Jesus Calling: March 31

    Taste and see that I am good. The more intimately you experience Me, the more convinced you become of My goodness. I am the Living One who sees you and longs to participate in your life. I am training you to find Me in each moment and to be a channel of My loving Presence. Sometimes My blessings come to you in mysterious ways: through pain and trouble. At such times you can know My goodness only through your trust in Me. Understanding will fail you, but trust will keep you close to Me.

    Thank Me for the gift of My Peace, a gift of such immense proportions that you cannot fathom its depth or breadth. When I appeared to My disciples after the resurrection, it was Peace that I communicated first of all. I knew this was their deepest need: to calm their fears and clear their minds. I also speak Peace to you, for I know your anxious thoughts. Listen to Me! Tune out other voices, so that you can hear Me more clearly. I designed you to dwell in Peace all day, every day. Draw near to Me; receive My Peace. 

Psalm 34:8
English Standard Version (ESV) 
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Genesis 16:13-14
Amplified Bible (AMP)
So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You are a God of seeing, for she said, Have I [not] even here [in the wilderness] looked upon Him who sees me [and lived]? Or have I here also seen [the future purposes or designs of] Him who sees me? Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi [A well to the Living One Who sees me]; it is between Kadesh and Bered.

John 20:19
English Standard Version (ESV)
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Colossians 3:15
English Standard Version (ESV) 
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Thoughts - "Taste and see." "Intimately...experience Me." What does this mean? What does this look like? In my opinion, it is simple. I taste and see him by walking through His word and thinking about how He speaks to me. I taste and see him by listening to the creatures, the birds, the people in my life, the ocean, the trees; his creation sends out its voices and I can taste and see him by listening to what he has created. God is training me "to find Him in each moment." God is relevant in every area of my life or he should be. I should acknowledge him everywhere and if I don't, then maybe something is wrong. Maybe there are times I am not doing something that honors Him.

My prayer
Lord, help me to see you and acknowledge you throughout my day. Thank you for the peace that you give. You have settled me down. I so desire to rest in you and be defined by you instead of the craziness of my life. I surrender to You. Help me to accept what you provide.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 30

    I am taking care of you. Trust Me at all times. Trust Me in all circumstances. Trust Me with all your heart. When you are weary and everything seems to be going wrong, you can still utter these four words: "I trust You, Jesus." By doing so, you release matters into My control, and you fall back into the security of My everlasting arms. 
    Before you arise from your bed in the morning, I have already arranged the events of your day. Every day provides many opportunities for you to learn My ways and grow closer to Me. Signs of My Presence brighten even the dullest day when you have eyes that really see. Search for Me as for hidden treasure. I will be found by you. 

Proverbs 3:5
English Standard Version (ESV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.

Thought: These words challenge believers to put more confidence in God's ability than in their own, to not try to analyze and figure out every detail themselves, but to place their belief in God's wisdom, love and strength; to lean on God instead of relying on themselves or anyone else.

Deuteronomy 33:27
English Standard Version (ESV)

The eternal God is your dwelling place,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
And he thrust out the enemy before you
and said, ‘Destroy.’

Thought: As we learn to depend upon the eternal God, we discover that His everlasting arms are never exhausted. His everlasting arms are always sufficient for our unknown future and unfathomable present needs.
 
Jeremiah 29:13-14
English Standard Version (ESV)
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Thought: Searching for God with all your heart is intimately connected with honoring, examining and obeying His Word.

My Prayer
Thank You for knowing my days. Thank You for knowing me so well Lord. Lord, I go to doctor's because I want them to tell me what is wrong with me. And yet Lord, You remind me that You know everything about me already. Lord, I want to be bold for you throughout the day. Help me to realize that You have ordered my day and there are people in my path that need to know You. Lord, make me the bold one. Help me to start up conversations with people. I pray that my growth in You would come by experience and not simply sitting and reading the Word of God. It is important to read, but it is more important to live it.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Malachi 2

Message: God is to be set apart and praised and honored and His covenants are to be taken seriously. 

Time: Late 5th Century BC; After Malachi I when the Lord came down on the people for not giving God their best and the priests were willing to accept second-best.

What the Lord is Saying:

The Lord Rebukes the Priests
(v. 1-2) Our priority to the Lord is to give honor to His name. This is the whole and entire purpose of the tabernacle and the role of the priests: to give Glory to God in the Highest.

Reminds me of the Chris Tomlin song, "Glory in the Highest."
    You are the first
    You go before
    You are the last
    Lord, You're the encore
    Your names in lights for all to see
    The starry host declare Your glory

    Glory in the Highest.

This is our chief aim of life, to glorify God and give Him the honor he deserves. How can we not do this and then think God will bless us?

(v. 3) When I don't honor God, but then bring to Him offerings and expect a blessing, it is odd. How I live like this. I secure my salvation in the Lord and then I live my life in such a way as to just barely give God what He deserves and then sit back and expect my life to fall into place. (v.4) I am to repent. The covenant is to seek the Lord, repent of my ways. (v.5) Would I just realize that I am to stand in awe of the Lord and realize who He is.

King James Version - over and over we see God telling us to not fear.

Deuteronomy 1:21 - Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8 - And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Joshua 1:9 - Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 10:25 - And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 

1 Chronicles 22:13 - Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.
1 Chronicles 28:20 - And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 20:15 - And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 

2 Chronicles 20:17 - Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. 

2 Chronicles 32:7 - Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 

Isaiah 51:7 - Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. 

