Daily Hope & Love to the Full

The two disciples, one whose name was Cleopas, both were headed to Emmaus, a small village. They each had a shattered hope and a stifled love. Why? The One they longed for who would free them from Roman bondage and spiritual darkness was dead. And even worse the body was found missing and could not be found. They were crushed and very saddened by the death of the Christ, God’s anointed.

What did the Lord Jesus do for them as they walked and talked toward Emmaus? He came alongside them and spoke with them of God’s plan from Scripture. He raised their very thoughts to God and explained and expounded the written Word. The Word of God tells us after the meeting with the resurrected Lord the disciples’ hearts burned within them.

God’s great desire is that we allow the Spirit of God to encourage us. Today take the Word of God and allow His Word to speak to you afresh and anew. For God’s Word is an encourager of good and true things. His faithful Word never fails as we walk in this world that wills to darken your faith. God’s Word delivers love and hope. He will be known to you as you break bread together by opening the Word of God and meditating upon Him.

Father please bring us to the Word of God over and over again. When we are downcast draw us to yourself. When we are discouraged pick us up with your staff and set us on our feet once more. We love you for You know we need You. In your Son’s name. Amen.

“But we hoped that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel; and, besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done” (Luke 24:21).

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    (Proverbs 1:7).

    We can tell if we truly fear the Lord. How?

    1. We joyfully delight in the Word of God.

    Psalm 112:1 tells us, “Praise you the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in his commandments.”

    1. We passionately apply God’s Word to our everyday lives.

    Psalm 128:1 proclaims, “Blessed is every one that fears the Lord, that walks in His Ways.”

    1. We place confidence in the promises of God.

    Psalm 147:11 has said to each of us, “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in his mercy.”

    We need to get back to God’s Word! Anything that takes the place of God’s Word leads to idolatry.

     

     

  • The Third Day

     

    “And the evening and the morning were the third day“ (Genesis 1:13).

     

    If you notice God begins in the evening to the morning and calls it “day.” Whether it is the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth day, the Creator God named a “day” beginning in the evening and concluding with the morning. Twenty-four hours in the day that God does His marvelous work.

     

    Would it not be a good and holy thing for us to concentrate on God in the evening hours? So many times we think we must begin in the morning to set the day before us. But God sets the day beginning in the evening hours.

     

    In the evening, many times, we throw off restraints and we fall into the arms of the flesh. Child care, dinner time, tv, pjs, or special events–dinner with friends, movie, ballgame, etc. and we can neglect to rest in God’s evening day to recreate us for the whole day.

     

    Give God your evening. Meditate upon the One who began creation’s story with the evening. It just might be He wants to create His image in you to reflect His glorious creation through you. Life begins in the evening and runs through the morning and afternoon and God calls it the “third day.” May every day be His glorious image in us.

     

  • A New Day

    “Therefore, I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me” (Micah 7:7).

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     God has promised to come to the help of any who would call upon Him. The prophet intercedes on behalf of Israel, identifying himself with them. God saves from destruction and from deception and Micah knows it. When we pray for others something takes place like no other.

     Call upon the name of the Lord for others today. Micah’s name means, “Who is like the Lord?” We are no more like the Lord than when we pray for others. Try intercession and see if your life changes in that moment.

     

  • One More Night With The Frogs

     
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    Pharaoh had the opportunity to rid the nation of the frogs and he wanted them gone but can you believe he said, “Tomorrow.” So many people are like that. We do want to get right with God, just not yet. We would rather drown in our misery one more night. Stay like we are just one more night. The Bible, God’s Word, oh, we will read it another time.

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  • Time to Leave

    “And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled” (Genesis 31:22).

    Jacob’s father-in-law was a full-length mirrored-image of Jacob himself. Laban was a deceiver, a conniver, a cheat and he worshipped at the image of other gods (Genesis 31:10). Jacob was a deceiver, a conniver, a cheat, and he worshipped the true and living God, but he did not see himself as God saw him. So the Lord gave him a reality check for several years. Sometimes it takes a long time for people to get rid of themselves.

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    After the third day Laban came for Jacob. But God revealed to Jacob it was time to leave and go home to the house of God where he first met the Lord. Laban never learned what it meant to bow before the God of Jacob. Laban never changed.

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