Daily In Christ

Verse Of The Day:
Matthew 6:31-34 NASB  “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  (32)  “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  (33)  “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  (34)  “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Daily Thought:
Worry and anxiety can been such a detrimental part of  life. Worry is living in the future and hoping that everything will be taken care of. Our clothing, food, and other needs are vital for us to live so we tend to be consumed with worry and anxiety. Jesus tells us not to worry. He is literally saying here, “Think about what you have going on today. Be at peace for today and experience the day for what you have received. Be about today’s business because I am the only one who knows tomorrow and I have it handled. I know what you need and I will care for you. Seek Me and My Kingdom and the things you need will be given to you.”

Today I will be about today. Not looking down the road I can not see but looking at each moment as a gift from God and a joy. Regardless of what is happening around me I choose today to leave the anxieties of future needs in the hands of the Shepherd and will enjoy the blessings, joy, and struggles of today.

My Prayer:
Lord, help me to be in the moment and not obsessed with the needs and desires of the future. I recognize that you hold the future, not me. Help me to be at peace in every situation and to find pleasure and blessing in this present moment. Amen

Verse Of The Day:
Mat 7:13  “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Mat 7:14  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Daily Thought:
The contrast between the two gates in this passage from Matthew is sobering. The narrow gate and the wide gate. It is quite apparent in our culture that the wide gate is vying for our complete and total attention. Movies, video games, pornography, material things, false religions, and so much more try to entice us to follow the path that leads to the wide gate. Ultimately ending in our separation from God and His eternal life. Jesus tells us that the gate is narrow that leads to life. Remaining on this path and walking through this gate requires us to work at it. Thus, “The way is hard that leads to life.”

Jesus is our strength and power and will equip us to remain on the path that leads to life. Which path are you on and do you know whether or not you will be traveling through the narrow gate? Follow Jesus and you can be certain which path you are on by your desires and the fruit from those desires. Narrow gate or wide gate… which one will you choose to enter?

My Prayer:
Lord, help me to walk the path that leads to the narrow gate. Thought many will follow the other path, lead me in the way of everlasting life. Help me to not lock arms with the world. Your world tells me that I should look different that the world and I pray that I will. Thank you for your blessing of eternity with you. Amen

Verse Of The Day:
Matt 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
Matt 22:37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matt 22:38 This is the great and first commandment.
Matt 22:39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Daily Thought:
As I go throughout my day I often fall short of the words of Jesus. The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord with everything that is in me. Distractions of the day cause me to fall in love with so much more… work, people, things, etc. They often come before my time with the Lord and cause me to fall short of His command. As I reflect on the second of these, love your neighbor, I am humbly reminded at how God wants me to love those I encounter each day. We are all God’s children. Not just the ones I like or have common interests with, but all people are my neighbor and I am to love them as He does… I think I have some heart work to do today…

My Prayer:
Lord, help me to Love you first in all things. I want to make you the highest priority in my life and not my job, my family, or other things. I need you to change my heart toward others so I can love them as you

Verse Of The Day:
Matt 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matt 5:15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Matt 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Daily Thought:
I am convicted today by the magnitude of this verse. As a believer in Jesus, I am called the “light of the world.” Jesus tells us that we are to shine our light before others so they will see my good works and they too will glorify God. Today you and I have an opportunity to shine the light we have received from Jesus. May it shine bright!

My Prayer:
Lord, help me shine my light bright to day. I want to be a testimony to the world of your great love. Please direct my path and give me many opportunities to shine. Amen.

Verse Of The Day:
Matt 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Today’s Thought:
O how blessed are those who identify their spiritual bankruptcy before the King. The kingdom of heaven is yours because you seek it with all your heart. When one is poor in spirit then their heart is open to be filled with Him. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

My Prayer:
Lord, help me to be empty so you can fill me with your Spirit. I don’t want the distractions of this world to fill me, I want to be filled by You… Amen

Verse Of The Day:
Matt 10:32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
Matt 10:33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Today’s Thought:
This verse has such an amazing message of how we are to live our lives. Jesus tells us that if we acknowledge Him before men then He will acknowledge us before the Father… And, if we disown Him then He will deny us. Are you acknowledging Jesus to those around you today?

My Prayer:
Lord, please help me to have the boldness to acknowledge you before men today. Allow your Spirit to flow through me and let others see Jesus in me. Amen