"He then turned away to someone else."                      1 Sa 17:30    NIV

The first person who tried to discourage David from fighting Goliath was his own brother. "Eliab...burned with anger at him and asked, Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are... You came down only to watch the battle: 'Now what have I done?' said David. Can't I even speak?' He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter" (1 Sa NIV). Don't fall into the trap of giving too much thought and consideration to a discourager. Spend your time with those who add to you, not detract from you. Even King Saul told David, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth" (v. 33 NIV). But David wasn't concerned about how much experience Goliath had, because he knew that his God was all-powerful. How tragic it is when we limit our faith only to what we can see. To think we are inadequate for a task is to engage in self-centeredness and focus on our own capabilities apart from God. This independent mindset shuts God out of the equation and ignores the fact that He has declared that His strength is made perfect in our weakness (see 2Co 12:9-10 NIV). The name "Eliab," David’s older brother, means "God is my father." How ironic, because he had no confidence in God at all. So in order to experience victory, you may first have to overcome the doubts and unbelief of those closest to you.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him."  Ro 8:28 NCV

The Bible begins with these words: "In the beginning God created the sky and the earth. The earth was empty and had no form. Darkness covered the ocean, and God's Spirit was moving over the water. Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good" (Ce I:1-4 NCV). Even when your life seems like a jumbled mess, you can trust the God who brought order out of chaos and light out of datkness to help your life make sense. When you believe that "All things work together for good" (Ro 8:28 NKJV), it redefines the bad things that happen. The worst day of your life can turn into the best day. There's a silver lining to every cloud, and every downside has a potential upside. When you interpret life through this prism, it gives you confidence that everything is going to be alright. It reassures you that the best is yet to come because God said, "For I know the plans I have for you.. -they are plans for good" (See Jer 29:1 1 NIT). But sometimes you have a part to play. God is setting up divine appointments, but you must keep them. God is a gift-giver, but you must fan your gift into flame. God is calling, but you must answer (See Isa 68). God is ordering your footsteps, but you must keep in step with the Spirit. If you faithfully do your part, you can count on God to do His part—which is to work on your behalf.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings." Pr 22:29 NKJV

Helping the deaf to communicate was what truly motivated Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. Perhaps that’s because his mother and his wife were both deaf. "If I can make a deaf-mute talk," Bell said, "l can make metal talk." For five frustrating and impoverished years, he experimented with a variety of materials to make a metal disc that would vibrate in response to sound, reproduce those sounds, and send them over an electrified wire. During a visit to Washington, DC, he called on Joseph Henry, a scientist who was a pioneer in research related to electricity. He presented his ideas to him and asked his advice—should he let someone else perfect the telephone or should he do it himself? Henry encouraged Bell to do it himself, to which he complained that he lacked the necessary knowledge of electricity. Henry’s brief answer was, "Then get it." And so Bell studied electricity. A year later, when he obtained a patent for the telephone, the patent office officials credited him with knowing more about electricity than all the other inventors combined. Study, work, hope, and perseverance are "common things," but they are the keys to uncommon success in life. And as Bell discovered, perseverance is often the most challenging. Longfellow wrote: "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night." Solomon wrote: "Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men."

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will increase greatly."  
Job 8:7 NASB       

We often cling to people and things as if we can keep everything the same, but it can't be done. What you can do is be ready to deal with change when it happens. You may not be able to predict what the change will be, but you can put things in place to help you to deal with it when it arrives. Children go to college, so wise parents consider saving when their babies are first born. People eventually stop working, so it makes sense to save for retirement. A CEO who will one day step down plans for a successor so the company can continue to flourish. Sometimes change is hard, but planning helps us greet change. With God at your side, you have all the tools you need for success, including the flexibility and adaptability to adjust your course whenever necessary. Think of how technology, such as cell phones and computers, has changed the way we communicate, shop, and live. The GPS is an amazing technological innovation, but intitally, drivers weren't too happy to embrace it. But it has transformed the experience of finding ones way while driving. As you navigate the changes of life: (1) Realize that God lives in you, works through you, and always has your best interests at heart (see Php 2:13). (2) Reach out for the latest tools and techniques, whether they're technological or involve new approaches to family life, diet, exercise, or spirituality. In other words, get ready for change.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"l have been crucified with Christ." Gal 2:20 NKJV

