Daily Bible Reading - Tuesday March 31st
So what are you all thinking this morning? Did you get up and set you mind on good thoughts? Do you do that on a regular basis, setting your mind on good thoughts for the day? Well to be honest I haven’t really thought about it. I normally get up and just get something to drink and get right into studying the Word for a bit but since I’ve read the devotional this morning and read our scriptures for the day I totally think we can set our own path for the day, set our minds on good thoughts of the Lord for the day and be ready for anything that comes our way, or we can get up and say to ourselves “ is it Monday already? Blah blah blah" and like the devotional says we’ll most likely get bombarded with the everyday cares of life and not be ready, we’ll prolly be distracted with every situation that arises, get upset at the traffic, go bonkers with every phone call and so on, we’ve all had those days where it seemed nothing at all was going right and everyone was purposely trying to get “under our skin" so to speak. I got up early this morning because I just couldn’t sleep from having a headache so I wasn’t feeling much like being my happy go lucky self, then I read the devotional and thought “oops" now that wasn’t the way to get out of bed this morning no matter how I am feeling. I can just imagine if I continued on being a big grouchy or not feeling up to being happy my day would have been heading down the wrong path and everything would of got “under my skin". Well that not gonna happen, no way am I gonna let the ole stinkin devil ruin my day, nu uh, no siree bob, just like we set alarm clocks to wake us up from time to time, Im setting my mind today on the good thoughts of the Lord and my day WILL go down the right path today. Sorry to get on a soap box, I was preaching to myself hahah. I had to get the word embedded into my head this morning. Actually yesterdays devotional just continues on today, I just love it.
***Bec*** Im glad you brought that word up again “How much can I endure when I know I cannot be defeated" I don’t think I really dwelled on that enough, now sitting here that hit home this morning, especially with what my mind has been going through the last few days. But I know that the devil cant defeat because he has already been defeated and that I CAN endure a lot more then I realize, now that will get ya goin for sure. Thanks for your encouraging words, they always get me through another day!!
***Peggy*** You go gurl, you preach on!! Even tho your preaching to yourself those words are some words I needed to hear myself, thank you so much for sharing to yourself out loud!! That’s some good preachin!!
Today’s
Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20
Luke 9:7-27
Psalm 72:1-20
Proverbs 12:8-9
Daily Devotional
I Chronicles 22:19
“Now set your mind and heart to seek (inquire of and require as your vital necessity) the Lord your God"
Have you “set your mind" today? In other words, when you woke up this morning, did you make the decision to focus on good things and to follow God with all your heart?
If we don’t set our minds, if we don’t purposely focus our thoughts and energy, then chances are, we’ll be bombarded by the cares of life. We’ll be tossed back and forth by every situation we encounter. We’ll be distracted by every phone call, upset by the traffic, offended by what someone said, and we’ll get off the course God intended. We’ve all heard it said that the best defense is a good offense. When you proactively set your thoughts, you are putting yourself on the offense. You are taking charge of your life. You are being an on-purpose person. You’re redeeming the time.
Make the decision today to set your mind on things above. Set your mind on God’s eternal purposes so that you can stand in the victory He has for you.
Today's thought: Lord today I set my mind on You. I choose to seek You with my whole heart. Thank You for strengthening me with Your peace and joy today.
I Corinthians 15:57 - But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Did you get up this morning and set your mind on good thoughts?" you asked...
I was just thinking to myself yesterday as I wrote my little missive that the Word and devotions are doing just that for me in measure each morning... We read such encouragement to be and do the right things and we will see blessings... as well as we see the reverse... if we choose to look at, be or do the negative we will feel the results of that as well... I see that nearly every day in the readings in some part or the other.... actually seeing that to be more relevant in my mind this year than ever before... especially as it pertains to WLS and all that entails... I guess it is in part the Lord's way of embedding the concept of disciple in my mind ... both in the spiritual and the natural.
It is hard to struggle every day with something and never see but maybe a little progress... but I know the Lord wants to teach me to have faith and put my dependence on Him... to trust Him to know and do what is best for me even if "my" plans may not be the same! It's hard to put down my "will" for His when they do not match... but oh the blessings I receive when I "surrender" as Miss Peggy has been speaking about! I sure did appreciate what she wrote yesterday even if she was preaching to herself... I'm ALWAYS preaching to myself.... seems my need is always so great... does that translate to "stiffneckedness" or "stubbornness" ??? ~ha (we all have to address those two words, submission and surrender and their meaning, where they fit in our lives at one point or another) I did not have time to get in there and dissect it all but will real soon... I could feel there is something there the Lord wants me to hear.
My ears perked up this morning as I read in the old testament when they were instructed to be "joyful" at their feast. That stuck me a bit funny... wonder why that was added, wonder what the feast were like? wonder why they had to be instructed to be joyful at a celebration? Do we need to choose joy as well? I have some really good stuff on joy the Lord gave me several years ago. I need to get it out and look it over again. At the end of that paragraph it says and this is good stuff... "For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete." Oh how I find that to be true in my life! When I buckle down and do what I need to do I find reward waiting for me .... contentment, productiveness, blessing and yes joy!
Well goodness I've rattled this morning I hope it made sense? My mind is running a mile a minute with so much to think about.
Andy I am praying that you will feel His sweet presence surround you today and in the days to come... you have undertaken a very very difficult thing in staying on the liquid diet with Susan! I'm so proud of you! But I also know that it would have to effect your outlook... physically, mentally, emotionally and every other way as well. Don't be hard on yourself.... I know you see the good results of what you have done and I will be praying the Lord fills you with strength and all manner of things you need at this time! He who began a good work in you is able to complete it!!!! Amen and Amen!
Have a good day all.
Bec
