March 15, 2026

Serving the Lord in Love and Faith

November 25, 2013 by

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“I will serve You, Lord, always, for You are my strength
When I am weak I will never be afraid for You are my Rock and You protect me.”
Life of Praise by Casting Crowns

Serving the Lord should be one of the main tenents of any Christian’s life. By serving the Lord, we show that we love Him and that we depend on him.

But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart;
consider what great things He has done for you.
1 Samuel 12:24

During the spring, many children participate in sports such as baseball, tee-ball, and softball.  Our church has a ministry geared toward those who use our church’s ball fields to practice on.  It is called “A Cup of Cold Water.”  Members of our church gather donations of water and juice to hand out to the ball players after they finish practicing. This past spring was our son’s first time to play tee-ball, and he practiced mainly at our church’s fields.  Well, my daughter and I would go over to the concession stand to talk to our Children’s Ministry Director, who was handing out the water and juice.  The refrigerator needed to be restocked, so I offered to restock it.  As I was putting water in the refrigerator, our (then) two-year-old daughter started putting water and juice into the refrigerator as well.  I was setting an example of serving the Lord by restocking the refrigerator, and my daughter picked up on the example.  Serving the Lord starts early if you have the right examples set for you.

That is why as Christians it is up to us to set a good example to our kids and those around us about ways to serve the Lord.  We should serve God with faith and love.  It does not matter how we show love as long as we do it in faith of God.  God is our Protector and our Strength. By serving Him, we are showing that we love Him.

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all Your blessings.  I pray that I am serving You in faith and love each and every day.  I pray that through serving I am showing You love.  In Jesus name.

Amen.

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His Unfailing Love

November 22, 2013 by

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Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love
and His wonderful deeds for men.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Psalms 107:21-22

(I stare at these verses, and I wonder what road God will take me down as I begin to type words onto paper. It’s my hope and prayer that anything I write to a group of people will honor Him and that I go the direction He leads me to go. So, with a prayer coming before writing anything of substance, here is what’s on my heart when I read these verses.)

The Book of Psalms is filled with many heart-cries of thankfulness to God. You cannot read much of this great book without realizing that the theme of thankfulness runs throughout it. But today, I am drawn to write about God’s unfailing love (another recurring theme in this book). God out-loves everyone; He never stops loving you; His love is UNFAILING; and His love cannot be measured—but it can be displayed! We are to “…give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men” (Psalms 107:21). God has shown His faithfulness in fulfilling promises, forgiving, healing, leading, performing needed miracles, loving, and sustaining (to mention only a few things He has done.) But the greatest act of love of what HE DID was sending His Son to die on the Cross for our sins! (I pray I never tire of telling the greatest story that is true, life-changing, and filled with love, mercy, and grace!) For please know this—it is nothing that we have done!!! We cannot earn our way into heaven with our works or even pitifully try to be good, but we must completely love, trust, and believe in Jesus as the One and Only Way to God!

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.’
John 14:6

Oh, let us live lives that display thankfulness for a Savior Who displayed mercy, love, and grace when HE died for our sins on the cross! When faced with the cross, His love DID NOT FAIL! Jesus chose to sacrificially hang there and die for our sins! And let us tell of His works and unfailing love with songs of joy. Friends, through the power of the Holy Spirit, speak it, write it, live it, and sing it!

Lately, I am drawn to this wonderful praise song, “Unashamed of You” sung by Chris August. If you have a few minutes, please listen to it. Then ask yourself, “When was the last time outside the walls of my church that I spoke of Jesus and His grace through His love on the cross?” Ask yourself, “Do I praise Him enough for His unfailing love?” As you listen, worship God, and make changes in your life…if the Holy Spirit prompts you to do so. Now, go listen to this great song!!! I’m on my way to do so!

Dear Lord,
I’m thankful for Your unfailing love and that You provided a way for a sinner, such as I, to be restored and have a relationship with You by way of the Cross. Thank You that it’s not about anything that I have to earn, but that it’s all about Your love, mercy, and grace poured out on the Cross for all of us that receive the forgiveness You offer us so freely and easily. Lord, if anyone is reading this devotional that does not know You, my prayer is that they come to You in brokenness and ask for forgiveness of sins and desire for You to now be his/her Savior and King for ALL eternity! In Jesus’ Precious Name I pray.
Amen.

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The Positive

November 21, 2013 by

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Let them praise the Lord for His great love
and for the wonderful things He has done for them.
Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about His glorious acts.
Psalms 107: 21-22

My mom has been talking to me about what I focus on.  Basically, I need to stop focusing on the negative.

