The Daily Dose

Watch for Him

“Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” Revelation 16:15

We live in a time when most Christians believe Jesus is coming back to get us, sometime very soon.  We don’t know the day or the hour, but we can discern that the time is near because of the signs around us and the events that scriptures foretold that are unfolding even today.  We can get caught up in the debates about nobody knows the time or consider the controversies of the perilous times we live in.  But there is one thing we can know for sure . . . we are closer to that day than ever before in history.

I actually remember the first time I heard that Jesus was coming back to get His people. I was only twelve years old and it terrified me. I read in Revelation 19 how He would come on a white horse with eyes of fire and many crowns on His head. He will wear a robe dipped in blood and the armies of heaven will follow Him on white horses. He has a sword in His mouth and He will rule the nations with a rod of iron. It was quite an overwhelming picture for a twelve year old girl. However, now in this time that same passage inspires me and I long to see the day of His return! 

In today’s reading, the apostle John wrote about a special blessing for those who are watching for Jesus’ return.  This is not the return to get His bride before the great tribulation starts.  This is His return when He comes to set up His kingdom here in the world.  However, I believe there is a blessing for those who are watching now.  The blessing is in the desire to see Him come.  As we anticipate His return to take us to heaven, it is a great blessing and thrill to know that we will be with Him and also that we will escape that terrible time to come on the earth. 

2 Timothy 4:8 says Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.  We are promised a crown of righteousness if we love His appearing and coming for us. In Revelation 16, the kings of the earth will gather together to fight the Lord of glory, but the will fail.  They are no match for His great power.  He will simply speak and defeat all the armies of all the world.

Today I want to encourage you to think about the Lord’s return.  What a great day that will be.  Let it sink in that He loves you so much that He has made a plan to take you out of the treacherous times to come.  He will not let you suffer like those who don’t believe, and He will not leave you here to navigate the perilous times of the great tribulation.  Spend some time thanking Him for His great plan and that He has secured your place as one who will escape.  Then continue to do these things until they grow up in your heart and your greatest desire becomes to meet Him in the clouds one day soon!

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 16:12-16

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 

14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

You are the light

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain.  Revelation 16:10

Before the invention of electricity, darkness was not such a rare commodity.  There were candles and before that even torches, but nothing that would light up a room like a 100-watt light bulb.  When nighttime came, people when to bed and slept when it was dark and got up when the sun came up.  They utilized the daylight hours and for the most part let their bodies rest when it was dark.

In the modern times that we live in, lights are burning 24/7.  When it gets dark out, we just turn on lights in our homes and on our streets.  If we walk into a dark room, we simply flip a switch and like magic, light appears.  In today’s world, we would be hard pressed to find a truly dark place without intentionally going there.  Even the stars and moon of the night sky provide light for the nighttime in all the world.

In today’s reading, the fifth angel that came out of the temple in heaven pours out his bowl on the throne of the beast (anit-christ).  That is when his kingdom will experience complete and utter darkness. This darkness will completely paralyze his kingdom and it will be a deep heavy darkness that will cause their pain to be escalated.  People are already suffering from the previous four bowls.  The loathsome sores, the seas and waters turned to blood and the scorching of the sun.  These people are already in deep pain and the darkness will magnify that.  They will only be able to hear the voices of the people around them who are also suffering.

It is hard to imagine this kind of darkness.  I have questions like:  what has happened to the electricity and why can’t they light candles or use flashlights?  I guess if the sun and moon are not shining, it is not impossible to understand that the man-made electricity would stop too.  Just as this darkness will magnify the pain in their bodies, it will also be all the more evident of the spiritual darkness that these people are in.  The passage says that they increase in blaspheming God and their hearts are even harder against repenting.

In today’s world, we know there are many people in spiritual darkness.  We see the blind leading the blind everyday around us.  As dark as it looks in today’s world, it is nothing compared to the darkness of the fifth bowl.  Today, there is still hope for the dark world we live in, and we can be praying for hearts to be softened to the touch of the Holy Spirit.  Our interceding for others is the open door that God desires to reach into the lives and rescue those who have fallen so deep into a pit of spiritual blindness.  Instead of despising the darkness we see each day, begin to pray and intercede for those held captive by the enemy and have been blinded to the salvation that they so desperately need.

