March 14, 2026

Worthy of So Much More

November 26, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

“I will serve You Lord, always for You are my strength…
But I’ll praise You for You are holy, Lord
And I’ll lift my hands, but You are worthy of so much more….”

As I listened to the song,  Life of Praise by Casting Crowns, the line “I’ll lift my hands, but You are worthy of so much more!” jumped out at me.  I, sometimes, lift my hands at church during worship and I serve in the Children’s Ministry.  However, I got the feeling that the “…so much more…” being referred to here could not be summed up in the amount of serving I do.

I asked the Lord, “What is this ‘…so much more…’?”

I compiled a (mini) list of things God is worthy of:

Glory

O Lord , our Lord, Your majestic name fills the earth!  Your glory is higher than the heavens.
Psalm 8:1

Praise

Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord ; it is fitting for the pure to praise Him.
Psalm 33:1

Glory and praise are obvious things that the Lord is worthy of!  After all, He is who He is. I felt a nudge to make this much more personal.

God is worthy of my:

Love –

Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

Loyalty –

Remain in me, and I will remain in you.
For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine,
and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

John 15:4

Obedience –

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Psalms 37: 23-24

Trust –

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
Psalms 20:7-8

Complete Devotion –

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. S
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalms 23:1, 3, 6

Time –

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.
Luke 10:39

Feel free to add to this “mini” list!

Ultimately, God is worthy of everything that is in my possession, but being specific helps me to focus on actual areas.  Vaguely, saying, “I give you my all,” is easy for me.  When you start to put names to “my all” the obvious question is,  “Does He still get your everything?”

Time is a big one for me…I like to spend more time than I should playing endless hours of video games.

 * * * * *

Lord, help me to he a better steward of that which you have blessed with with. Help me to remember that I am meant to bring glory to you.

Amen.

 

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Serving the Lord in Love and Faith

November 25, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

“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.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Intentional Praise

November 18, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

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.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Shout Joyfully to the Lord

November 13, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

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.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Tender Mercy

September 12, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

The other day, one of my precious children was irritable.  He didn’t want to sit down for breakfast.  He didn’t want to be touched.  He didn’t want anyone to talk to him.  He didn’t want to go to the potty.  He didn’t want his Pull-Up changed.  He just wanted to be left alone.  (I just wanted him to be happy.)

So, I left him alone and just watched him.

Eventually, he began to follow me around. When I decided to sit down, he walked up to me and said, “I sit.”  I knew what he wanted.  He was waiting for me to sit and cross my legs….

He had been less than loving to me earlier.  He didn’t want anything to do with me, then.  I didn’t get a “good morning!” or even a smile.  All I got was an irritated response to everything…even when I was trying to comfort him!  How rude!!  Did his behavior deserve my kindness or love?

Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
Psalm 40:11

Have you ever had a moment when your behavior was, nicely put, less than stellar?

  • Peter did…when he denied Jesus three times in one night.
  • Paul did…when he was zealously busy persecuting Christians.

Yet, God extended mercy, forgiveness, love and kindness to both men.

We need to be careful how we behave when we are in a funk, but we also need to be forgiving of others who treat us poorly—because they are in a funk. No, it is not your fault they are unhappy, but we don’t need to take these moments personally. Don’t hold it against them! We are all imperfect human(s).

Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him.
Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement.
So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.
2 Corinthians 2:7-8

What happened with the little boy?  Not one ounce of any hesitation was present—I sat and crossed my legs in less than a second and was ready to hold and snuggle him.  The thought of denying him his request to be comforted, never came to my mind.

I pray I can be as understanding with adults.

* * * * *

Lord, thank You for being so merciful.  Teach me to extend this same mercy to those around me. Help me to choose to not be offended when others are rude to me, and help me to be kind when I am feeling irritable.  I want to love others, even in their less than stellar moments.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Showing Christ and Being Christ-like

September 11, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden Your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.
Psalms 40:9-10

When we accept Christ, we are supposed to tell it to the world.  One way to do this is through baptism.  But what about after that?  Have you ever stopped and wondered about “after acceptance and baptism?”  I have often wondered about it myself.  We are supposed to show the great congregation, which is not just the church but the world as well, that we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  We are not supposed to hide Him away within our hearts, as many today would like us to.  We are charged to spread the good news about Jesus and the eternal message of hope and love He brings to us.  In today’s world, it is often a fight to share the message and show our faith.  But, it does not necessarily mean showing our faith verbally.