Paul wrote: UI have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." It's hard to get offended when you're dead. It's hard to get angry, get upset, or get depressed too. Why? Because you're dead! The day you put your faith in Christ is the day your old self died. Your desires, your dreams, and your plans are dead in the water. The person who goes down in the waters of baptism is not the same as the person who comes up. You are a new creation in Christ. Of course, you must step into this identity on a daily basis. Paul said, "l die daily" (1 CO 15:31 NKJV). Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily" (Lk 9:23 NIV). The key word in both verses is "daily." There's great freedom in this daily death. Your performance is no longer a statement of your worth. Your ego is no longer on the line- Your reputation is no longer at risk. You are living for the approval of One—that is the Lord! Hence, Paul could write: "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and to the world" (Gal 6:14 NKJV). Then to drive his point home, he wrote: "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col NKJV).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Arise, go up to Ai."  Jos. 8:1    NKJV

After suffering a humiliating defeat, God gave Joshua a second chance at victory: "Arise, go up to Ai. See, have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land." The king of Ai, still strutting with pride from victory number one, set out for victory number two. He marched toward Joshua, leaving the town unprotected. JoshuaS elite squad charged in and set fire to it. And Joshua reversed his course, catching the army of Ai in the middle. The victory was complete. Contrast this attack with the first one. In the first attack, Joshua consulted spies; in the second, he listened to God. In tile first, he stayed home. In the second, he led the way. The point? God gave Joshua a new plan - Try again, my way," And when he followed God's strategy, victory happened. It always does! Perhaps, like Joshua, you too have suffered a humiliating defeat- If so, here are two things you need to know: (1) Don't give up on God, for He won't give up on you "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isa 55:7 NKJV). (2) God will give you another chance. Jonah ran from the call of God, but God wasn't through with him. "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh'" (Jnh 3: 1-2 NKJV). He did. And what God did for Joshua and Jonah, He will do for you if you turn to Him.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"The tongue has the power of life and death."      Pr 18:21 MV

SATURDAY JULY 1 1, 2026
Something powerful happens when we vocalize God's Word. "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Sometimes you have to say it like you believe it! Jesus literally spoke to the wind and the waves, right? He rebuked storms. He rebuked demons. He rebuked fevers. He even told us to tell mountains to move! (See Mk 11 :23.) When you verbalize faith, you give it power. There are some things you should not say. When Jeremiah used his age as an excuse to say no to God's call, the Lord rebuked him: "Say not, I am a child" (Jer 1:7 KJV). In other words, don't disqualify yourself if God has called you! Instead, speak life-giving, faith-filled, grace-laced words. Mark Batterson says: "There are some things I refuse to say because it gives them power. I call it my 'Say Not' list. What words need to go on your 'Say Not' list? I'm not just talking about four-letter words. Jesus said we'd give account for every idle word. The word idle means unemployed. An idle word is a useless, worthless word—a word that doesn't accomplish anything." Jesus also said in Matthew 12:34 (TLV), "For from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks," so our words are x-rays of what’s on the inside. That's where the battle is won or lost. If we want our words to reflect His Word, that's where we've got to drop anchor. And when we do, the mind of Christ becomes our mindset too.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded." Mt 10:42 NLT

