All That I Need and More

“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
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2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God is generous. He provides More than enough. He provides so much that we will have the ability to be generous as well. Because that’s what he wants from us… to give to others with all of our heart the way that he does for us.
We all have different circumstances and means of living, but God wants all of us to have the same giving heart.
From those of us who live an extravagant lifestyle, to those of us who are accustomed to pinching every penny – the Bible tells us that we have plenty to contribute.
Not just enough to fulfill our basic needs.
Not just enough to live a joy-filled life, rich in His love.
But enough to give generously when we see a need. And to do so worry-free!
Some days we’re going to have enough cash in our pockets to donate.
Some days we’re going to have enough food on the table to invite another to fill an empty seat.
Some days we’re going to have enough time to be a listening ear to a friend, or a volunteer at a food bank.
And some days we may feel like we have nothing to spare. No surplus. No extra. When we live our lives with a generous and giving mindset, we find that even on those days we have enough. Enough faith.
Faith that will allow us to make the sacrifice that needs to be made that day, even if we’re not sure how we’ll recover from it. We trust in His timing and His provision.

Dear God, Jehovah Jireh, You are the God who provides! I lift my hands in praise of You and thank You for all You have bestowed upon me. I pray every day that I can be a provider too. God, please open my eyes to opportunities to be generous. I want to share with others the blessings that you have showered upon me so abundantly!
Amen

Don’t Be Troubled

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” – John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Stop allowing yourself to become upset by people and by circumstances.

Jesus gave us a gift. The gift of peace of mind and peace of heart.

We can embrace this gift and choose every day to move around and carry this peace with us wherever we go and through whatever we encounter.

If we choose to stay focused on Our Lord and the gift that He has provided, we live in contentment, regardless of our situation. We don’t need to feel annoyed, bothered, or troubled.

We can allow our circumstances to shift our mindset, or we can cause our mindset to change our circumstances.

Dear Jesus, I am so grateful for Your gift of peace. This is a blessing that is so underrated in the world of nonstop busyness and constant stimulation by our surroundings in the world that we live in today.

Lord, sometimes I forget that this peace is available. When I feel anxiety, worry, and fear creeping in, please remind me that I have a choice to make. I can focus on You and Your words: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” or I can focus on my troubles and stay stuck in the pit of uneasiness and panic that I have fallen into.

Lord, I choose Your peace. Every chance I get, I’ll hold on to this wonderful gift. Amen

Transform Me, Lord

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” — Romans 12:2

Will power doesn’t transform us – God does.

Sometimes we want a change. We want to do better. We want to BE better. We long to break our worst habits or to eliminate our flaws.

Some changes we can handle ourselves. We can make minor improvements here and there. But if we want to be transformed into who we were meant to be, we must surrender to God’s will. As we grow closer in relationship to Him, we learn. We grow. And He will make us new.

The new you will be refreshed.

The new you will be refined.

The new you will be equipped to step into the purpose for which He created you.

Dear God, I ask that You make a change in me today. Not a change that will make me feel better about myself or a change that will make me more likable to the people of this world. I want to be closer to the me that You made me to be. Lord, I know that Your plans for me are good and I want to fulfill them. Work on me, Lord, so you can work THROUGH me. Amen

Count the Stars If You Can

Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” – Genesis‬ ‭15:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God’s plan for you is even bigger than you can comprehend. We see the small picture through a narrow window that only provides a view of our own lives.

God‘s plan for us goes on and on, farther than we will ever know. The effects of our actions when we have faith and surrender to his plans are endless. He already knows how our actions will impact and influence others – who will, in turn, impact and influence others.

His plans for us are for our good, but they are not just about US. They are woven together with His plans for others. We have to trust him with the big picture.

When I realize that I am too focused on wanting things to “go my way,” I will pray:

Lord, take this out of my hands. I know what I want right now, but You know what’s best for me and for those who are connected to me in the long run. Amen

Sometimes Our Plan Is His Plan Too

“You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”

Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.””

— ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Lucky for Abram, God’s plan for him involved exactly what he was wishing for.

Sometimes it works out that way. We pray and pray; we wish and hope. And then God provides exactly what we’ve been longing for.

It’s a blessing, indeed.

A prayer that was answered, for sure.

But just because we have plans in mind for our lives, it doesn’t mean that they are the same ones that God has in mind for us.

We have to be prepared to surrender to His plan, even when He decides that our blessings will come in a whole different way than we imagined. Whether it’s a dream job, a report of good health, a child you’ve been trying to conceive, or meeting the person that you will spend the rest of your life with…

When I have a one-track mind, I will pray:

Lord, I can’t get this out of my head. I want this so bad… I feel like I NEED it. I’m begging you , Lord, for this one thing. But at the same time I know that the one thing I really need… is You, Lord. So I surrender to Your plan. Bless me with this, only if it will lead me closer to You. Amen

When I Don’t Even Have…

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son?”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15:2a‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s read that again…

“What good are all your blessings, when I don’t have…”

Fill in the blank.

