Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Samuel 16:7b

"For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

The Lord will always consider our hearts, not on our looks. Character is most important than anything else. People judge others by what they look like, but God judge people by what is in their hearts. He will not care about how good you look like, as long as your character is right, He will bless you.

Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with the looks and stature. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; but God looks into the heart.

The Daily Grace - The View from the End

Over the course of one year, Richard LeMieux's lucrative publishing business collapsed. Soon, his wealth disappeared, and he became depressed. Eventually, LeMieux began to abuse alcohol and his family deserted him. At the lowest point in his life, he was homeless, broken, and destitute. However, it was during this time that he turned to God. He later wrote a book about what he learned.

The Israelites learned some valuable spiritual lessons when God allowed them to endure homelessness, uncertainty and danger. Their hardships humbled them (Deut. 8:1-18). They learned that God would provide for their needs. When they were hungry, He gave them manna. When they were thirsty, He gave them water from a rock. God taught them that, despite difficult times, He could bless them (v.1). Finally, the Israelites learned that adversity is not a sign of abandonment. Moses reminded them that God had been leading throughout their 40 years in the wilderness (v. 2).

When we encounter desperate times, we can look for the spiritual lessons embedded in our difficulties - lessons that can help us rely on the One who causes all things to work together for our good and for His glory (Rom. 8:28). The clearest view of everything that happens comes from heaven. Everything has a purpose. Trust God that He is in control.

Today We Pray

Dear God, I come to You for the grace another day will require for its duties and events. I step out into a wicked world; I carry about with me an evil heart. I know that without You I can do nothing, that everything with which I shall be concerned, however harmless in itself, may prove an occasion of sin or folly, unless I am kept by Your power.

Please give me the faith to believe that You can bring good out of any situation. Help me to see what You want to show me during adversity. Teach me how to use the world and not abuse it, to improve my talents, to redeem my time, to walk in wisdom toward those without, and in kindness to those within, to do good to all men, and especially to my fellow Christians. 

Hold me up O God and I shall be safe. Preserve my understanding from subtlety of error, my affections from love of idols, my character from stain of vice, my profession from every form of evil. May I engage in nothing in which I cannot implore Your blessing, and in which I cannot invite Your inspection.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Romans 8:28

  

God has a purpose in everything that is happening in our lives. If we just love Him and invite Him into our hearts, He will make sure that whatever trials and pains that we will encounter, it will have great things that will lie ahead of it. 

As He promised in His Word, you will be victorious in the end in every battles that you will face everyday. God will turn our sorrow into joy, our mourning into dancing. Cling to His Word and promises, and put your trust in Him.

The Daily Grace - ASAP

For most English-speaking people, the acronym ASAP means "As Soon As Possible" or immediately. But for the Christian, it can also means "Always Say A Prayer". King Hezekiah was one of Judah's best kings. He restored the worship of God to his nation after his father Ahaz's evil reign (2 Kings 18:3-4). Yet when the Assyrian king attacked Judah, Hezekiah capitulated to the king and stripped off the gold from the temple in Jerusalem to placate him (2 Kings 19:13-16).

That did not satisfy the Assyrian king, however, who returned to issue another threat. It was then that Hezekiah turned to the Lord. He prayed, "You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. . . Save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone" (2 Kings 19:15-19). When Hezekiah prayed, God answered him in a remarkable way and delivered him from his enemies (2 Kings 19:35-37).

You may be facing a problem that leaves you feeling helpless. It may be the loss of a job, a difficult family or work situation, or health struggles. We have a powerful God to whom we can bring our concerns. So before you do anything else, remember to ASAP - Always Say A Prayer. Prayer should be our first response rather than our last resort.

Today We Pray

Dear God, I resolve to spend this day in the presence of the Holy Spirit, filled with his joy and energy, that I might accomplish Your will and do what I can to deserve the joys of the day, for I know my time here is short. Be with me, oh Holy Spirit, to fill me with the energy and positivity and comfort that only you can bring. Glory and praise to You for filling me with life to live another day, for it is You who made me and not me myself.

Help me, heavenly Father, to stand up against sin, to resist whatever temptation I may encounter this day, in whatever form it may come. Your Word promises that You will provide a way out of any temptation. And, I pray to be able to find it and to have the wisdom to use it, and to walk away when temptation arises. 

Now, to God the Father, who first loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved; to God the Son, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; to God the Holy Ghost, who sheddeth the love of God abroad in our hearts, be all love and all glory in time and to all eternity.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 2 Kings 19:19

"Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone."

This is the prayer of King Hezekiah to the Lord, pleading for mercy to save them from the enemies. Not just from deliverance, but to let the people know that He is our one and only God. So that, all the kingdoms of the earth may know without any doubt His power. He is indeed our Lord and our God.

In times of difficulties, call on the Lord. He will deliver you from any bad things in life. He will save you from darkness. Be assured of His loving hands that will protect you anywhere you go.