THURSDAY JULY 9, 2026
Les Goldberg’s friends thought he was crazy when he cashed in his personal investments to buy a home to lease for the homeless. A retired engineer, Les felt it was the only decision he could make. He had spent a minimum of one hour each day with his homeless friends and had helped renovate several properties on their behalf. In all his efforts, Goldberg never regarded the homeless as irresponsible or unreliable; he only saw them as people. Hurting people! He figured the house he purchased could be used as both a temporary shelter and a drop-in center—a place where homeless people might pick up mail, make phone calls, follow up job leads, and receive donated commodities. Four homeless men lived at the house, paying minimal rent to offset expenses. House rules were strict: no alcohol, no drugs, no loitering- Goldberg has never been rich. For twenty years he ran his own business, making about $25,000 a year designing and installing fire sprinklers. He simply was a man who saw an unmet need and found a way io help meet it. Mother Teresa said: "We cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love." Jesus put it this way: "ff you give even a Cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded" As you go through this day, keep your heart open and ask God to make you a solution to someone else's problem. When you do, "You will surely be rewarded."
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

'"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you...plans to give you hope and a future."' Jer 29:11 NIV

WEDNESDAY JULY 8, 2026
Nothing is more gratifying than knowing one's purpose—even when opposition seems unbearable and other distractions threaten to overshadow it. Often when people say they don't have a passion for anything, they mean they don't have faith to believe they could actually do what they really desire in their hearts. Jesus refused to let anyone pull Him away from His purpose. "Someone in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' Jesus replied, 'Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?'" (Lk 12:13-14 NIV). In essence, Jesus was saying, "I'm not about to get distracted by conducting an arbitration hearing between you two. That's not part of My purpose for being here on earth." Even up to the day that Jesus gave His life on the cross, there were many sick people needing healing and a myriad of other impossible situations that needed His attention. He knew that through the power of His death and resurrection, all could be addressed. So, despite unresolved problems, He confidently gave His heavenly Father this report on His ministry: "l brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (Jn 17:4 NLT). Jesus refused to let His disciples, Satan, well-meaning family members, needy people, or anyone else distract Him from His purpose. And you must learn to do that too. This raises the question: Can you state your God-given purpose in a single sentence? Are you pursuing it?
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"The Lord God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it and work it."        Ge 2:15 NCV

The first thing God did when He made Adam was put him to work. That's because work gives us a sense of purpose, meaning, and dignity. "God put the man in the garden...to. ..work it." So Adam was a gardener. But whether you count cash in a bank, trade futures on Wall Street, flip burgers in a beach-side stand, whip up pasta specials at d five-star restaurant, fell giant timber in the forest or split and deliver firewood, coach a team, pastor a congregation, publish bestselling books, deliver newspapers in (he early morning hours, star in your own television show, farm a large acreage, mow and edge neighborhood iawns, go out on the road as a salesman for computers, drive a truck loaded with machinejy, build homes, clean swimming pools, argue cases before a judge, or settle family disputes as a counselor, always do a good job. A wise man once •said: "Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence." The biblical character Daniel did that. And like cream, he rose to the top in Babylon. "Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him" (Da 6:3 KJV). There are no small jobs, only people who perceive them as small and become small in doing them. The Bible says: "Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper" (Pr 1 NLT). So always do a good job.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"I come against you in the name of the Lord." 1 Sa 17:45 NIV

Goliath towered over David. But David looked at Goliath through the eyes of his omnipotent God who sits high, looks low, and conquers ail. "You come against me with sword and spear... but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." Intimidation is one of Satan's favorite weapons, He will get you to think yourself into a state of fearfulness. One day, cartoon character Charlie Brown was having lunch at school when he confided to his friend Linus that he didn't Teel good enough to approach a certain young lady: "l can't talk to that little red-haired girl because she's something and I'm nothing. If I were something and she were nothing, I could talk to her, or if she were something and I were something, then I could talk to her. Or if she were nothing and were nothing, then I also could talk to her. But she's something and I'm nothing so can't talk to her." Linus responded: "For a nothing, Charlie Brown, you're really something!" Charlie Brown had allowed the redhead's beauty to intimidate him and force him to the sidelines. As His redeemed child, God thinks you're really something. David said, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy" (Ps 107:2 NKJV). And because Dävid's words lined up with God's Word and His plan, Goliath was stopped, So whatever "giant" you're facing today, stand up to him and announce, 'You are coming down in the name of the Lord!"
 