Today I want to encourage you to be thankful for the light we have.  Not just the physical lights of electricity, but the spiritual light of God’s love and salvation.  Then be the light to the lost world around you.  Lead the way to God’s great love as you carry His light of love and compassion for those stuck and suffering in the traps of the enemy.  Reach out while there is still time to gently encourage a neighbor or friend that may not know they are blind.  Be the help to others as you show them there is hope.  Intercede for those who cannot see for themselves the spiritual needs they have and ask the Holy Spirit to soften hearts and open the eyes of people’s understanding to all He has for them.  Even when you don’t see the seeds that you have planted flourish, know that they are lying dormant until the next light comes along to help them grow.  We are in a unique time in our world and we are the harvesters of this great end time harvest.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 16:10-11

10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 

11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

There is still time

And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.  Revelation 16:9

Last week there was a lot of excitement about a solar eclipse that took place on Monday.  Evidently it was a rare phenomenon, and it is predicted that it will not happen again until 2044, 20 years from now.  My husband and I sat out in our yard with our eclipse glasses on and watched as the moon moved between the earth and the sun.  At one point the air became noticeably warmer and at the point of 99% coverage it was noticeably cooler. I wasn’t surprised about the drop in temperature, but it seemed as the moon was moving in front of the sun, the rays were intensified.  I don’t really understand the physics of it all, but I do know that it was a clear demonstration of how the moon and the sun affect the temperature here on the earth.

In the reading today, the fourth angel that came to of the temple, poured out his bowl on the sun which produced a scorching heat in the world.  I have experienced a scorching once when I overextended my exposure in the sun and didn’t realize I was getting burnt.  It doesn’t happen much in my part of the world, but there are many places where severe intensity can produce burns even up to the 3^rd degree.  However, when the angel pours his bowl out on the sun, this will be beyond anything we have ever experience up to that point.  Yet, people will not call out to God for help, but will instead blaspheme His name to a greater extent than then have before. Their hearts will be hard and unrepentant.

What I find most interesting is that there is still an opportunity to repent.  God is so willing to receive people when they call out to Him with a truly repentant heart even to the point of the last days and final call to reach them.  This is good news for us today.  No matter what you have done in the past or even what you are doing right now, God wants to rescue you and save you from an eternity, separated from Him.  All you have to do is call on His name, turn away from evil and have a truly repentant heart.  He has a place for you in His plan and in this world right now, but you can only accomplish it by receiving His love and empowering grace to get you there.

Today I want to encourage you to give your life over to Him if you have not before.  Call out to you loving heavenly Father before it is too late.  He is ready to receive you to Himself as you receive His great gift of salvation.  He will lift you out of any pit that you have gotten into and put you on a path of totally walking out the plan and design for your life.  He has a planned purpose and part for you to do in the big picture, get in the body today and begin to fill the purpose that you have been called to.

If you have never received the Lord Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life, do that today by praying the prayer below from your heart.  He will come into your life and change the world that you live in from ok to best.

Pray: God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 16:7-9

7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 

9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

Give up control

Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward.” – Revelation 16:6

For years, I thought I had control of my life.  Ironically, I didn’t realize I could make my own choices that didn’t necessarily line up with God’s plan.  I thought everything that happened around me was God’s will. I didn’t understand that my choices were putting me on a path of destruction instead of His righteousness. But I did the things I needed to do to try to live in a way that would look successful to those around me.  The reality was that I was the only one deceived by that appearance.

Later on as I began turning every area of my life over to God, I would still try to control things through prayer. I would come up with clever ways that I could see possible and ask God to fix or change things in a way that I could imagine.  As my children became adults, I realized that God’s way is so much better than anything I could come up with, so I gave up trying to control my circumstances through telling God how to fix thigs.

At the beginning of my marriage, I would try to control things by fighting to get my way or by letting my disapproval known through my silence.  Still, these were ways that I was trying to control my circumstance through.

Finally, I realized that if I turned things over to my Father in heaven and let Him work out the details, He would move things in a way that I could have never come up with. By trusting Him with my relationship with my children, He has brought me into the best possible place with them including their spouses.  In my relationship with my husband, again as I keep my mouth shut and let God work out the details, He has eliminated many stressful conversation and brought us into agreement in a way that would not be possible if I tried to accomplish it on my own.

You may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with the book of Revelation?  The answer to that question is that even though the anti-Christ and the false prophet are trying to push their agenda in the world and take control of all people, God’s way is still being poured out and disrupting their efforts.  In the key verse above, I love that it says that since the rulers in the world are shedding the blood of God’s people, they are receiving their just reward right in the middle of trying to control the whole earth.  It doesn’t matter what they try to accomplish, in the end, God’s way will supersede all. I will take this opportunity to once again remind us that Revelation is not a book about the evil that will rise up and try to take over the world, it is the conclusion to God’s message of salvation and love for His created people. He is the only one in control

Today I want to encourage you to give up control.  Turn every area of your life over to God and then trust Him to handle it.  Don’t pray to Him trying to get Him to move in the way that you see possible.  Instead, let Him do His impossible miracles in all your circumstances.  He will bless you far greater than you could ever imagine and if you turn things over as soon as a concerned thought comes, you will eliminate a lot of stress and anxiety in your life.  Trust Him for the details today by turning things over to Him as soon as they are evident.  He may give you a part to do and lead you through His Spirit or your part might just be to wait as He unfolds the details and then works all things in your life together for something good because you love Him. (See Romans 8:28)

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 16:1-6

1 Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, “Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.”

