Daily Bible Reading - Friday - August 13th

I used to have a bad habit of judging people by the looks of their outside.  I dunno why I would do that, maybe cause I was so used to people judging me for being so big.  You know the comments we’ve all heard when we are big, “oh my he/she better stop eating" , “mommy look he/she is FAT", “ why don’t they just push away from the table", and they comments go on and on.  I used to hate to be judged for what I looked like and yet there were times I’d do the same thing, ugh! God forgive me! It’s really a good thing God don’t judge us from our outer looks but from what’s in our hearts.  When you get to know people and you can experience what’s in their heart you’ll be so blessed. 

I just love Psalms today, talking about the joy of the Lord and praising Him.  Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise and that is here pressed upon the righteous. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy. When we have that kind of joy in our lives we will not only feel blessed, we will be blessed.  At prayer meeting last night the Pastor said something that stuck with me, he said “What a pity it is that this earth, which is so full of God's goodness, should be so empty of His praises; and that of the multitudes who live upon his bounty, there are so few who live to his glory!"  That is so true, every where we look we can see the goodness of God and the beauty He created and yet so few give Him any praise and glory, sure makes me think back on my life and if I praise and thank Him enough.

Today’s Reading

Nehemiah 5:14-7:73
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Psalm 33:1-11
Proverbs 21:8-10

Daily Devotional

"…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…"
(Hebrews 12:1-2, NKJ)

It's easy to be tempted to go through life competing with everyone around us. When we see someone who's more talented, better looking or has more gifts, instead of running our race and being comfortable with who we are, oftentimes we feel inferior and think, "I've got to catch up to them." The problem with this unhealthy competition is that it's a never-ending cycle. There will always be someone ahead of us. But, it's a very freeing thing when you realize, "I'm not competing with you. I don't have to have as big a house as my neighbor to feel good about myself. I don't have to keep up with my co-worker. I don't have to be a certain size. No, I understand that I'm not in competition with my friend, my neighbor or my co-worker. Instead, I'm going to be the best me that I can possibly be." Friend, that's an attitude God can work with. When you focus on being who God made you to be, that's when you'll rise up higher and position yourself for every spiritual blessing He has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I humbly come to You giving You all that I am. I choose to keep my eyes on You and allow You to work in my heart and mind. I declare that I am free from competition today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.