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Whoever sows generously will also reap generously." 2Co 9:6 NIV

July 7, 2026
The Bible clearly teaches that those who give generously to God's kingdom purposes will receive something back in return for participating. Furthermore, there's a correlation between how much you give and how much you get back. "Whoever sows generously will also reap generously: This is good news for reluctant givers. When you give away something valuable, it can feel like a loss. You had something; now you don't. And that can be a tremendous disincentive to give more. But Paul put this concept in a completely different light. He said that giving to God's work is not giving something away. It's an investment, not a loss. The farmer who sows doesn't lose seed; he gains a crop. No rational farmer would say, "I'm afraid to sow my seed because then I won't have the seed anymore. What will happen if I need this seed?" Any farmer knows that if he wants a crop, he must sow his seed. This is powerful news for anyone who's afraid to give because of financial insecurity. It suggests that the wisest move we could make financially is to begin sowing our financial seed. When we do, God gets involved in our finances. And that's the most financially secure place we could be. Why? Because when we give, it enables God to return to us more than we've given, to entrust more to us in this life. This in turn enables us to give more. "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion" (v. II NIV). That means if you give like you're supposed to, Cod will give you more.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"The wisdom from above is first of all pure."   Jas 3:17 NLT

July 6, 2026
The Bible says that the wisdom that comes from this world is "earthly, sensual, demonic," because it comes from "envy and self-seeking" and "confusion and every evil thing" (vv. 15-16 NKJV). The wisdom you need comes from a different source: "The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere" (v. 17 NLT). People today have access to more knowledge than at any time in history. Yet wisdom seems practically non-existent. Paul's words to the Corinthian church could well be addressed to us: "Is there not a wise man among you?" (see 1 Co 6:5 NKJV). There's a stark difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts and information. Anyone can accumulate facts. Our problem js our lack of wisdom; we aren't able to take the facts we've learned and put them into practice in real-life situations and at points of need. If we're to put our faith into action, we'll need "the wisdom from above." As couples, we need it to build strong marriages (see Pe 3:7). As parents, we need it for leading our children in the way they should go (see Pr 22:6). As Christian businesspeople, we need it to succeed in the marketplace (see Isa 48:17). If you're wise, you'll pray: "Lord, I invite You to work with me, to work in me, to work through me, and to work for me." That's a prayer He will answer.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

'Do good and...share with others."                   Heb 13:16 NIV

July 5, 2026

In the following Scriptures, the Bible teaches that God requires us to meet the needs of the less fortunate: "If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites.. .give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to" (Dt 1 5:7, 10 NIV). "Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. The Lord protects and preserves them—they are-.. blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness" (Ps 41 :1-3 NiV)- G One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Pr 11:24-25 NIV). "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need" (Ac 2:44-45 NW). "Since you excel in everything...see that you also excel in this grace of giving" (2Co 8:7 NIV). "Do not Forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (Heb 13:16 NW). "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?...Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" (1 Jn 3:17-18 NIV). So give io meet the needs of others.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

 "Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us know among ourselves what is good."   Job 34:4 NKJV         

July 4, 2024
When you make a mistake or a bad decision, if you're wise, you'll learn from it by asking, "Where have I gone wrong?" Here are three ways to avoid making a bad decision: (1) Don't get involved where you don't belong. "Helping" without an invitation is called "meddling." No matter how well qualified you are, no matter how badly other people may be messing things up, stepping in where God hasn't called you to go never turns out well. Ask yourself, "What am I trying to avoid in my own life that makes me want to take over somebody else's life?" (2) Stop, think, and pray before you decide. "He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him" (Pr 18:13 NKJV). If you're an achievement junkie—someone who thinks that doing something, anything, feels better than waiting—you can make kneejerk choices that make things worse rather than better. Include key people in your decision-making and listen to the counsel of the Holy Spirit before taking action (see Jn 16:13). (3) Don't wait too long to decide. If you're a perfectionist, you're at risk here. You become so concerned about making the wrong choice that you make none at all. Making no choice is actually a choice. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (Jas 1:5 NKJV). Best case? You'll show courage and concern for others and improve things. Worst case? You'll make a mistake and grow wiser because of it.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"[God] has given each one of us a special gift."      Eph 4:7    NLT