Jeremiah 23:4 - And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord. 

Jeremiah 30:10 - Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

Jeremiah 46:27 - But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. 

We walk in control of our lives most of the time because of something we fear and yet over and over the Lord reminds us to "fear not."

There are actions of the true priest and how he is to act and conduct himself (v. 6-7). His instruction is true. He walks in peace. He walks in an upright way. He turns many from their focus on sin. He guards knowledge. People look to him for instruction. He is a messenger sent from the Lord. But, the false priest acts in the opposite manner (v. 8,9) and has poor outcomes or results. Many stumble, many are corrupted and you are partial in your instruction, trying to have your cake and eat it, too. Your name will not be set apart.

Judah Profaned the Covenant
All of us have the same God. God is the one that created us. So, why do we often act so poorly toward one another (v. 10)? We do we often act that we are not of the same family. That is a hard question for life. Family members can go their separate ways at times but we can still leave in love. We are pondering leaving our church right now, but that doesn't mean we think any less of the people that are there. Specifically here in this passage (v.11) the concern is placed on Judah and their unfaithfulness and the way they have treated those things in their life that should be sacred. They haven't placed the honor they should toward the Church. God loves His Church and yet how often do people instead go out and choose to marry the world instead? We need to be careful that we don't act this way and then occasionally think that are service to God will bring blessing to our life (v. 12).

It wasn't enough that people disregarding God's covenants and did not give Him honor, but they turned their back on the wife of their youth and instead went after foreign wives (v. 13-16). They went outside the church and went instead to other places to seek after other women. God is the one that establishes the covenant between husband and wife and then we often turn our back on it and go after other wives. The overriding issue here is how we don't take serious enough the covenants that God has set up for us. 

The Lord is wearied by our words. Our throat is an open grave (Romans 3:13). Our words begin to no longer have value (v. 17).


Promise: God is to be honored. Give Him the honor He deserves by following what He teaches throughout His word. Don't look to being favored by man. Persistence of sin in our life will lead to all kinds of problems in our lives.

Jesus Calling: March 29

    Stop trying to work things out before their times have come. Accept the limitations of living one day at a time. When something comes to your attention, ask Me whether or not it is part of today's agenda. If it isn't, release it into My care and go on about today's duties. When you follow this practice, there will be a beautiful simplicity about your life: a time for everything, and everything in its time. 
    A life lived close to Me is not complicated or cluttered. When your focus is on My Presence, many things that once troubled you lose their power over you. Though the world around you is messy and confusing, remember that I have overcome the world. I have you those things, so that in Me you may have Peace. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1
English Standard Version
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

John 16:33
English Standard Version
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

My Prayer
Lord, I do this all the time. I try to work things out before their time has come. I take control. Instead of waiting for your timing, I seize control. I think I must get out of a trial quickly. Lord, I don't go to You first. I look to see if I have the money to fix it, or I ask everyone that I know for their opinion, I call upon so-called experts, but Lord help me to release it into your care. Train me to go to You first. You have overcome all that is in the world, so all I need to do is simply surrender to You. I want to rest in You.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Jesus Calling: March 28

    I AM a God who gives and gives and gives. When I died for you on the cross, I held back nothing. I poured My Life like a drink offering. Because giving is inherent in My nature, I search for people who are able to receive in full measure. To increase your intimacy with Me, the two traits you need the most are receptivity and attentiveness. Receptivity is opening up your innermost being to be filled with My abundant riches. Attentiveness is directing your gaze to Me: searching for Me in all your moments. It is possible to stay your mind on Me, as the prophet Isaiah wrote. Through such attentiveness you receive a glorious gift: My perfect Peace.

Philippians 2:17
English Standard Version
Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Mark 10:15
English Standard Version
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

Isaiah 26:3
New King James Version
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

My Prayer
O Thank You God for giving me life. You have given me eternity with You. Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for me. I am a sinner, not just yesterday, but today, and tomorrow. You gave all for Me. You walked on this earth desiring to teach and show people Yourself. Keep me alert. I want to be alert to You each day. I receive you into my life. Help me to be a child, to open my hand, to look up to You, to be like a child and dependent on You. Too often I am proud and think I know what is best. Yet, in You is peace. Often, there is too much in my world interfering with You. Help me to be more receptive and attentive to Your Hand of Providence. I want to keep my mind on You.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Jesus Calling: March 27

    Be still in My Presence, even though countless tasks clamor for your attention. Nothing is as important as spending time with Me. While you wait in My Presence, I do My best work within you: transforming you by the renewing of your mind. If you skimp on this time with Me, you may plunge headlong into the wrong activities, missing the richness of what I have planned for you.
    Do not seek Me primarily for what I can give you. Remember that I, the Giver, am infinitely greater than any gifts I might impart to you. Though I delight in blessing My children, I am deeply grieved when My blessings become idols in their hearts. Anything can be an idol if it distracts you from Me as your First Love. When I am the ultimate Desire of your heart, you are safe from the danger of idolatry. As you wait in My Presence, enjoy the greatest gift of all: Christ in you, the hope of Glory!