God had already blessed Abram with wealth and plenty of land for his household. He’d returned Sarai to him when she was taken by the Pharaoh. He’d delivered victory to Abram when he was up against four powerful kingdoms. And on top of all that, Abram had his very great reward, God himself.

But it wasn’t enough to fulfill Abram, whose deepest desire was for a son.

We all have times when we focus on the things we want the most, rather than what God wants us to have. Times when, in our minds, these things have greater importance than the blessings all around us.

How often do we overlook our own blessings while we crave for more?

What are we taking for granted that God intended for us to cherish?

And how does our complacency reflect where we stand in our relationship with God?

When my heart is longing for something more, I will pray:

Dear God, I’m asking You for something that I’ve desired for so long now. I ask because I know You love me and You have already blessed me in so many ways. So I pray that it is Your will for me to have this thing that I’m asking of You. And if it is not Your will, then please help me accept that, and set my heart on that which You have in store for me.

Amen

My Shield and My Reward

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. ”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God is telling Abram not to worry about those who wish to harm him. God is ready for anyone who decides to mess with Abram. He will protect him from his enemies.

Abrams great reward for having faith, and taking action based on that faith, was God himself. And everything that comes with having a relationship with God.

His presence,

His love,

His approval,

Hope,

a future full of blessings…

Lord, when I’m afraid, thank You for reminding me that you’ve got me covered.

Amen

Encounter with two kings

Genesis 14:17-24

After defeating four powerful kings, Abram wasn’t looking to prosper in any way. His only objective was to rescue Lot and restore him.
The first thing he did after his great triumph was to honor God by giving a tithe to Melchizedek.

Next, he honored God again by returning all of the goods to the king of Sodom, so that the king could take no credit for Abrams gains. He had a victory in war against four mighty kingdoms, but chose only to claim freedom for his nephew.

God had already blessed Abram with a prosperous household and he knew that God had even greater plans in store for his future. He didn’t want any ties to this immoral king. This king had nothing to do with Abram’s achievement and there was no way he was letting this man take credit for the victory that God had given him.

People will want you to compromise. They will make you offers that sound lucrative. They will try to influence you to be more like them. When it comes to matters of faith or values, the answer is no. Stand your ground. Because when you make agreements with people who don’t have God’s interest at heart… There are always strings attached. No matter how temporary the terms, you are connected to them.

It doesn’t mean that when we receive His blessings, we should give them all away. But we should make our decisions based on how we can honor him WITH those blessings.

And every situation that seems advantageous isn’t necessarily a blessing.

What areas of our lives are we winning and not giving God the glory for our success? 

How do we handle His blessings when they are so much more than what we asked Him for? 
When I feel tempted by promises of acquiring more than I have, I will pray:

Lord, enlighten me so I can see all angles of this situation. Help me discern what Your plan is for me. Show me if this is a blessing that You have given me or if this is an entanglement that You want me to avoid. I am committed to following the plans that You have in store for me, and I have faith that You will provide blessings for me in Your own timing. 

Amen 

Today’s scripture

Genesis 14:17-24

17 After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine.

19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.”

22 Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’

24 I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭14:17-24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Your Grief Will Turn to Joy

“You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.”‭‭ John‬ ‭16:20b‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We WILL experience loss in our lives that will tear us apart inside. But even our grief, our sorrow, and our heartbreak can turn to joy.

God wants us to see and to celebrate what comes after the pain. It doesn’t make the pain that we are feeling at this moment any less, but it makes it more bearable to know that we can trust God and believe that we will rejoice again. To know, without a doubt, that He is going to bring blessings again that will flood our hearts with happiness. And to understand that this joy will come through Him. Through His presence in our lives, through His grace that covers our imperfections, and through the fulfillment that we gain when we continue on His path, even through our tears.

When my heart is heavy with grief, I will pray:
Lord, I am lost in my grief right now. Please pull me out of this darkness and into Your light. Hold me close and help me shift my focus to see the plans that You have in store for me. Lead me back to the joy that I can find only in You.      Amen

My Forever Home

“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” – Psalms‬ ‭23:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This roof over my head is not my forever home, and everything within these walls is just stuff.

His love follows us wherever we go. And His love never fails, even when the things of this world do.

Dear Father, Thank You for being a constant source of provision. I thank you for providing a home where I could raise my daughter. Please help us to always remember that the most important things inside these walls are the love and the memories that we share here. This verse grounds me, and reminds me that no matter what challenges I face in my life, you will provide all that I need now and forever. Amen