July 3, 2026
Paul said that when Jesus "ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people" (v. 8 NLT). He used the metaphor of a victorious king. It was common in Paul's day for the conquering monarch to return to his palace with prisoners and treasures in tow. He celebrated his conquest by giving gifts to his people. So did Jesus. Having defeated sin and death on the cross, He ascended to heaven, took His rightful place at the right hand of God, and "gave gifts to his people. “What a delightful thought! Jesus, eternally crowned, distributing abilities and skills: “Joe, take your place in the domain of medicine. Mary, your territory is accounting." Everybody gets a gift. And these gifts come in different doses and combinations. "Each person is given something to do that shows who God is" (1 Co 12:7 MSG). Our inheritance is grace-based and equal, but our assignments are tailor-made. No two snowflakes are the same. No two fingerprints are the same. Why would two skill sets be the same? No wonder Paul said, "Make sure you understand what the Master wants" (Eph 5: 17 MSG). Do you understand what the Master wants? If not, you'll lead a dull, joyless, and fruitless life. You'll never sing the song God wrote for your voice and never cross the finish line with heavenward stretched arms and declare, "l was made to do this!" That's why the Bible says: "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that" (Gal 6:4 MSG).

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"May I never forget the good things he does for me." Ps103:2 NLT

July 2, 2026
It's the bad days that help us to appreciate the good days. Without them, we'd have no comparison point. David was talking to himself one day, and he recorded his thoughts for us: "May I never forget the good things he does for me." Here are six "good things" worth thinking about: (1) If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week. (2) If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are better off than five hundred million people in the world. (3) If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. (4) If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of the world. (5) If you have money in the bank or in your wallet, or spare change in a dish someplace, you rank among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy. (6) If you can read this devotion, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all. There is always someone who is worse off. That doesn't mean you revel in other people's misery. But it ought to heighten your Christ-like compassion and give you a sense of gratitude that spills over into thanksgiving each day.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal 6:9 MV

July 1, 2026
Some of the world's most successful people were told by so-called experts that they didn't have what it took to be a success in the professions they had chosen. In 1 927, Lucille Ball was told by an instructor at the John Murray Anderson Drama School, "TW any other profession. Any other." Universal Pictures dismissed both Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, claiming that Reynolds had no talent and Eastwood talked too slowly. Malcolm Forbes, the late edit0frin-chieT of Forbes magazine, failed to become part of the staff of his school newspaper when he was an undergraduate at Princeton University. Decca Recording Company executives responded negatively to the audition of four young musicians, saying, "We don't like their sound. Groups with guitars are on the way out:' So the Beatles took their sound elsewhere. For seven years, a young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to twenty corporations, all of which turned him down. The Haloid Company finally purchased the rights to his electronic paper copying process. And Haloid became Xerox. Don't be discouraged if you are not finding the acceptance and success you desire right now. Your story is still being written! The Bible says, "Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Heb 2 NIOV). Faith and patience are the two qualities that will bring you success. This is why the apostle Paul wrote: "LA us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"In all things at all times, having all that you need."  2Co 9:8 NIV

Paul wrote: "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work...Now he who supplies seed to the sower. ..will.. .increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion" (vv. 8, 10-1 1 NIV). Paul couldn't be more explicit. If we are faithful to give generously, when God wants to meet needs again in the future, He will remember us as capable partners and come back to us. If a restaurant gives good service, it results in repeat business. The same applies to good stewards. And if you sow generously, then God is able to give you more and more. God takes special care of faithful stewards. As long as you are in a giving partnership with Him, He makes sure you get everything you need, exactly when you need it. That's His offer. True wealth is having everything you need when you need it. That should dispel all your fears about giving. Is fear holding back your generosity? Do you give leftovers because you're concerned about making ends meet? Have you ever asked God to give you a plan for the stewardship of the money He has entrusted to you? At some point, as a Christian, you've just got to go for it and say, "Cod, because I worry so much about money, I'm inviting You into my finances. I want to know that whether things are good or bad, You r re involved."