Romans 12:2
English Standard Version

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Revelation 2:4
English Standard Version

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

Colossians 1:27
English Standard Version

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

My Prayer
Lord, I fill my days with watching screens, staring at devices, jumping from event to event, often expressing to many how busy I am, how many things I have going on, yet inside, I know that often those are just words. Everyone seems busy, so I guess I am as well. Inside, I have so many things to do and yet, I don't get to them all. Lord, how often I skimp on time with You. I look for other ways to renew my mind rather than looking to You to renew my mind. Lord, the first think I often grab in the morning is not your scripture, but my phone to often see what others are saying when Lord you want to speak to me. I am so captivated by the ways of the World instead of being captivated by talking to You and sharing my life with You. I jump to different things and events in my life, hoping they will all yield something - nourishment, entertainment, a paycheck, a warm fuzzy feeling -- yet Lord, in You is found the ultimate Desire of my heart -- you keep me safe from it all -- if I will just take moments to wait in Your Presence. O Lord, wake me up! Bring me into Your sanctuary. Help me God to make You not simply a part of my life, but Life.  

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Jesus Calling: March 26

   Waiting on Me means directing your attention to Me in hopeful anticipation of what I will do. It entails trusting Me with every fiber of your being, instead of trying to figure things out yourself. Waiting on Me is the way I designed you to live: all day, every day. I created you to stay conscious of Me as you go about your daily duties.
    I have promised many blessings to those who wait on Me: renewed strength, living above one's circumstances, resurgence of hope, awareness of My continual Presence. Waiting on Me enables you to glorify Me by living in deep dependence on Me, ready to do My will. It also helps you to enjoy Me; in My Presence is fullness of Joy.   

Lamentations 3:24-26
English Standard Version

 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him. 

 It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31
English Standard Version

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

Psalm 16:11
New King James Version

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

My Prayer

Waiting Lord is not something that I automatically do. It is a trial often to wait in this culture that tells me I can have anything I want now. I am so impatient Lord. I notice in life how entertainment, comfort, peace, safety are expectations and often mandatory parts of each day for me, that I am trained daily to never have to wait. Teach me Lord to wait on You for Your timing. And waiting can be a good thing. I want to trust in Your timing. I want to rest in the fact that your timing is perfect. Forgive me for always thinking that my way is the best way. Help me Lord! Help me Lord to wait!


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Jesus Calling: March 25

   Let thanksgiving temper all your thoughts. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin. Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with Joy.

1 Corinthians 10:10
English Standard Version
 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.

Hebrews 12:28-29
English Standard Version
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

My Prayer
Father, I want to be thankful all the days of my life for your continual hand of Providence in my life. Help me to always be thankful, even for the things that I don't understand. Keep me far from grumbling. Just because I don't understand what is going on doesn't mean that what I'm experiencing is bad. I am too short-sighted Lord. In this consumer-oriented world, I am trained often in more, having more money, more possessions, just more over and over. I am so thankful that I can enjoy things but Lord help me to see that getting sometimes blinds giving in my life. I don't want to grumble Lord. I don't want to stare at what other people have and what I don't have and then grumble. Comparing makes me miserable; it makes me bitter. You are sovereign. You have saved me and brought me into your fold and therefore, I have assurance of eternal life. Help me to harness my thankfulness on that. I want a thankful heart.

My Prayer Update - 3/25/19
O God, you are awesome. Praise the Lord!! I give thanks to the Lord with all of my heart. Great are your works O Lord. You are creator. You are the one who orders this world. You are in charge. I submit and surrender to You. Give me strength this day Lord. I continue to wait on You Lord. I wait for Your Perfect timing. This last week has been hard but there have been wonderful times as well, even through the pain I am experiencing. Splendid and majestic is your work. Your righteousness endures forever. You Lord are gracious and compassionate. Lord, I fear you and therefore I pray for your provision. The power of Your words is known to Me. Be my strength this day as I deal with this pain in my body. Lord, I pray these kidney stones would pass. It has been a roller coaster of pain these past 7 days. I’m making it with Your help. I can’t make it on my own. The works of your hands are truth and justice. Your precepts are true. They are upheld forever and ever. Holy and awesome is your name.




As Pamela (my wife) left for work this morning, she said, “I can’t do this anymore.” She was speaking of her job and the difficulty of continuing to work. O Lord, you are good. You will never be shaken. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. Who is like the Lord our God. You lift the needy from the ash heap. Lift Pamela. Help her to go the distance, not just today but each day. God, i have faith. I believe in You. I trust in You. You can do this Lord. Only You. Praise the Lord. Tremble, O Earth, before the Lord! Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Thy name give glory because of Thy lovingkindness. You do Lord whatever You please. Please rescue Pamela. This job remains but she needs a new attitude. She needs your power in her. You are her help and her shield. Help her to work well with others at her job. Bring amazing patience to her. Bring joy to her. As she writes those notes each day and responds to parents, teachers, and other therapists, give her the words to speak Lord. Guide her. Direct her paths. I give her to You. I love You Lord because you hear my voice and my supplications. As long as I live, I will call upon you Lord.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Jesus Calling: March 24

    This is a time in your life when you must learn to let go: of loved ones, of possessions, of control. In order to let go of something that is precious to you, you need to rest in My Presence, where you are complete. Take time to bask in the Light of My Love. As you relax more and more, your grasping hand gradually opens up, releasing your prized possession into My care.
    You can feel secure, even in the midst of cataclysmic changes, through awareness of My continual Presence. The One who never leaves you is the same One who never changes: I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. As you release more and more things into My care, remember that I never let go of your hand. Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you. 

