He also strengthens our spirit (Matthew 5:6; Psalm 23:1-4; Philemon 1:25).

After Jesus cleansed us from our sins, He retired to the right hand of our Father God in the heavenly realm. He is superior to the angels and His inherited name is much more excellent than theirs. Jesus is the physical representation of what God looks like, and is the radiance of God's glory. His prevailing Word sustains everything in the universe (Hebrews 1:3-4)

As we worship our Lord God, He pours out blessings of food and water, and removes sicknesses from among us according to His divine plan for our life (Exodus 23:25). He meets all of our needs through His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). He abundantly stores up good things for those who reverence Him, and He opens the eyes of those who take refuge in Him (Psalm 31:19).

Prayer:

Father God, You abundantly bless those who follow Your instruction and who trust in You. You open the floodgates of heaven on those who faithfully tithe of their income (Malachi 3:10). You tell us to avoid those who do not walk in Your ways, not to take the advice of the ungodly and not to hang around with those who practice iniquity and mock You (Proverbs 16:20; Psalm 119:2; Psalm 1:1). You call us to be peacemakers, and You bless our efforts to do so (Matthew 5:9). We thank You for giving us a place in Your Kingdom and we look forward to the day it will come to the earth (Matthew 6:10).

Thought for the Day:

Taste and see that the Lord is good and blesses everyone who takes refuge in Him. – Psalm 34:8

Divine Providence

Have you ever entertained the concept that God actually placed you in the home in which He wanted you to live? God preordained us to live in a certain sphere and stratum of society. Whether your parents were wealthy, drunkards, benevolent, poor, hard working, sluggards, belittling, educated, illiterate, angry, carefree, abusive, gave you up for adoption or anything in between, God chose them for you in order to mold you into the person He needs you to be (Ephesians 2:8-10).

As a result, we can live with bitterness and feelings of inequality, or a snobbish better-than-though attitude, or we can submit to God’s wisdom, forgive our parents for their shortcomings and allow God to use us as He sees fit. This concept is proven when we view the life of Jesus. Born in a stable, driven from his kin by a crazed ruler, trained as a carpenter, unmarried and childless, falsely accused, tortured and crucified, Jesus submitted to His destiny and fulfilled God’s will all within the vicinity of His birthplace.


As we age into adulthood, God steers us in the direction in which we should go. If we rebel and go our own way, we suffer from our estrangement from His plan. We may use religion, sports, food, debauchery or work to fill the empty void in our life, but nothing truly satisfies us. However, if we walk in God’s divine plan, we reap the blessings of an obedient and surrendered life. Jesus obeyed all the way to Calvary’s cross, and reaped Kingship in the glories of heaven.
 
God’s design supplies us with divine riches also, both within and without and now and in eternity. Every plan God has for us is for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Even the darkest, most dangerous prison is a palace when we dwell in the divine presence of our immortal God. He may strip us of every earthly comfort and close acquaintance for the purpose of removing our reliance on human prospects; but He does so in order to draw us closer to His immortal presence.


Prayer:

Father God, we see Joseph as a perfect example of someone sold into slavery by his brothers, which You used to reposition Joseph to ultimately save his family from famine. Even in prison, Paul wrote many sacred works, which sustain our soul today. Regardless of our circumstances, if we follow the leading of Your Spirit, You will provide for and sustain us both in times of abundance and in times of lack (Philippians 4:11-13). We embrace Your wise and holy ways and cling to Your kind and caring heart for our strength through all of life’s circumstances. Lead us in Your will and put us in the right place at the right time to fulfill Your desires for our life.

Thought for the Day:

God crucifies the first Adam within us until He sees the rebirth of the second Adam, the man Christ Jesus. – 1 Corinthians 15:45