shadow

Lord

Taking Charge of Your Day

Posted on: by: Comments: Leave a comment

“This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it!”
Psalm 118:24

“BEEP-BEEP-BEEP”  As I reach over groggily to turn my alarm clock off, I say in a half-awake whisper, “this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.” After my bare feet pad their way over to the bathroom sink so I can throw water on my face to help me wake up, I say more confidently with a smile on my face, “this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.” As my baby lays on the changing table after waking up I sing to him, “This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it…”.

Why this morning mantra you ask? The Bible describes our mind as a battlefield (Romans 7:23). As believers we have the Holy Spirit living inside us wanting to transform us through the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2). Unfortunately there is also a very real enemy out there who is described as the father of lies (John 8:44). He takes great pleasure in trying to make us succumb to the doubt, discouragement and deceit he whispers in our ears.

The Bible places great emphasis on godly knowledge and wisdom. And because I have the knowledge that my mind is a battlefield, I wisely choose to start my day primed for victory! Instead of waking up and dejectedly thinking about how many more hours of sleep your body is craving, or how many household chores await your presence, or how you can keep your little ones entertained at the hospital while their older sibling gets a check-up, I encourage you to instead begin your day rejoicing in the Lord and telling yourself that whatever God requires of you today (and everyday), you can do all things (rejoicing) through Him who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13).

Noree Wegmeyer

 

photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photographer/asura-45946

Change: Re-Focus!

Posted on: by: Comments: Leave a comment

There’s an old saying, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” As believers in Christ Jesus, we are called to change. Join me this week and consider some aspects of change in our lives as we walk with the Lord. Is there anything that you need changed?

 

Re-Focus!

The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 

Psalm 23:1-2, NLT

Friday_Day_Five_Pic-Jesus_The_Good_ShepherdIn my introduction this week, I mentioned an old saying that, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” But if we realign our focus, change often occurs, because change always involves a refocusing in some form or another. One of the most important and rejuvenating changes we can make is to take time to regularly focus our attention on God. I know that I’m best able to discern the changes that the Lord puts before me when I get quiet and concentrate exclusively on Him. This allows me to come before His presence and reverence Him. I remember what He’s done in my life. I consider what He continues to do and promises to do in the future, just because He loves me. I thank Him for how He’s brought me through numerous difficult, heartbreaking, and uncertain times and never once abandoned me. Can you relate?

Read today’s Dose verse. It’s just one example of the countless number of occasions that David did this very thing. Here, he focused on God as his Shepherd. Since David was himself a shepherd, he knew the importance of a shepherd’s role in providing provision and protection for his sheep. Every one of us who has placed our faith and lives in Christ Jesus is one of His dependent sheep. David reminds us that God meets all of the needs of His sheep because He knows better than we do what we need and, He wants what’s best for us.

As we seek to have our lives changed by Him, He directs us away from areas where we could be tempted to stumble; and, even when we fall, He can bring us back from our failures, hurts, and suffering. I’m constantly awed by the changes God has worked in my life and the lives of other believers. When we focus on Him and see how far we’ve come as He grows us, we find rejuvenation for our souls and motivation for our hearts to press on with Him another day.

My friend, you can be encouraged today in knowing that the Good Shepherd provides all the needs of His sheep and walks with us through every change. He does all of this because of His great love for us as well as His desire to have us become more and more like Him.

Are you focused on the Good Shepherd today, or do you need to make some changes to come into His fold?

By grace through faith,

Rita

[Read all of Psalm Chapter 23 for David’s full reflection]