Psalm 89:15
English Standard Version
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,

Hebrews 13:8
English Standard Version
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Isaiah 41:13
English Standard Version
For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I am the one who helps you.”

My Prayer
Lord, the words you said to me and everyone is to follow you I must deny myself. I admit, I grow accustomed to loved ones, possessions, of control. I grow accustomed to having it my way to the point that I begin thinking that what you want is my way. But you remind me today you are the same yesterday and today and forever. I am blessed with You. I don't need things, people or to be in control. What I need is You. Lord, make this plain to me. Give me that understanding. I want to live and be in Your presence.


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 23

    I am a God of both intricate detail and overflowing abundance. When you entrust the details of your life to Me, you are surprised by how thoroughly I answer your petitions. I take pleasure in hearing your prayers, so feel free to bring Me all your requests. The more you pray, the more answers you can receive. Best of all, your faith is strengthened as you see how precisely I respond to your specific prayers.
    Because I am infinite in all My ways, you need not fear that I will run out of resources. Abundance is at the very heart of who I AM. Come to Me in joyful expectation of receiving all you need--and sometimes much more! I delight in showering blessings on My beloved children. Come to Me with open hands and heart, ready to receive all I have for you.

Psalm 36:7-9
English Standard Version
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.

Psalm 132:15
English Standard Version
I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.

John 6:12-13
English Standard Version
And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.
My Prayer
Lord, it is always good to speak to You. Thank you for always hearing my prayers and that your Holy Spirit guides me in my words. You love is steadfast. You are the fountain of life. You bless me with abundance continually. I place my trust in You.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 22

    Rejoice and be thankful! As you walk with Me through this day, practice trusting and thanking Me all along the way. Trust is the channel through which My Peace flows into you. Thankfulness lifts you up above your circumstances.
    I do My greatest works through people with grateful, trusting hearts. Rather than planning and evaluating, practice trusting and thanking Me continually. This is a paradigm shift that will revolutionize your life.

Philippians 4:4

English Standard Version

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Psalm 95:1-2

English Standard Version

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 9:10

English Standard Version

     And those who know your name put their trust in you,
    for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

My Prayer

Lord, I pray that I would have a life of rejoicing Lord in You. Not me. Not how I may perform as a Christian, but my joy would always be completely centered on You. Lord, my singing is to You as praise. My words are praising the salvation I have in You. I come to You with thanksgiving. Lord, as Your child, that You have chosen, my life is to reflect trusting You. May my life be about seeing You and putting aside all the priorities that often get in the way of my life. I tend to seek after entertainment and expect You to then come in and bless it. I seek after success, expecting your blessing. I seek after health and then expect your blessing. I seek after so many other things, often making You out to be something I want You to be versus really discovering who You are. Lord, help me to approach You on Your terms and then to seek You first, making You number one priority. And then as I do that, everything else will fall into place in Your timing and in Your way.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 21

    Trust Me and don't be afraid, for I am your Strength and Song. Think what it means to have Me as your Strength. I spoke the universe into existence; My power is absolutely unlimited! Human weakness, consecrated to Me, is like a magnet, drawing My Power into your neediness. However, fear can block the flow of My Strength into you. Instead of trying to fight your fears, concentrate on trusting Me. When you relate to Me in confident trust, there is no limit to how much I can strengthen you.

    Remember that I am also your Song. I want you to share My Joy, living in conscious awareness of My Presence. Rejoice as we journey together toward heaven; join Me in singing My Song.

Isaiah 12:2-3

English Standard Version
“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Psalm 21:6

English Standard Version
For you make him most blessed forever;
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
My Prayer
In my weakness Lord, you are Strong. You are my strength. You carry me. You created everything I see so you are definitely capable of caring for my life. Help me Lord to trust You each day and not grade your hand of providence in my life. Put a new song in my mouth, so that I can sing praises to Your Name.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 20

    Thank Me for the glorious gift of My Spirit. This is like priming the pump of a well. As you bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving, regardless of your feelings, My Spirit is able to work more freely within you. This produces more thankfulness and more freedom, until you are overflowing with gratitude.

    I shower blessings on you daily, but sometimes you don't perceive them. When your mind is stuck on a negative focus, you see neither Me nor My gifts. In faith, thank Me for whatever is preoccupying your mind. This will clear the blockage so that you can find Me. 

2 Corinthians 5:5
English Standard Version
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 3:17
English Standard Version
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Psalm 50:14
English Standard Version
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,

My Prayer
Lord, I want to know the Holy Spirit more in my life. I think I take the Spirit for granted and don't realize the significance of His presence. Thank you for sending your presence to live on this earth. Jesus lived as an earthly body, but you sent your Spirit so that we could do greater things here on earth. Help me to recognize the blessings You provide for me in my life. There is freedom in the Spirit of the Lord. I want to experience that freedom.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 19

    I speak to you from the depths of your being. Hear Me saying soothing words of Peace, assuring you of My Love. Do not listen to voices of accusation, for they are not from Me. I speak to you in love-tones, lifting you up. My Spirit convicts cleanly, without crushing words of shame. Let the Spirit take charge of your mind, combing out tangles of deception. Be transformed by the trust that I live within you.

