Encouraging Words for the day | Christian devotionals - Hopeful Heart

Don't be Fooled

30/3/2012

Reflection

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" This designation goes for those who doubt God's sovereignty as well as those who deny HIM.

"Therefore, when we become preoccupied with and dismayed by circumstances and certain people that we doubt God's ability to handle things in HIS own ways, and in HIS own time, then we, too, are fools."

-- Ruth Bell Graham

Don't Grow Weary

29/3/2012

There are times I just don’t feel like praying. I guess I have grown weary praying the same prayer for years and sometimes I can’t help but doubt if it will ever be answered. Yes, I can’t help but doubt but I can’t deny that God has used circumstances to prune my characters as I learn to lean and trust HIM over the years.

Joseph and Daniel were drawn closer to God during their trials and they triumphed victoriously. I’m convinced that during their trials, Joseph and Daniel have had doubts, disappointment and unbelief along the way but they pressed on and trusted the God who is able to ordain miracles unto their lives.

Let’s us not become weary in doing good. Let’s persevere; press on, pray and continue to trust and lean on God.

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

When There is Nothing Else You Could Do

28/3/2012

Some trials are necessary for our own spiritual growth. Jesus said that we will have many trials on this earth (John 16:33). When your heart is broken, when you feel betrayed, when you’ve run out of all options or when you feel like no one understands, that’s when you learn to surrender and pray a heartfelt prayer without pretense to God.

You will never know what God can do until you reach the point where God is all that you have

God could’ve prevented Joseph from being sold to slavery or Daniel out of the lion’s den but HE allowed the trials to happen. During those hard times, God drew both Joseph and Daniel closer to HIM and as they relied on God, they overcame their trials with victories and at the same time impacted the people around them.

When there is nothing else you could do, God is enough. Rely on HIM and be expectant as your breakthrough will be a living testimony for others too.

2 Corinthians 1:9 (NLT)
In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.

Let God Be Good to You

27/3/2012

Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isn’t this a wonderful verse? It tells you God is waiting to be good to you. He’s actually looking and longing for an opportunity to show HIS goodness. HE is God of justice and HE desires to make every wrong thing right again.

Are you available? Don’t fall into Satan’s trap of being negative. Don’t believe when he tells you that your future is bleak. Choose to believe God and get ready to receive the wonderful gifts HE is waiting to give to you. Start your day, meditating on this thought – “Something good is going to happen to me!”

Joyce Meyer’s devotional – “Ending Your Day Right.”

Dare to Dream Again

26/3/2012

After experiencing disappointments in your life, do you dare to dream again? I’d frankly say no but God has not died for us to have a defeated mentality.

HE has created us with HIS ability to dream and a human heart is able to resonate greatness when it is called to dream. If you ask a little boy or a little girl to dream, they will dream big; no child will dream to be insignificant, they will always dream to be a hero or a special someone.

Dare to dream again. Dare to dream beyond mediocrity. Dare to dream beyond your hopeless situations. Do not let the enemy triumph over you; do not let him kill your dream. Dare to dream your God given dream again. What is the dream HE has put in your heart?

“I would rather be labeled as a dreamer than someone without hope,” – Ken Lee

Ephesians 3:20
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Surrender means Growth and Progress

23/3/2012

Quote to reflect:

We soon find it all but impossible to live the Christian life with our own strength and goodness. It is through God's strength that we know courage and through His power that we know goodness. When we realise this, surrender becomes our priority.

Surrendering to Him means growth and progress. It is the freedom of moving forward, with and through Him.

-- Judith Lechman

Cast Your Cares unto Jesus

22/3/2012

As we all know, most commercial airlines have set a baggage limit to 20 kg per person. Sometimes it is simply not enough but eventually I will have to decide which items I should leave behind.

In our Christian life, we are often faced with the same issue. Most of us tend to have an overweight burden on our shoulders but we just couldn’t decide on the ones we should leave behind. Jesus has clearly said that we ought to cast ALL our cares unto HIM for HE is the one who sustains us. HE did not say leave one or two but ALL; HE sets a zero limit baggage limits for us.

Cast your cares unto Jesus everyday and live in the knowledge that the all able Almighty One promises to sustain you in every trials and situations.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

Let Loose of The Past

21/3/2012

Everything gets older. Things that used to matter so much don’t matter as much anymore. The decorated room, the gold medals, the trophies, that brand new car; they don’t matter as much no more, neither do they shine like before.

I held some of my past dearly. Some because the memories are sweet, some serve as a bitter reminder for past mistakes. I just couldn’t let go. I have forgotten the fact that the value of worldly things depreciate but heavenly promises and treasures appreciate.

As a self reminder, today I gave away an item I held dearly for many years, lest the memories haunt me. Now, I believe what I have loosed on earth; will be loosed in Heaven as well.

Let’s lay our past where it belongs and look forward to our future where God promises to be good.

Matthew 18:18
I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.

A Prayer To Say

20/3/2012

O Lord, I need to know which way to go

I need to have a glorious God in view

To see your plans, so infinite and wise

I need a mighty God before my eyes

Show me your glory! Show yourself anew;

Lord open up my eyes of faith to you

O God, I know that in my present state

I could not stand the sight of you, so great;

Yet even now, the smallest glimpse is bright

Enough to refresh my soul a new.

Show me your glory! Show yourself a new;

Lord, open up my eyes of faith to you

(*** Author - Anne Ortlund)

The Hope We Seek

19/3/2012

On one beautiful autumn day, one of my friends was in tears; unable to deal with her life issues. Another couldn’t look beyond the past that changed her life and another struggled with the lost of her fifth unborn child.

Where do we and our struggling friends do to find hope? Where do we turn when tomorrow offers no hope?

The psalmist David knew trouble. In Psalm 103, he proclaimed that we can praise the Lord in the midst of trouble. When we acknowledge God’s companion in our lives, we will be able to redirect our thinking from the hurts and dwell on HIS compassion and greatness. HE is the one who heals us and HE will redeem us.

Let’s learn from David: praising God will birth the hope we seek in our troubled hearts.

Psalm 103:1
Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.