I’d call the season I’m in now one of discovery. I’m learning more about God and myself. And yet, when the road gets rocky and circumstances aren’t favorable, I’m prone to focus all my energy on the problem until it is solved.  Focusing on the negative is like having blinders on that stop you from seeing all the good in your life.

So, when I was told what our next devotional was going to be on, it’s no surprise the word “sacrifice” is what had my attention. (Nothing negative about that, right?) Forget that verse 21 says, “Let them praise the Lord for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.” I was going to write about how obedience is much better than sacrifice, but something just didn’t feel right.

So, I waited. (Yay!)

For four days I pondered. Every time I went to write, I felt like I was being told to wait. Three of those four days I was drawn to Micah 6:8, “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

On the fourth day, I got curious! I went back to the beginning of Micah chapter 6. This chapter is about God bringing his case against the Israelites and Him asking them to bring their case against Him (verses 1-8).

God went first asking, “O my people, what have I done to you?  What have I done to make you tired of me?  Answer me!” (verse 3).  He then reminds them of good things He’s done for them.

The Israelites replied asking what sacrifice they could bring Him (verses 6 and 7). And then, verse 8 is God’s response.

I reread Psalms 107:21-22 and noticed that I’d completely missed the positive in the verses. And finally, it dawned on me, I am inclined to focus on the negative, even in God’s life-giving, hope-filled Word.

I’ve decided to focus on the positive and to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18); to fix my thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). I know this is possible because God is working in me, giving me the desire and power to do what pleases him (Philippians 2:13).

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, for opening my eyes and softening my heart. Thank You for Your faithfulness and for constantly loving me.  Amen.

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Praise Looks Good on You

November 20, 2013 by

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Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare His works with rejoicing.
Psalms 107:21 and 22

This psalm is relevant today for all believers who in misery and affliction cry out to the Lord; it builds up our faith and encourages us during those times when we need God to intervene specifically in our lives.

However we are to praise God in good times and in bad times, for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. Let us go back to the children of Israel and see how God took care of them. He made sure they had food, their clothes did not tear, their shoes did not wear out—all were His wonderful works. The children of Israel did not grasp the concept of praising God at this point; rather, they felt Moses took them into the wilderness to perish.
We are to praise God in all circumstances for He alone knows what is best for us. He created us in His own image and likeness. That is a reason enough to thank Him endlessly, for it gives us an assurance that we will not lack anything! We are the apple of His eye; we will inherit and eat the fruit of the land all because we are His likeness. This means God cannot allow us to suffer it is like He is suffering with us for we are His very own.

One time I was listening to Dr. David Jeremiah, Senior Pastor of Shadow Mountain Church in San Diego, California. In his message he said, “Praise is not a choice but rather is a mandate and that is what we were created for.” He said, “Praise looks good on us and makes our faces shine in the eyes of our Lord. We come to the Lord with praises and His glory comes down.”

This is so true! When our praises go up…His glory comes down and takes care of our anxieties. Even if we cannot pray, but just give thanks and praises to the Father, He delights in the praises of His people.

As we are praising God it is like a sweet aroma going to heaven. It is as if He smells it, checks out where it is coming from, and He realizes that it is you and me…Wow!! And He asks the angels to rush with blessings that were in stock and an immediate supply to us.
When we are praising the Lord we have to do it with gratitude and rejoicing for what He has done and what He is yet to do. He is Omnipresent; hence His instant blessings.

* * * * *

God our Father, we thank You for Your goodness and Your wonderful works. We give You all the glory and honor for Your lovingkindness. We declare with our mouths that indeed You are our God and Your works are marvelous. In Jesus’ name I have prayed. AMEN!

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Remembering Thanksgiving

November 19, 2013 by

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Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare His works with rejoicing.
Psalms 107:21-22

We are in the process of starting to get ready for the holidays.  As most of you already know, many stores have already decorated for Christmas and put out the merchandise they are trying to sell this Christmas.  I am not going to lie.  I already have most of my Christmas shopping done thanks to trying to buy at least one Christmas gift every time my husband or I get paid.  Now, I know that we still have one holiday to go through before Christmas, but it seems as if the retailers have forgotten that.  Many of them are opening late Thanksgiving Day just to give people an extra day to shop. It is like everyone, except the employees who have to work, is forgetting Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was the day that Pilgrims celebrated after they arrived in what is now Massachusetts. The main goal of the holiday was to thank and praise God for their safe arrival in the New World. They praised God for His goodness and mercy. They rejoiced for they had survived the dangerous trip with God’s help. The feast they had did not matter. What did matter was that the Pilgrims were thanking and praising God.