    The Light of My Presence is shining upon you, in benedictions of Peace. Let My Light shine in you; don't dim it with worries or fears. Holiness is letting Me live through you. Since I dwell in you, you are fully equipped to be holy. Pause before responding to people or situations, giving My Spirit space to act through you. Hasty words and actions leave no room for Me; this is atheistic living. I want to inhabit all your moments--gracing your thoughts, words, and behavior. 

Romans 8:1-2

English Standard Version

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Colossians 1:27

English Standard Version

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

1 Corinthians 6:19English Standard Version
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

My Prayer
Lord, thank you for the truth of your Word. Thank You Holy Spirit for guiding me into all truth and helping me see my sin and then transforming me through the grace of God. Help me to recognize that You are the answer to my questions. You are wanting to work in me to be holy. You don't point the finger at me, but I have been set free in Christ Jesus. Thank you for speaking to me each day and showing me how to live. I pray for obedience to your Spirit and waiting on You before responding to people. I want to be controlled by You. I yield to the Spirit. Help me be patient with those around me and may my words be few.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 18

Trust Me one day at a time. This keeps you close to Me, responsive to My will. Trust is not a natural response, especially for those who have been deeply wounded. My Spirit within you is your resident Tutor, helping you in this supernatural endeavor. Yield to His gentle touch; be sensitive to His prompting. 

Exert your will to trust Me in all circumstances. Don't let your need to understand distract you from My Presence. I will equip you to get through this day victoriously, as you live in deep dependence on Me. Tomorrow is busy worrying about itself; don't get tangled up in its worry-webs. Trust Me one day at a time. 

Psalm 84:12
English Standard Version

     O Lord of hosts,

    blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Matthew 6:34
English Standard Version

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

My Prayer
Lord, help me to not get ahead of myself and to thank you about today and focus on today. You tell me to be content. Help me Lord because I tend to continually look anxiously to the future for things that are not known and worry about future outcomes. Help me to stay in the moment. Lord, I realize that it is not natural for me to Trust You. But, You have clearly shown me who You are and what You have done in this world and in My Life. I want to trust You in all circumstances. Give me the Power to do just that. Help me to not focus on understanding before trusting. I pray that the mark of my life would be trusting You.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Malachi 1

Message: Our offerings to the Lord and giving God first fruits; being careful how we come to the Lord.

Time: After the completion of the second temple. Late 5th Century BC, possibly during Nehemiah's return to Persia -- 433-424 BC. 

What the Lord is Saying:

God says, "I have loved you."

You say, "How?"

The Lord shows that even if Edom (from Esau) rebuilds their city, the Lord will lay it down as waste. Interesting. If God chooses Israel to be His people then there are people that He chooses not to be His.

Priests, as leaders, can do wrong. God wants our first fruits or our best to be offered to Him. We often, instead, give Him what is left over. This is not simply acceptable, but rather evil. We think that we can present any sort of offering to the Lord and he will find favor in it and us. The passage talks about offerings that a governor (political leader) wouldn't find acceptable, so why do we think it is okay to give God those things?

I think often of why there is so much detail written in the Old Testament about offerings to the Lord--different types and each with specific requirements and instructions. And here I see that it matters how we present offerings. We need to be careful in all things. We need to be careful in how we present our offerings to the Lord.

The Lord's name is great and He is a great king. Treat Him as such.

Promise: God wants to receive our best. He doesn't find favor when we just give whatever. We are His called out ones and not called to do nothing with what He has given us.

Jesus Calling: March 15

    Listen to the love song that I am continually singing to you. I take great delight in you...I rejoice over you with singing. The voices of the world are a cacophony of chaos, pulling you this way and that. Don't listen to those voices; challenge them with My Word. Learn to take mini-breaks from the world, finding a place to be still in My Presence and listen to My voice.

    There is immense hidden treasure to be found through listening to Me. Though I pour out blessings upon you always, some of My richest blessings have to be actively sought. I love to reveal Myself to you, and your seeking heart opens you up to receive more of My disclosure. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 

Zephaniah 3:17

English Standard Version

The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

Matthew 7:7

English Standard Version

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

My Prayer
Lord, you delight in me. You saved me. You rejoice over me. You love me and exalt over me with loud singing. You want me. What a comfort you are to me. Lord, help me to know continually the difference between Your voice and the voices that I hear elsewhere. Thank You for living inside of me. Help me to listen more to You and talk less.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Zechariah 14

Message: The Lord will reign and rule the earth and all will be God's people.

Time: Zechariah foresees a picture of the Day of the Lord. The Lord returns.

What the Lord is Saying:

[I've been reading John MacArthur's sermon series on Zechariah and the basis of these comments is from those sermons.]

Jerusalem is mentioned by name 12 times in this chapter. "On that day" is reference 7 times.

The idea here is to approach this chapter literally because calling it symbolic then muddies the water and opens it up to mean anything, based upon the individual defining the symbol.

Here in verse 1, we begin the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is not one 24 hour day of a time of the Lord. We use the word in a similar way to describe things today, but here it spawns the rapture of the church and extending through the millennial kingdom.

• The Tribulation time when the Lord takes back the earth;
• the conquering of the nations at Armageddon;
• the judgment of the nations;
• the establishment of the Kingdom;
• the reign of Jesus Christ on earth for a thousand years; 
• the vanquishing of Satan;
• the whole great eschatological time block from the Rapture to the end of the Kingdom;
• the whole era of the end of history is the day of the Lord. 
• God sets up his own reign
• God removes the reign from unregenerate man

So, as this chapter begins, the idea of the day of the Lord above or this time period must be considered.

