Devotion: Thursday August 28, 08 August 28, 2008

Higher Ways

Today’s Scripture

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).

Today’s Word from Joel and Victoria

Sometimes it’s easy to get focused on what’s happening in the world around us. We see things on the news or hear something about the economy, and we dwell on those thoughts. Before long, those thoughts start to drag us down. But when we choose to think higher thoughts, the way God thinks, and when we choose to meditate on God’s Word, His higher thoughts will draw us to a higher level of living.

You can live above the stress and pressure of the world because He has promised to give us perfect peace when we keep our minds focused on Him. You can live above financial worries because God has promised that when we follow His Word, He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. You can live above fear and dread because God has promised that His perfect love will drive out all fear. Choose God’s higher thoughts today and allow His ways to become Your ways. Open your heart and allow Him to direct your every step. As you do, you will rise higher and higher, and you’ll live the life of victory He has in store for you. 

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, I humbly come to You giving You all that I am. Fill me with Your higher thoughts which will lead me in Your higher ways. Help me to look beyond my circumstances to the good things You have in store for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

Devotion: Live like a Champion August 28, 2008

You Are God’s Masterpiece

 

God longs for us to be like a well watered garden, flourishing, full of joy, always in blossom. Yet many times, due to situations that are happening in our lives, we don’t necessarily feel like we are in full blossom, rather we feel like we’re in a dry spell.

When this happens, instead of giving up and accepting your present circumstance as your lot in life, decide to praise God more than you ever have. In the Bible, the psalmist said, “I will keep on hoping for You to help me. I will praise You more and more.” When we decide to give God praise, something powerful and supernatural happens. Peace, joy and divine favor begin to rain down over our lives.

By praising God at all times, what happens in the natural with rain, will be the same spiritually over your lives; a cloud can only hold so much condensation, so many vapors, before it releases. In the same way, when you keep sending up praise, you keep singing, “God is good all the time,” that cloud can only hold so much before the blessings come bursting back down. When you stay full of praise, God’s blessing will begin raining down, making sure that you are always in blossom; causing you to bloom where you’re currently planted, even if you’re in a dry spell!