This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing...These things ought not to be so." Jas 3:10 NKJV
Note what the Bible says about an uncontrolled tongue: "Sometimes it praises.. -and sometimes it curses...And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs?" (vv. 9-12 NLT). Native American Indians warned about trusting a person with "a forked tongue." They'll say one thing at one time in one place and the opposite thing at another time in another place. The Bible says, "This is not right!" We deceive ourselves if we think we can go through life speaking with a forked tongue. our words are a barometer of what's really in our hearts. Hence Solomon wrote: "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life" (Pr 4:23 NLT). Sometimes a doctor will ask you to stick out your tongue during an examination. Why? Because *internal problems can often be identified by the film or coating on the tongue. Now a competent physician wouldn't just clean off your tongue and send you home. No, they would determine the source of your problem and then treat it. And a heart that's surrendered to God produces a tongue that's under the control of His Holy Spirit. Again Solomon weighed in: "Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips" (Ecc 10:12 NIV).
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little."
Hag 1:5-6 NKJV

In Haggai chapter one, we see a group of people whom God told eighteen years previously to rebuild His house. They still had not obeyed Him, yet they didn't understand why their lives were a mess. They wondered why God was not blessing them. So He said to them: "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?...Consider your ways! You have sown much and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled...you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.. .Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that may take pleasure in it and be glorified" (vv. 4-6, 8 NKJV). When God says, "Consider your ways," He's asking you to stop and examine your life. If you are not satisfied with the way things are going, is it because you have not done what He told you to do? James wrote: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (Jas I 7 NKJV). The words "no variation or shadow of turning" mean that God is intrinsically good, and He longs to shower your life with His goodness. But to experience it, you must walk in obedience. "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Ps 84:] 1 NKJV). Obedience is your key to victory and blessing.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness." 2Co 9:10 NKJV

Three young men were each given three kernels of corn by a wise old sage. He told them to go out into the world and use the corn to bring themselves good fortune. The first young man put his three kernels of corn into a bowl of soup and ate them. The second thought, "l can do better than that," and he planted his three kernels of corn, Within a few months, he had three stalks of corn. He took the ears of corn from the stalks, boiled them, and had enough corn to eat for three meals. The third man said to himself, "1 can do better than that!" He also planted three kernels of corn. But when his three stalks of corn produced, he stripped one of the ears and replanted all of the seeds in it, gave the second ear of corn to a sweet maiden, and ate the third. His one full ear's worth of replanted corn kernels gave him 200 stalks of corn! And the kernels of these he continued to replant, setting aside only a bare minimum to eat. He eventually planted a hundred acres of corn. With his fortune, he not only won the hand of the sweet maiden, but he also purchased the land owned by the sweet maiden's father. And he never hungered again. There's an important scriptural principle here. To whom does God supply seed? Sowers. When does God multiply seed? When it is sown into good ground to accomplish good things. So be a sower.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today

"Our light affliction...is working for us."                 2Co 4:17 NKJV

Without God’s Word, most of our experiences in life make no sense whatsoever. With it, we can decipher our experiences. Few things are more comforting or more exhilarating than knowing that God is the One putting together the jigsaw puzzle of your life. It was a London cartographer, John Spilsbuw, who is credited with commercializing jigsaw puzzles around 1760. During the Great Depression, they were popularized in America as a cheap form of entertainment. Puzzles come in all shapes and sizes, including the latest and greatest—3D spherical jigsaws. But the method of assembly has not changed. It requires the fitting together of oddly shaped, interlocking pieces. The key is the picture on top of the box. Without it, you're lost And that's why many of us feel helpless and hopeless at times—because the pieces of our lives don't seem to fit together, and we can't see God's vision for the whole. Few have suffered more than the apostle Paul, yet he wrote: "Therefore we do not lose heart Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glow, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2Co 4:16-18 NKJV). Yes, bad things do happen to good people. But God has promised to recycle it, redeem it, and use it for our good and His glory.

This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today