In this modern world, we should be doing the same. The stores need to stay closed on Thanksgiving. Employees should be with their families rejoicing together over the fact that God has guided them through another year. Yet, the corporations in their desire to make a profit (as well as the people who actually want to shop on Thanksgiving just to have something to do) make it so the employees have to sacrifice their time to be with their families in order to work or they could lose their jobs. It has become a sad situation.

So in this month between Halloween and Christmas, I encourage all to put Thanksgiving back in its proper place. Thank God for all you have. Thank God for getting you through another busy year and pray for God to bring you through 2014.

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father, I give thanks to You today for all that You have given me, and for getting me through 2013 (at least through to this point). Please be with all those who will not get to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families and bless them as they sacrifice family time in order to provide for their families.  Bless all of them.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Intentional Praise

November 18, 2013 by

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Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.
Psalms 107:21-22

“Say please. Say thank you. Give honor and credit to those where it’s due— in sports; in life; at home; in school.”

These are some things I say to my children on a regular basis; these are things I need to remind myself of on a regular basis as well:  Give thanks… sacrifices of thanksgiving…declare His works with rejoicing.

I think that so often we as people, that I as a Christian, don’t give enough credit where it is due.

I was journalling last night, writing about some of the things that have happened in my life over the past few days and years.  During this process (and after reading over some of what I had written) I realized that I had not given credit where it was due.

It’s not as if I haven’t thanked God personally for what He has done for me, or even what He has done in me but have I “sacrificed with thanksgiving?” Have I “declared His works with rejoicing?”  Do other people, believers and non-believers alike, know Who I attribute my successes to?  It takes more than a quick “Thank God!”  It takes an intentional act of declaration—a sacrifice of praise.

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifices of praise to God,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.
Hebrews 13:15

I know that God knows my heart.  He knows that I truly thank Him and appreciate all that He has done for me, but I want others to know, too.  I want God to not only know my heart but to hear my words as well.  I want to make intentional declarations of thanks.

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father,
Bring these Scriptures to mind when we give thanks.  Remind us to make intentional declarations and not simply rely on the fact that You know our hearts.  Thank You, Lord, for the gentle reminder You give us through Your written Word.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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Where God Camps

November 15, 2013 by

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O come, Let us sing to the Lord, Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation!
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
Psalms 95:1-3

This psalm calls us to make sure that our worship and praise are accompanied by hearts that are obedient to the Lord.

But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Psalm 22:3

Through praise we experience more fully God’s Presence…both within us and at work all around us.  The Scriptures tell us that God dwells in the praises of His people.  He is the Holy God that inhabits the praises of Israel.

The image painted by the psalmist in Psalm 22 is that God sits down and takes delight in the praises offered to His name. God pitches His tent wherever His name is exalted. He camps out with those who acknowledge, glorify and desire His presence.

If you are struggling with pain, sickness or loss and are desperate for a sense of God’s nearness, then start praising His holy name. Cling to God in praise of His love, His protection and His faithfulness. You need Him to set up camp amid your weakness and fear and suffering.

The simple fact of God’s Presence is this: Where God dwells, God rules. He is our authority. When we invite God to dwell in us, He reigns over our hearts. When we invite God to exert His will and presence in our business, He reigns over our business.
Praise is our foremost means of inviting God to take up His residence within us and to establish His Presence, authority and purpose in every are of our lives. As we praise our Lord, we enjoy the warmest, deepest form of fellowship with our heavenly Father. No matter what you are facing, I encourage you to praise Him now.

Praise has a strong emotional dimension. As we see in this psalm, it is not driven by emotions. Praise is driven by our will. That is why we must never say “I prefer to wait and praise God when I really feel like it.” We are to praise God for He is the great God and the great King above all gods.

* * * * *

Father, we praise You, honor You for You are a great God. You are the King of kings and the Lords of lords and there is none like You. We give You all the praise for Your unfailing love towards us and Your mercies that endure forever and Your goodness that follows us all the days of our lives. It is because of Your love that we give You thanks for the work on the Cross at Calvary. Let us choose to praise and worship You always so that You inhabit in our midst. In Jesus name we have prayed.  AMEN!

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Let Us Give Thanks

November 14, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoCome let us sing for joy to the LORD;
Let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before Him with thanksgiving
And extol Him with music and song.
For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.
Psalms 95:1-3

Oh, how these verses call us to worship God and to worship Him with joy!  At a time of year when one pauses to think of all the things, the people, and the blessings we are to be thankful for in our lives, there should always be a response of thankfulness in our hearts for our great God and for Who He is in our lives DAILY.  I don’t need a date on the calendar to remind me to be thankful for the Presence of God in my life!  I hope you don’t either because it simply should be an automatic response in your heart if you believe in Him.

