Daily Bible Reading - Thursday - January 7th

Today as I was reading the passages in Genesis it really stuck out to me how God was so eager to bless Abraham and at such an old age to bless Abraham with many nations.  As I think back of how even Abraham made mistakes but God was always there and ready to forgive him and bless him even more.  How much more does our Father in Heaven want to bless us.  Makes me see there really is hope for me yet, that in itself is so encouraging. 

Then in Matthew is what really hit me this morning is The Lord’s Prayer.  I don’t know how many times I’ve read that and heard it preached on it never really hit me as hard as it has this morning.  God gave us an outline on how to pray.  He tells us “this is how you should pray", actually instructions on how to talk to our Heavenly Father, wow.  Yeah I’ve prayed many times and read the Lord’s Prayer many times but it just never popped out at me like it has this morning?  And yet it’s so simple a child could get it.  I think in all the Lord is trying to teach me the importance of praying.  In order to keep the discipline and faithfulness and perfection we HAVE to pray and talk to God every day, giving Him all the Praise and Honor and Glory, how so real is that? 

Then to bring it all together when I read the Psalms it just put the finishing touches on what God was showing me for my life.  When we accept His words and store them in our hearts,  when we turn to Him for wisdom and call out to Him for understanding and search for it as if we were searching for silver as a hidden treasure then will we understand the fear of the Lord and find His knowledge.  That just makes me sit here and cry, God is so understanding towards me that it’s taken me years and years to finally understand His word. 

Last year God really dealt with me on discipline, faithfulness and perfection, this year I’m really gaining a passion for His Word.  We read the book last year but this year it all seems new again, how amazing, you think you’re going to be reading it over and your really not.  God has His ways of bring out new stuff that you need for this year.  This little devotional really struck my heart and thought it fit in with what God is speaking in our readings. 

Today’s Reading

Genesis 16:1-18:15
Matthew 6:1-24
Psalm 7:1-17
Proverbs 2:1-5

Daily Devotional

Psalm 92:12
"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree…"

Have you ever seen a palm tree in the midst of a great storm or hurricane? That tree may be bent so far over that it’s almost touching the ground, but when the wind finally stops, that palm tree bounces right back up. And do you know that while that palm tree is hunched over under the pressure of the storm, it is actually growing stronger?

The reason God said we’d flourish like a palm tree is because He knew there would be difficult times. He knew things would come against us to try to steal our joy and victory. God said, “You’re going to be like a palm tree because the storms of life will come, the winds will blow, but you are going to come right back up again stronger than before." Nothing can hold you back! No weapon formed against you will ever prosper. No matter what’s happening in the world around you, keep standing. Keep praying. Keep believing. Your brightest days are right out in front of you, and God’s plan is to bring you blessing and victory all the days of your life.

Remember: We ARE as palm tree’s… And that we are destined to win in 2010!