Verse 2, "I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem." That seems like an amazing thought. God here will gather nations to fight Jerusalem. God will instigate a war on His people. People today often say that religious people create conflicts or wars on others. And the reality here is that God is making a war on His own people. The people of Jerusalem, for the Day of the Lord, are coming back to Jerusalem. They are being regathered. And yet they are not all repentant before the Lord, but simply returning to Jerusalem. And in this fight the result will be "half in captivity, half in ruins." Half of the people calling themselves the followers of the Lord, his chosen people will be lost.

Verse 3 - It appears the Lord will then take those nations and move them out of his land. They will serve a purpose, but they won't set up shop among His people.

Verse 4,5, 6 and 7. -- The Lord arrives. "His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives." "The Lord will come." After the purging of His people, the Lord will come to the earth. Christ returns.

This return will bring with it a change to the City of Jerusalem. For one, the sun and light of the earth will remain. No longer will there be night.

And right in the middle of the City, gushing living waters will be spring forth, creating a river to east and to the west.

Verse 9, and now the religions of the world will all culminate into one religion, the religion of the Lord. "His name alone will be worshiped." Not just in Jerusalem, but "over all the earth." 

Verse 10, and somehow and in some way the world will be flattened ("one vast plain") and "Jerusalem will be raised up." Jerusalem will be higher than anything else on the earth. This is where Jesus will live and reign, so it must be high. And (v 11) Jerusalem is be safe and free from being attacked and purified. Why? Because idolatry will be gone. And abandoning the name of the Lord and replacing it with something else will be no more.

And the people that have opposed the Lord, have opposed Jerusalem will be "like walking corpses." Amazing. The Lord is the life giver. He creates life and he can remove life as well. And those that oppose Him will lose their life (v. 12), really in an instant. And if you aren't hit with this plague, you will be fighting with one another (v. 13). And the wealth of all the world will come to Jerusalem (v. 14). Nothing will be exempt (v. 15) from this, but it will affect everything, man and creature alike.

The people that remain on the earth (v. 16), in the communities that had opposed Jerusalem will be tabernacled or will dwell among God's people. They will worship. They are people who will have turned to Christ at the Day of the Lord. People will continue to not turn to the Lord and those nations won't have rain (v. 17), but will have drought. Egypt will say they don't need rain because they have the Nile River. But the Lord clearly states that if the "no rain" doesn't get you, the plague will (v. 18, 19).

And on that day, this is incredible, everything will be sacred and everything (cooking pots, harness bells of the horses) will call upon the name of the Lord saying, "Holy to the Lord" (v. 20, 21). There will no longer be any degenerate or unclean person remaining. Holiness will abound. What a future state.

Promise: The Lord will return to His People and the covenant He has with all His people will stand firm throughout eternity.
.

Jesus Calling: March 13

    Learn to live above your circumstances. This requires focused time with Me, the One who overcame the world. Trouble and distress are woven into the very fabric of this perishing world. Only My Life in you can empower you to face this endless flow of problems with good cheer. 
    As you sit quietly in My Presence, I shine Peace into your troubled mind and heart. Little by little, you are freed from earthly shackles and lifted up above your circumstances. You gain My perspective on your life, enabling you to distinguish between what is important and what is not. Rest in My Presence, receiving Joy that no one can take away from you. 

John 16:33

New King James Version These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 16:22

English Standard VersionSo also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

What the Lord is Saying to Me
Following the Lord doesn't mean that we are freed from having problems. Here we learn the importance of not letting our problems or circumstances mess up our life in Christ. In Christ we have a Joy of the Lord. That Joy is our strength. And our life is complete because of who we are in Christ. In Christ we have peace. As we live in the world, yes there is tribulation and trial, but we can approach our life in the world with good cheer because He has overcome the world.


My Prayer
Lord, I want to live a life daily with You. I want to follow You. So, help me Lord to not be engulfed with my problems or trials. Today, I will have problems presented before Me. I pray that I will walk with You through them and be of good cheer. And through it all my heart can still rejoice. No matter what the circumstance.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 12

    Waiting, trusting, and hoping are intricately connected, like golden strands interwoven to form a strong chain. Trusting is the central strand, because it is the response from My children that I desire the most. Waiting and hoping embellish the central strand and strengthen the chain that connects you to Me. Waiting for Me to work, with your eyes on Me, to evidence that you really do trust Me. If you mouth the words, "I trust You" while anxiously trying to make things go your way, your words ring hollow. Hoping is future-directed, connecting you to your inheritance in heaven. However, the benefits of hope fall fully on you in the present.

     Because you are Mine, you don't just pass time in your waiting. You can wait expectantly, in hopeful trust. Keep your "antennae" out to pick up even the faintest glimmer of My Presence.

John 14:1
English Standard Version
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Psalm 27:14
English Standard Version
     Wait for the Lord;
     be strong, and let your heart take courage;
     wait for the Lord!

