How is Your Day? -Lucinda Metsinger

Happy Monday!!! Are you ready for another great week to spend with the Lord?!? This weeks devotion is “How is Your Day?” written by Lucinda Metsinger! Please take the time to read as she shares her heart with us today. I hope you have an amazing day!!!

How is your day?

One of the best things my father ever taught me was, “Never let anyone else decide what kind of day you’re going to have or what kind of person you’re going to be.” He was usually telling me this wisdom when I came crying to him about some ornery thing my brother had said or done. At the time, I just wanted my dad to scold my brother for being ornery. However, he knew that he would not be able to correct every person that came into my life and hurt my feelings or made me cry. My Dad was trying to help me realize that allowing someone else that kind of power in my life was giving them power that only God should have. God, and God alone should be the One to decide what kind of day I’m going to have or what kind of person I’m going to be.

Throughout my life, I have recognized that this wisdom can be used over and over again, not just on ornery brothers, but other prickly people.

– You can use it when it comes to the church lady who has to let everyone know ALL the gossip.

– Use it on the fella who cut you off in traffic.

– Use it when dealing with people who are unkind to your children.

– You can even use it on your willful child who seems to know just the right buttons to push to send you into “Crazy Mommy” mode.

No matter who the person is, they should NOT get to decide what kind of day you are going to have or what kind of person you are going to be. Only GOD should have that power.

Along the way, I’ve also realized that I can use this wisdom when it comes to hard circumstances that come my way. Hard times WILL come. We cannot control when they will happen, but we can decide what our response to them will be. Many things in life can knock the props out from underneath us.

– The loss of a job

– A wayward child

– A cancer diagnosis

– The death of a loved one…etc

Satan will use any number of things to try to make us bitter or angry or jealous or even spiritually paralyzed. As a Christian, we can decide to give God the hard circumstances that come our way, then, sit back and watch Him use them for our good and for His glory. Only GOD can do that!

Don’t let anyone or anything but God decide what kind of day you are going to have or what kind of person you are going to be!

Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Isaiah 26:3-4, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

https://www.sappsolutely.com/devotions/how-is-your-day-lucinda-metsinger

November 12, 2020

Think On These Things: TRUE

Philippians 4:7-8 – And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Let’s begin with verse 7…

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

The Peace of God is a quiet rest that dwells in our soul. This peace keeps our hearts and minds focused on Christ. It is that peace that causes no anxiety or excessive care about things of this world when we commit wholly to the Lord.

Verse 8 gives us a list of things we are to keep our minds and hearts focused upon.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

The first one is – TRUE.

The King James Dictionary defines TRUE as being in accordance with the actual state of things; conformable to fact; as a true relation or narration; a true history; genuine; pure; real; not counterfeit.

We can only have an effective personal relationship with Christ as a believer if we focus our eyes upon Christ. We do this through prayer, meditating on Scripture, and submitting our thoughts and imaginations to Christ. We are encouraged to yield every thought to Christ (Romans 6:13, 2 Corinthians 10:5). Let our minds dwell on Christ and not allow our hearts to control us.

Righteous living depends on keeping our minds on Christ.

When anxious thoughts begin to flood our minds, we should immediately STOP what we are doing, THINK “Is this pleasing Christ?”, and PRAY asking for God’s help. Yet too often we allow the anxious and fretful thoughts to take over and bog us down.

Let’s choose to focus our minds on things that are true. Forsake the lies of the devil and allow the Lord to control our thoughts.

Fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word.

February 3, 2020February 5, 2020

PEACE

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

The world all around us is full of trouble and turmoil. There are wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, great earthquakes in various places, famines, infectious outbreaks, persecutions, etc. God states these things must come to pass for His Word to be fulfilled (Matthew 24:3-31; Mark 13:5-27; Luke 21:8-33).

Christians are not excluded from trouble, turmoil, and calamities living in a sin filled world. There is strife among countries, corporations, nations, churches, families, and even in the pews.

What is PEACE??

How does one attain PEACE in the midst of all these commotions?

Webster defines peace as “a state of tranquility or quiet”. Peace is a tranquility of mind which frees one from worry or fear. Peace is an untroubled heart that comes from trusting God.

Peace does not come naturally, and as humans we tend to fail at times, but God commands us to pursue peace. Psalm 34:14 “…seek peace, and pursue it.”

The best way to seek Peace is to:

Keep an attitude of prayer.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Read your Bible daily.

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. Psalm 119:165

Submit your heart to God regularly.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15

Meditate on God’s Word faithfully

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength: Isaiah 26:3-4

Keep living right

Dr. Bob Jones, Sr once said, “Do Right ‘til the stars fall.” Nothing destroys peace faster than when we have sin in our hearts before and Almighty God.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. Psalm 37:37

We can only impart the evidence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit working in and through our lives when we allow Him to work freely in our hearts and lives.