In 1st Timothy, Paul writes to his young colleague Timothy on how to fight the good fight of faith:

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:11-12

Paul writes that, to show the world that you are a child of God, we (just like Timothy), should pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. We are to be Christ-like in our actions.  Verbal communication about our love for Christ are not enough.  We must also show it in our actions as well.  Christ loves us, and He loves everybody in this world.  Jesus knows that He is not going to be accepted by all.  He even warned His disciples that His followers would be persecuted because of Him.  But Jesus still expects us to act Christ-like even during persecution.  Jesus expects us to be like Him—no matter the time or the place. We are not to conceal Him at anytime.

* * * * *

Dear Lord, You are my Savior.  You are my Lord.  I accept You in this time of persecution and peril.  Please be with me as I share Your message and Your love with those around me. In Jesus name.

Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Look to God Alone

September 10, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.
Psalm 40:4

Only in God can we find true joy and happiness in this life—complete fulfillment! Jesus said this: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

God created in each of us a desire to know Him.  No one will ever be satisfied who tries to fill that void with any kind of substitute.   No person, activity, or thing can fill that void.

When I look and see how the worldly “rich and famous” have such a huge following, I am burdened.  First, I am burdened that many in our society who have reached the pinnacle of having achieved much are often empty because they don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus and are chasing after money and material things.  Secondly, I am burdened for those who follow these “stars” so closely as if they are trying to find someone who they can attach themselves to because they see the rich and famous as being “great” or perhaps seeing them as “greater” than they see themselves.  May I shout this?  “Put your trust completely in the Lord ALONE!”

Let’s not look to the proud—who chase after fulfilling the desires of self and pleasing self.  To follow them in such a way is to look toward those who turn aside to false gods.  And to chase after those people is to replace Jesus as top priority which He alone deserves.  Chasing after anyone other than Jesus is to allow the pursuit of false gods in your own life!

Friends, direct your love, trust, and pursuit toward the ONE AND ONLY great God Who came to earth as man, lived a perfect and sinless life, died on the Cross for our sins, and rose again to be a living Lord and King!

Pray to God to protect you from casting your eyes toward false gods and to give you a keen sense of awareness of what He desires for you.  Be aware of the Holy Spirit’s leading.  Is He asking you to turn off the TV at times?  Are you to stop reading magazines which cause you to idolize “superstars”?  Do you need to be careful when you talk to others about how wonderful people are to the point that you put people on a pedestal?  All people will disappoint you, but Jesus never will disappoint because He is God—and He is God alone! Let us always be mindful that our complete trust should only be in God.   People are…simply people.

* * * * *

Lord, help us always be aware that You are God alone!  Let us keep our eyes focused on You, knowing that You alone sit on the throne in our hearts as King of kings and Lord of lords!

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

God is Trustworthy

September 9, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1

Sometimes we are so impatient.  We want everything yesterday!  But we fail to wait upon the Lord when we demand that everything happen when we want it to happen and in our appointed time.   Isaiah 40:31 tells us that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  God’s timing is always perfect.  He is never late, and He is never early.  He may not act according to our schedule, but He is always right on time.

We should not be mad at God when things are not going our way.  Rather we should be delighted in Him always. We delight in the Lord by spending time with Him on a daily basis despite the problems we are facing—by reading the Word; by praying in the Holy Spirit; by building ourselves up “on our most holy faith” (Jude 20); and by speaking in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19).  The nearer we draw to God, the bigger He becomes in our sight.  And the bigger God becomes to us, the smaller our problems in this world seem.

God is trustworthy to take care of all our anxieties. We have to patiently wait and rely on Him. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”  Many Christians try to be self-sufficient.  When they have a problem, they try to figure their own way out.  For example, if they need finances, they think of family members or friends they can borrow money from.  But instead of trusting in our own strength and wisdom, we should rely upon God…and trust Him to solve our problems.

