Today's Godly Reminder - Romans 13:1

Obey the government, for God, is the one who has put it there. There is no authority except God, granted by His permission and sanction. And, those which exist have been put in place by God. It is by God's appointment that they are there in that position. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power.

So, be a good citizen. Obey the rulers who have authority over you. All governments are under God. Insofar as there are peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible.

The Daily Grace - A Letter from the Battlefield

For more than two decades, Andrew Carroll has been urging people not to throw away the letters written by family members or friends during a time of war. Carroll, director of the Center of American War Letters at Chapman University in California, considers them an irreplaceable link to tie families together and open a door of understanding. "Younger generations are reading these letters", Carroll says, "and asking questions and saying, 'Now I understand what you endured, what you sacrificed'. "

When the apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome and knew his life would soon end, he wrote a letter to a young man whom he considered a "son in the faith", Timothy. Like a soldier on the battlefield, Paul opened his heart to him: "The time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now, there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:6-8). When we read the letters in the Bible that the heroes of the Christian faith have left for us and grasp what they endured because of their love for Christ, we gain the courage to follow their example and to stand strong for those who come after us. Run the race with eternity in view.

Today We Pray

Dear God, I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of Christ Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to His infinite merits. And, I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of His Merciful Love.

I pray that I may be blessed every step of my path this day by the great God of light. May Your sun shine upon me, as the moon moves the tide. May Your Spirit move my emotions with every grace and magic; may my heart sing with the voice of Your angels and my heart be warm, and may this and every blessed day You have given me be filled with joy.

Give us strength for the spiritual battles we face today, knowing that You have won the ultimate victory and that we will one day live eternally with You. I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all Eternity. This I pray, in Christ's Name.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 2 Timothy 4:7

Let this verse be your declaration. Let this verse convict you to say good things about yourself. Do not give up if you lose hope. You will be a winner. Just be faithful to the Lord, He will bless you a thousand folds!

The Daily Grace - Fiery Conversation

Where I come from in Northern Ghana, bush fires are regular occurrences in the dry season between December and March. I've witnessed many acres of farmland set ablaze when the winds carried tiny embers from fireplaces or from cigarette butts carelessly thrown by the roadside. With the dry grassland vegetation, all that is needed to start a devastating fire is a little spark.

That is how James describes the tongue, calling it "a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (James 3:6). A false statement made here or backbiting there, a vicious remark somewhere else, and relationships are destroyed. "The words of the reckless pierce like swords", says Proverbs 12:18, "but the tongue of the wise brings healing". Just as fire has both destructive and useful elements, so "the tongue has the power of life and death" (18:21).

For a conversation that reflects God's presence in us and pleases Him, let it always be "full of grace" (Col. 4:6). When expressing our opinions during disagreements, let's ask God to help us choose a wholesome language that brings honor to Him. Anger can make us speak our mind when we should be minding our speech.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I have tasted Your goodness and it has satisfied me, yet it has made me thirst for even more. I am so painfully aware of my need for even more grace than I now enjoy; and even when I do not want more, I am ashamed of my lack of desire. I want You completely, mighty God, and I want to want You even more than I do.

Guide my conversation today, Lord. May the words I choose to bless and encourage others and build them up rather than tear them down. May you be pleased with what You hear.

Fill me with longing for You; make me even thirstier. Show me Your glory, I pray, so that I may know You always better and better, growing in my faith and love. From Your infinite mercy, begin a new work of love within me this moment. 

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Colossians 4:6

 Let your words at all times be pleasant and winsome, seasoned as it were with salt. So, you may never be at a loss to know how you ought to answer anyone who puts a question to you. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

Let your conversation be gracious, as well as sensible. Let it be attractive, too. For then, you will have the right response for everyone. Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.