2 So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue.

3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse. And everything in the sea died.

4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs, and they became blood. 

5 And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying, “You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments.

6 Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward.”

Don’t Worry

“Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Matthew 6:15

Don’t worry?  Is this even possible?  In the world we live in today, how can we not worry.  Worry about how to make ends meet? Worry about our children growing up in godless society? Worry about contracting the latest epidemic or plague?  Certainly, God understands that things are a little stressful in day to day living right now?

Well, according to this passage, and this is Jesus speaking, we should not be worried about anything in life.  In fact, this isn’t even a suggestion, it is a direct order.  He said don’t worry about if there will be food on the table of if I will have clothes to wear.  The reason is because life is so much more than eating and the latest fashion.  He goes on to say that God takes care of the birds and the flowers so how much more valuable are we to God than these?

Then Jesus repeats His admonishment to not worry about what you are going to eat or wear.  He said that is what the gentiles, the people without a relationship with God, worry about.  Then, He gives us the key to success in life to having those needs and desires met. It is:  in all areas of life, before anything else, look to God’s kingdom and His righteousness in Christ Jesus.  As you do that, then all of the above things will be added to you.  That is an extremely awesome promise!!

Lastly, He sums it all up by saying “and don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of its own things.  Live in today!”

Today I want to encourage you not to worry about the things you need.  Instead, start the day off by seeking God’s kingdom plan and receive His righteousness and grace to accomplish it.  As you begin to line your life up with God’s agenda, all the other things will be added to you and fall into place.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 

26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 

29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

 

Who do you serve?

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.  Matthew 6:24

Who do you serve?  You have probably never thought of it and maybe a better question would be what do you serve?  Most likely your first response would be God, but if you take time to consider, you may realize that you actual put some natural things first in your life. Things such as: yourself, your employer, your friends, your family or your bank account.

In order to truthfully answer this question, you would have to take a look at your life’s priorities.  In my case, my priorities are my family members.  I have a job, but since it is part time, our household does not solely depend on my income.  I can also identify that I spend a significant amount of time studying and pursuing God, His goodness, love and purpose for my life.  However, if I am being honest with myself, I would have to admit that I am mostly interested in me and what belongs to me.  Do I serve me? Sometimes.  When it comes down to the decisions I make in life, my desire is to follow God’s plan because I know there is success there and I love Him and desire to walk closely with Him.  Do I always do it perfectly? No way!!  However, my heart’s desire is to honor God and be successful in the things He has called me to, so I attempt to follow every direction He speaks to my heart and through His word.

Today’s scripture only gives two choices.  God or mammon.  Other translations would say God or money, but mammon is the name of the spirit of covetousness.  This is good news, because money is not evil.  In fact, we need it to accomplish just about everything.  The key is not to trust or depend on it.  We trust God to provide, and we trust God to meet our needs.  Mostly, that happens by our faithfully working in the employment that He has given us to supply those needs we have such as: home, food, clothing and transportation. 

I believe the question to ask yourself is: Are you working hard for the money? Or are you working hard to honor and represent your Heavenly Father at the job He has given you to provide money.  Chase after God, not after a paycheck.  When you follow what He has planned for you, you will live the richest and fullest life ever imaginable.

Lastly, this passage says if you try to serve both God and mammon, you will hate one of them and love the other or cling to and be loyal to one and despise the other.  Wow!  This in enlightening.  It explains why there are so many people out there that hate their jobs but will not let go because they are working for the money.  Likewise, there are many that are thankful for the employment and work hard with a good attitude because they recognize that it is a gift to have the opportunity to choose where and how you will serve the Master.

Today I want to encourage you to examine your heart and your life.  Ask yourself “Am I working hard for money or am I working for my Father in heaven by being a good employee with a good attitude and work ethic?”  Be honest with yourself and make an adjustment if you need to.  Mostly, be thankful for all God has provided for you and be faithful to work where you are as unto God, not your boss.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:22-24

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 

23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Where do you belong

The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple. They were clothed in spotless white linen with gold sashes across their chests.  Revelation 15:6

I feel like it has taken me a long time to know where I belong in the body of believers and even life for that matter. It has taken many years to discover my purpose and called place.  However, even though I know I will continue to grow and step in to new assignments, I have a constant peace in my life because I know that I am where I am supposed to be.