Draw near to God and rely on Him for your strength.  Rely on the Spirit of God within you.  The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you (Romans 8:11).  He will quicken your mortal body, give you wisdom, bring you peace, comfort you in times of trouble, and help you in every situation!

God listens to our prayers always.  Even at times when we pray not according to His will, He still hears and answers us—in a way He feels is best  for us at that time.

If we patiently wait upon Him we will:

  • sail through no matter how deep or dark the situation is; God can turn it around
  • be lifted up and be established
  • come to a place of confidence and security

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for You are a caring, trustworthy, loving Father.  You take care of our hearts—however we may have wronged You by doing things our own way before coming to You.  Please forgive us and restore unto us the joy of our salvation.  Thank You for who You are in our lives.  In Jesus name we have prayed.

Amen!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

God’s Angels

August 29, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Psalm 91:11

This verse has been sticking me for the past 24 hours.  God commands His angels to guard us no matter what we do.  Now, it does not necessarily mean that this angel is the angel we all see in pictures.  God’s angels come in all forms.  It may be somebody we know or may be in something that happens.

We have had many accidental deaths in our area over the past few weeks.  I am reminded of one accident where a girl was pulling out of her driveway and was hit by a drunk driver.  She was 18 or 19 years old.  She died.  When the paramedics and firemen pulled her body away from her steering wheel, there were hardly any marks or outward injuries present.  They said it was like one of God’s angels had wrapped their arms around her as she died.  It was like she was hugged and comforted as she entered eternity.  I am glad to know that when I die, or just in anything I am doing, that God will have Jesus or an angel there with me.

God is a refuge and a fortress.  When we are down or in trouble, we should take refuge in our God.  My son is having adjustment issues to kindergarten.  His first day went terribly.  I blamed myself.  See, he has been in daycare since he was 6 weeks old.  I have to work.  It was a family decision.  I blamed myself because I know he is acting out to get attention.  I felt like I had deprived him over the last 5 years.  Thanks to God’s angels (my husband, my mother, and friends whose own kids started kindergarten and had similar days), I was relieved to know that I was not the only one whose kid was having trouble adjusting.  I felt better.  God sent his angels to comfort me and bring me back up from my despair.

* * * * *

God, I pray that You send Your angels to protect us in no matter what we do.  We know that You are our Refuge.  We can come to You no matter the time, place, or situation.  I pray that You send Your angels—spiritual and physical—to us everyday as a sign of Your love and protection.   Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Place the Bible in my Hands

August 21, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

God’s Word is a precious gift.  If ever our Bibles become dusty due to lack of use, let’s cry out to God to forgive us.  Within its pages are God’s great messages and truths..stories of His love, hope, forgiveness, and His Presence as Lord and Savior unfold there.  From God’s Word you gain wisdom, knowledge, and insight into how God wants you to live.

With my Bible in my hands, I sat on my comfy couch and read all of Psalm 19 to soak up all God wanted me to gain from David’s words in this chapter.  David writes,

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
Psalms 19:7-10

Let it be written and let it be proclaimed: God’s Word trumps ANYTHING that any mere man could ever say.  Why?  It is inspired by God, and it is this:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

Never let dust gather there.  Open God’s Word!  Read it, absorb it, and live it!!!  It continues to be a precious gift, as it—through the power of the Holy Spirit—teaches, encourages, convicts, and reveals the plan of salvation through Jesus.  It will remain as truth for all times! 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8

Contemplate:

Imagine you have to be on a deserted island by yourself for one year.  You are told you will have bread, water, and shelter.  But you have to make an important choice.
First option:  Each day you can have a cup of the best-tasting honey ever and gaze into a huge cave filled with bars of pure gold, which you can have at the end of the year. —OR–  Second option: You can have a Bible with you to read daily.

What do you choose?    Place the Bible in my hands!!!

*****

Dear Lord,  let us treasure Your Word!  Allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate its truths deep into our hearts so that our desire is to live it and, only by Your grace, bring You great glory in our lives.  Daily, we desperately need You!  Please may we all desire to read Your Word every day!!!  In Jesus’ Precious Name,  Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page