Hebrews 6:18-20 
English Standard Version
so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

My Prayer
Lord, my words, "I trust you" sometimes are just words because my actions don't say that I am really trusting you. Sometimes I don't know what it really looks like in my life to trust You. Show me. Show me what this means in my life because I want my life to be about trust. I want to believe in You. I want to wait on You for your timing.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 11

    Walk by faith, not by sight. As you take steps of faith, depending on Me, I will show you how much I can do for you. If you live your life too safely, you will never know the thrill of seeing Me work through you. When I gave you My Spirit, I empowered you to live beyond your natural ability and strength. That's why it is so wrong to measure your energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not your strength but Mine, which is limitless. By walking close to Me, you can accomplish My purposes in My strength.

2 Corinthians 5:7 
New King James Version
For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Galatians 5:25 
English Standard Version
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

My Prayer
Lord, I pray that I will abide in you. May I trust Your commands. May Your grace be the center of my existence. I don't want to live by pulling up my own bootstraps and digging in and sweating and doing things on my own. I want you to be my sustenance. It is not about me, but about You and Your strength in me. When I am weak, you are strong. When I am hurting, you are there, not to offer a helping hand, but to carry me through life. 

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Jesus Calling: March 10

    You are Mine for all time -- and beyond time, into eternity. No power can deny you your inheritance in heaven. I want you to realize how utterly secure you are! Even if you falter as you journey through life, I will never let go of your hand. 

    Knowing that your future is absolutely assured can free you to live abundantly today. I have prepared this day for you with the most tender concern and attention to detail. Instead of approaching the day as a blank page that you need to fill up, try living it in a responsive mode: being on the lookout for all that I am doing. This sounds easy, but it requires a deep level of trust, based on the knowledge that My way is perfect. 

Psalm 37:23-24

English Standard Version (ESV)

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

   when he delights in his way; 

though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
   for the Lord upholds his hand.

Psalm 18:30

ESV

This God—his way is perfect;

the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

My Prayer
Lord, I ask that you would help me to see what you are doing around me and then join in You. Keep me alert to what You are doing in people's lives and then help me to question or ask what is going on. I have co-workers that appear to be near and far from You, I pray that I will speak of you and challenge them in their thinking or at the least, make mention of you in my day to day activities. You are present in my life, in my thoughts, in my prayers, so make yourself present in my speech. I do not want to be ashamed. Give me courage and teach me how to make you known more.

Lord, my security rests in you, not on this earth and the creature comforts. I'm concerned that because I have surrounded myself with such security and comfort, that I do not rely on you completely and rest in your provision for my future. Help me continually to not lean on my own understand, but instead, in all my ways acknowledge you. Lord, you are my refuge. Your ways are perfect. Your Word is true. My steps are ordained by You. You guide my steps and uphold my hand. Re-train me daily Lord into the likeness of You, so that I reflect You more each day.


Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Zechariah 13

Message: What will the return of Christ mean to Israel? Israel will be cleansed from her sin.

Time: Written after the Temple Was Completed circa 480-470BC

What the Lord is Saying:

On that day refers to the tribulation period, a future time, when Israel will be cleansed from their sins and impurity. Is Israel cleansed right now? Right now, they have rejected the Messiah and cleansing comes by faith, but the Lord has always promised restoration for His people and one day there will be restoration for all. Israel will come to repentance and a fountain of forgiveness will be released on them.

Romans 10:3 reminds us that people try to establish their own righteousness and this is what Israel or Jewish people are currently doing. They are trying to decide on their own the standard of righteousness and this is also the greatest problem of people at large today. Most people are deciding themselves what it means to be righteous. They are mapping out their own way to define this rather than submitting to the Lord. People set up rules and they set up codes and ways that must be followed. They have erected perfect churches and those people set the standard.

Jesus does not just clean us one time, but his cleansing is continual. We are continually forgiven. Forgiveness happens because of the blood of Jesus. It was one act and yet the cleansing keeps on happening (I John 1:9).

Verse 2 speaks of the fact that the spirit of impurity and the false prophets will be removed from the land. Those agents of evil will be no more. What an exciting day that will be. Sin will continue because men and women will remain, but the spirit which is constantly moving people away from Christ and instead toward the practice of just good works will be removed. To the point that in verse 3 that if a child tries to prophecy his parents will stab him to death. Even though there is no closer union than a parent/child, the hatred of false prophecy will override that.

Verse 4 is interesting because the outer garment that is worn to identity one as a prophet will be no more. It will be gone. There are so many garments that are worn that try to set people apart and show them as papal people and yet, often, those that wear it aren't true to the calling of Christ. But, at this time, those clothes will be removed. No one will want to even come close to being attributed to a prophet.

Verses 7-9 seems to be distinct from the previous verse because "on that day" in not mentioned. This shepherd will be struck down. The sheep will be scattered. Two-thirds will die, one-third remain. And that remaining third will be brought through the fire. They will be pure, refined, purified, and God will answer them and call them His people. This could be talking about Jesus and His Church, which we now live in.


Promise: God's People are cleansed

Jesus Calling: March 9

    Rest in My radiant presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything is a blur. Yet there is a cushion of calm at the center of your life, where you live in union with Me. Return to this soothing Center as often as you can, for this is where you are energized: filled with My Love, Joy, and Peace.

    The world is a needy place; do not go there for sustenance. Instead, come to Me. Learn to depend on Me alone, and your weakness will become saturated with My Power. When you find your completeness in Me, you can help other people without using them to meet your own needs. Live in the Light of My Presence, and your light will shine brightly into the lives of others.