Each day is a gift and every day is flooded with reminders of His Presence—from a sunrise and chirping birds to hugs from loved ones that He brings into our lives to truths from His Word springing forth on every page we read. Let us at least bookend our days with prayers to God in thankfulness, just as sure as the sun rises and sets. Let us hug our loved ones with great gratitude to Him for He has taught us to love unconditionally and to be thankful for every moment we have with each of them. And let us never neglect reading His Word to receive the treasures He has waiting for us each day.

On any given day, let our hearts fill with joy! For under the surface of all that we deal with, each day is an abiding joy in a wonderful and Sovereign Lord Who is majestic as the One and Only Almighty King and is also personal and loving to understand our heart cries, prayers, and daily concerns! He is the Rock of our salvation and our Strength!

As our eyes open at the beginning of a new day, let us give thanks. On a quiet, not-much-going-on day, let us give thanks. As the hectic days come along and may multiply during the holiday season, let us give thanks. As we look around at God’s beautiful, exquisite creation that so reminds us of Him each day, let us give thanks. When we, who are believers, remember that He willingly and sacrificially took away our sins at the Cross and rose again to be a living Savior and Lord, let us give thanks. When He holds us in the valleys and shares with us in the mountaintop experiences, let us give thanks. When we are reminded of how much He loves us, let us give thanks. And before we close our eyes at each day’s end, let us give thanks.

* * * * *

Dear Lord,
Let there be a song of joy in our hearts at all times. And when we open our mouths to worship You in song, let us all sing with joy and thanksgiving for You are our great God and King like no other! We love, adore, and praise You! Each day, let us come to You with thanksgiving.  In Jesus’ precious Name we pray,
Amen.

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Shout Joyfully to the Lord

November 13, 2013 by

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Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the LORD is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
Psalms 95:1-3

What does the word psalm mean? Growing up it may have just been another book of the Bible, and, as we got older it may have been to us something that David wrote.  But a psalm is more than the description of something—it is a powerful song of significance.  It is a tribute, a praise, a thank You.

The impact of music in our lives and in the lives of those around us is immeasurable at times; remember how it felt to have a song dedicated to you, or even a song written for you?  Remember how that song was a tangible act of love from that person?  Why would our expression of love to God be any different?

*Sing to the Lord*
*Shout joyfully to Him with psalms*
*Shout joyfully to the Rock*

For all that the Lord has done for us, even on our bad days, we need to shout our thanks to Him.  Like the harpist at my job said, “Every day is good because we were woken up, some days may be better but every day is good.”  Even on our less than better days the One Who gave us breath deserves a song of praise.

I like to embarrass my kids and sing and dance in the car.  I do this for a laugh and to connect with my children. But there are times I need to put the praise cd in and do the same for Christ.  I need to sing and shout praises of thanks up to my Heavenly Father so I can enter into His Presence.

Let’s focus on using music and praise to show our tangible expression of our love for God. Let us shout joyfully to the Lord because He is a great God!

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father, You call for us to glorify You with song. We desire to sing Your praises.  Lord, help us to find that song in our hearts to praise Your name and the holy boldness to sing our thanks.  In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

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Joy and Thanksgiving

November 12, 2013 by

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Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.”
Psalms 95:1-3

Our Lord is great. Our Lord is King. He is King above all. God is a loving King who provides for His children based on their needs—the needs that He sees. We as humans have needs and wants and, for some, it is difficult to discern between the two. That is why we have a loving Father in Heaven to look out for us. Just as we should thank our parents here on earth for what they have given us, we should also give thanks to God for everything He has blessed us with.

The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.
Psalm 126:3

We should live in joy to the Lord every day. We should thank Him for everything He has done and has given us. God is our rock and foundation for this life on earth. Without God, humans wouldn’t even exist. As it says in Genesis, humans were created in the likeness of God. One can only imagine what life would have been like if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed God. Would we get sick? Would we always be searching for what we needed? Would there be sadness? I believe not. It would have been joyous to have been in the Garden of Eden.

At this moment, many of us are gearing up for the holidays. The next one is Thanksgiving. It is the one day of the year that is for giving thanks for what you have and the blessings God has given you. However, we should stand with thanksgiving every day. We should sing with joy in our hearts for having such a loving and caring heavenly Father. During this eventful season, we need to remember God and His Son, Jesus. We should let God and Jesus into our homes, so we can be filled with joy and thanksgiving for the love that They have given us.

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father, in this time of Thanksgiving, please be with us as we thank You for all we have and for the life that we have. Fill our hearts with joy and thanksgiving every day. In Jesus name.  Amen.

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