It wasn’t always this way.  The first half of my life I carried a feeling of not belonging.  Even within the church walls, I felt out of place for much of my adult life.  But when I began to do what I knew was right, on a consistent basis, over time, I was able to step into a place where the gifts and talents that God had given me were being used to where now I know I am where I am called to be.

In today’s reading, this scene in heaven is so amazing to me.  The angels are in place for the exact moment of their purpose.  When the temple of God was opened, seven angels came out of the temple dressed in spotless white linen with gold sashes.  The passage doesn’t say how long they have been in the temple, but they are in place for that precise moment, holding their purpose to be executed at the exact point of God’s plan for their mission.  There were no questions by the angels of how long they would wait until their purposed is realized. They remained in the holding place of the temple until the doors were opened.

This picture of the angels helps me to realize that much of my life was in a holding position.  I was being prepared and developed for a future time.  My purpose and call were always the same mission, but the time leading up to realizing them was where I was learning to hear the voice and direction of the Holy Spirit so that I would be ready to respond at the precise moments that God needed my life to reach another.

Maybe that is where you are today.  You sense that there is more, and you do not quite fit in where you are right now.  It’s ok, don’t give up.  Use this time to press into all that you are called to by consistently following the direction of the things that the Holy Spirit puts in your heart.  You may not always get it perfectly but keep checking in and taking those next faith steps.  Your consistent walk with Him will have you in the exact right place at the exact moment of His plan.  You will be cleansed from all spots and blemishes, prepared for every good work that He has designed for you to complete.

Today I want to encourage you to take a moment to evaluate your place in this world.  Are you confident that you are in the right place at this time in your journey?  If you feel like things are not quite in place yet, be encouraged that you are in a holding pattern being prepared and developed for your future self.  Press into His love and direction and be determined to be ready for that appointed day to come that He has prepared for your gifts and ability.  Understand that you are in a time of refinement and although it feels like nothing is happening around you, it is happening inside of your heart.  Let the empowering grace of God transform you into a vessel of honor to accomplish all that is in the heart of God for you to achieve.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 15:5-8

5 Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open. 

6 The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple. They were clothed in spotless white linen with gold sashes across their chests. 

7 Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 

8 The Temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power. No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.

Great and Marvelous

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Revelation 15:3

After writing the other day about reading God’s word to get to know Him more, I want to continue with that focus today.  The next two verses of Revelation 15 are a condensed version of the song of Moses from the Old Testament in Exodus 15:1-19.  Moses sang a song of triumph as the Israelites left Egypt to go to the promised land.  In Revelation, those who have the victory over the beast, his image and his mark sing this song again with harps except this time, they are in heaven.  In the words of this song, we learn so much about the character of God and the lengths He goes to for His people.  Below is a list of attributes we can learn about God and depend on when we are facing any battle.

1. His works are great and marvelous.
2. His ways are just and true.
3. All people should fear Him and glorify His name?
4. He alone is holy.
5. All nations will come and worship before Him.
6. His righteous deeds have been revealed.

Our heavenly Father’s works are great in quantity and in awesomeness.  He does marvelous, wonders that are not possible without Him.  All His ways are just and true. Because of that, He can be trusted and will never deceive or lie to you (something that is so precious to me).  We fear and reverence Him by giving Him glory and honoring His holy name.  One day every nation, tribe and tongue will come before Him and worship because He does not hide His works of righteousness.

This song tells the story of my life and what He has done to rescue me.  I know Him greatly and intimately because of the trouble He has saved me from.  When I imagine the multitudes standing on the sea of glass singing this song to Him, I am inspired to praise Him again and again.

Today I want to encourage you to worship and praise His holy name.  Come before Him each day and worship His holy name.  Set special time aside to sneak away and be alone with Him to talk about the things on your heart.   Then come together with others and declare His wonderful works in your life.  Encourage others because of His goodness and then tomorrow, get up and do it again.

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 15:3-4

3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.

4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come

and worship before you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Why do you read?

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.  Revelation 15:1

As we begin chapter 15 of Revelation, I want to take a pause here and ask ourselves: Why am I reading this book?  Why do I read any of God’s Word?  What am I looking for?  These are questions I thought about this past weekend.  Why am I reading God’s Word everyday and what am I looking for when I read the scriptures. 