Galatians 5:22

English Standard Version

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

1 John 4:12

English Standard Version

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

What the Lord is Saying to Me
Like I saw yesterday, the world is a needy place. It is a selfish place. The Bible repeatedly mentions that Satan, the Devil, are about misleading the world. When I don't surrender to the Lord; when I don't submit to Him, I am automatically being directed by the ruler of this world. There is no neutral position.

My Prayer
Lord, help me to not look to the world for replenishment of my soul, but to find rest in You. Your Word, Your Music, reading about You, praying are ways I can be renewed. Help me to live in the light of Your love. I pray that the fruit of the Spirit would embody me. May love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness be present in me at all times, whether at work or with my family. May love be the staple of our lives. 

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.

Zechariah 12

Message: The final siege of Jerusalem and the lifting of the siege (connected with Second Coming of Christ).

Time: Written after the Temple Was Completed circa 480-470BC

What the Lord is Saying: In this chapter Jerusalem is mentioned 10 times. The phrase "in that day" is mentioned 7 times in reference to the Day of the Lord (Great Tribulation Period).

Jerusalem is to be protected and specifically during the Second Coming of Christ and the tribulation period.

The Lord

• stretched out the heavens
• laid the foundations of the earth
• formed the human spirit

So? He has the power. Jerusalem will be protected. It will be an immovable rock. Nations will try but will be unsuccessful. A lot will be going on around Judah, but God is watching over you. You have enemies but they will be blinded. Strength will be found in the Lord. You will have security amidst chaos around you. The weakest will be as mighty as the highest King.

And then God will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer. They will be overcome with this spirit of forgiveness. People will  have sorrow

Promise: Physical renewal cannot occur until there is true spiritual renewal.

Zechariah 11

Message: The Lord Jesus Christ is to be rejected as the King at His first coming

Time: Written after the Temple Was Completed circa 480-470BC

What the Lord is Saying:

People are often deceived by falsehood and yet people willingly go along for the ride. God is there, eager to pull them back and yet as they continue to go in the direction of please themselves, God eventually gives them over (Romans 1) to the desires of their hearts. This appears to be the picture here. Could the cedars be people that have been well rooted and established and yet now are burned to the ground because they continue to wallow in the wrong direction? 

But the true shepherd rescues the deceived people. He cares for them. They were not careful, but He cares for them. As a shepherd, he had two staffs--1. Favor or Grace and 2. Union. And he got rid of the evil. And he broke the staffs into two, possibly signifying that the original covenant God had with Israel had now been broken and the Gentiles would also receive the blessing He has. Israel continued to forsake the message and devise their own methods of spirituality.

And one day, the Lord will provide a worthless shepherd, a false shepherd (Antichrist). As a shepherd the people will look to it and yet this shepherd will do them no good whatsoever.

Promise: Follow the True Shepherd

Jesus Calling: March 8

    Save your best striving for seeking My Face. I am constantly communicating with you. To find Me and hear My voice, you must seek Me above all else. Anything that you desire more than Me becomes an idol. When you are determined to get your own way, you blot Me out of your consciousness. Instead of single-mindedly pursuing some goal, talk with Me about it. Let the Light of My Presence shine on this pursuit, so that you can see it from My perspective. If the goal fits into My plans for you, I will help you reach it. If it is contrary to My will for you, I will gradually change the desire of your heart. Seek Me first and foremost; then the rest of your life will fall into place, piece by piece.

1 Chronicles 16:11

English Standard Version (ESV)

Seek the Lord and his strength;

    seek his presence continually!

Matthew 6:33

ESV

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

What the Lord is Saying to Me
As I have been reading and studying through Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and now Zechariah, the other gods idea in the lives of Judah and the idolatry worship is common place. And then in this reading today is the reminder that anything that I desire more than God will become an idol. I have to think about it. Having time with God each day is important, but it often gets pushed aside for other things, busy things going on in my life. It reminds me of the song, Busy Man, from Prodigal (1982). What is getting in the way? Going to bed late because I am watching TV. So, is TV really sort of an idol in my life because if I went to bed sooner, i could wake up sooner? Probably. I am trying to fit God in with everything else rather than making Him First. Seek Him First and then everything else will be added in correctly.

Am I pursuing something right, more out of selfish motives, than surrendering it to the Lord and making sure it is according to His will. 

Also, in my daily life, am I really seeking first God and His ways and His righteousness? Is God my priority or something I just supplement in my life? As I look at these verse (Matthew 6:33), it seems to be a training verse, getting me off of the cares of this world and off of what the world's messages are pummeling me. The world says I'm not happy unless I have this or that. It tells me that God is not the highest thing in life, but rather just accepting everything as being okay, is. It trains me into thinking the life is about being entertained. It trains me in the idea that life is about me and meeting my needs and my desires. And so sometimes what I think is that if I seek first the Kingdom of God then what will be added to me is more of the things of the world, the "wants" of life but really God is wanting to give my life His ways.

My Prayer
Lord, right the ship of time in my life. Lord, seeking You should be my priority and yet, I fall away from this priority continually. Remind me daily that seeking You first allows everything else in my life to fall into place as it is appropriate.

Lord, deepen my children's relationship with you. Draw them to yourself and help them seek first the kingdom of God. As they experience trials and tough times in their lives, may their focus be on you and how you can give them strength to endure any difficulty.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author.