I have to be honest and say that some of the reasons are because it is a habit and because I know it is the right thing to do and it is good for me. I open up the bible every day to make sure I am taking in His good content.  Also, If I am being totally honest, I look into God’s words for His promises and that translates into “What’s in it for me?”  Kind of a selfish attitude, but still, it is important to know where the real answers to everyday life can be found.

However, and this may seem like a no brainer to some people, but now I am taking on a new purpose for reading the holy Word of God.  This is so that I can know more about Him and understand Him on a more personal level.  I believe this is the main reason why God has preserved His story and book down through the ages.  It isn’t so that we can know what is coming up next although much of that is in there.  It isn’t even so that we can know how to live life successfully, because that is also in there.  The real reason God has given us His very own words in a book that we can hold onto in this physical world is so that we can know how much He loves us and wants to walk with us each day we are here in this world.

In today’s key verse, we read that God’s wrath is complete!   He will never pour out wrath on His enemy again for all eternity.  I also am made aware from this chapter, that I am not reading it to see what the anti-christ will be doing on the earth, I am reading this book from heaven’s viewpoint.  I said it before, but this is not a vision to learn about the beast and the false prophet, this is the revealing of our Lord Jesus and events that took place in heaven to be lived out in a future time in the world.  This is God’s story, and it is the conclusion to the age of grace that we live in today.  It is the last opportunity for those who still live in the world to step into that personal relationship with their heavenly Father and He is pulling out all the stops to urgently get that message out to the remaining few to be rescued during that time.

So now, my perspective has changed and each day when I open God’s word, I am looking for His love and what He wants to teach me about our relationship.  I will be looking for the message He wants to speak to me personally and also what He plans for me to share with others.  I have included a prayer below that I now put into my Daily Dose Journals, that you can pray before you read God’s word each day to help you remember why you are reading and also to ask for the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Who He is and His great love for you in a new and special way.

Today I want to encourage you to answer the question: Why do you read God’s Word?  Start turning your focus when you open it to His love and goodness instead of reading out of obligation or habit.  Pray the prayer below and let your time in His word be a personal time to enrich your relationship with Him and get to know Him better.  Begin to increase your understanding of the love He has for you and all people and then just sit in His presence and listen to words of wisdom He wants to share with you for the day.

Pray: Father, thank You for Your Word and that I can get to know you better through it.  I thank you for the wisdom and promises in it!  Open up my understanding now as I read, to receive the message that You have for my life personally today and show me how to apply these truths in my everyday life.  I thank You for showing me more of your great love and all You are imparting into my heart through this reading and for giving me opportunities to share your love, wisdom and promises with others each day.  In Jesus name, Amen!       

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 15:1-2

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 

Invest in your future

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

I love this passage in Matthew that talks about your “treasure”.  This was also one of those elusive scriptures to me because I never considered that I had a “treasure”.  Treasure to me always seemed like something in a fairy tale or pirate story.  Silly right?  Finally, I realized that my treasure is what I value most and what is most important to me.  When I began to think about what was valuable on earth like material things, as opposed to things valuable in heaven such as people and the good we do for others here in this world, then I started to get it.  That’s when I began to recognize how important it is to invest in my future . . . my eternal future.  But how?

Let’s examine the today’s key verses a little closer.  It says that your heart will follow where you put your treasure. So once again it is a step of faith. The first act is to intentionally lay up your “treasure” in heavenly things.  So first of all, determine what your treasure is.  The passage is talking some about your financial treasure because it refers to “things”, but it is not limited there.  Your treasure is where you put your time and energy also, which are even more valuable than your money because they are not replaceable.  Put your money, time, resources and efforts into the things of the Kingdom of God and before long that will be what you are most interested in and love. AKA where your heart is.   You will notice your heart following your “treasure”.  You will become increasingly interested in growing your heavenly account each day.

Revelation 14:13 says “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” It is very interesting that though we cannot be saved or get into heaven by “good works” or anything we do other than make Jesus the Lord of our life, this passage would indicate that good works are still important and will actually follow you into eternity.  That is, work that is done for the kingdom of heaven here on earth.  We’ve all heard the saying “you can’t take it with you”. Well according to God’s Word, there is something you can take with you, other people and good things done for others in the name of Jesus.

Today I encourage you to start investing in your eternal bank account and look for others you can bless and pray for.  Reach out and ask God to lead you to those good works that He planned for you before you were born.  Then begin to walk in them.  Instead of checking the stock market or your bank account each day to see how your investments are doing, start checking your heavenly account and adding to it daily.  Soon those will be the only investments you are interested in looking at because you heart has followed the action you physically put behind your faith.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 6:19-24

19  “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 

20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 

21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

22  “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 

23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

24  “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.