Are your ways in order?

Today will be the last devotion for a little over a week as I will be away from the computer for a bit!



I was reading in 2 Chronicles and came across this verse:


2 Chronicles 27:6

6 So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.



Jotham was a King in Judah. He was a faithful servant of the Lord. What caught my attention was "he ordered his ways before the Lord his God". Wow what a great thing to be said about someone. So I want to ask us this morning, are our ways ordered before God this morning and every second of everyday?



The concept of things being ordered is to be so in love with God that all of our day is in accordance with His will for our lives. In other words, our day is planned by God and we obey. What a great way to live! For the believer it should be how we want to live. Totally surrendered to God.



The result for Jotham was he was a mighty King! The result for us will be a joy filled, blessed, and victorious life in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.



So this morning, are your ways in order?



Tom

I wait on you God....lead me.

Great verse this morning I seen shared by Sadie Robertson the teenage girl from Duck Dynasty.



Psalm 25:5

5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,For You are the God of my salvation;On You I wait all the day.



The world wants to lead you this morning. Don't let it. Put your blinders on and keep your focus on Jesus. Ask Him to lead you in truth and to teach you...He will. Acknowledge Jesus as your God, the God of your salvation. Praise Him for dying on the cross from you! No matter what you face today, wait on God. He will lead and give answers and love you! Just remember it will be in His timing not ours. His ways are not our ways so just wait and listen. God is there and always will be for those who follow Him!



Have a great day!



Tom

Are you praising God?

Well here we are half way through the week. You may have had a great week so far or maybe not so great. No matter what your are facing we need to sing praises to God! Check this verse out:



Psalm 13:6

6 I will sing to the Lord,Because He has dealt bountifully with me.



Dave Ramsey, the christian financial guru, always responds to a caller to his show who asks "how are you" by saying "better than I deserve". I think the majority of us can say that, matter of fact all of us can say that because what we deserve is death and hell!



Singing praises to God helps in so may ways. First, it shows our love for Him. Second, it shows others whom our God is. Third, it makes your feel good to praise God. Fourth, it is scriptural to do so. Fifth, God is worthy of our praises!



The later part of the verse says "Because He has dealt bountifully with me." Can I get an amen on that! I am blessed! God has blessed me beyond my comprehension. I am so unworthy of even another breath, but God loves me and provides. He loves you too, think about all the blessings God has given you!



So this morning let the singing go, and praise God......for HE IS WORTHY!



Tom

Where ya dwelling today?

No matter what kind of day you have today, good or bad, you can know where you dwell. God has given us a choice to live in Him or to live somewhere else. God loves you and wants you to be with Him but he will not force you. Read these verses:



Psalm 91:1-2

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;My God, in Him I will trust.”



I am so thankful for those who brought me to Jesus. Life has thrown me some curve balls and I am greatful to dwell in God. God has also blessed more than I deserve and I praise God that He gives me the opportunity to dwell in Him. I trust God and always will no matter where life takes me. I know God will be right there beside me. One thing to keep in mind, this is just my temporary home, for one day soon I will live for eternity with God in heaven because I placed my trust in His Son Jesus!



So where have you chosen to dwell this day? In the world who will let you down or in Jesus who will never leave nor forsake you? Your choice!



Tom

Where is your mind at?

Monday, Monday! If you are like most you have a million things to do this week at work, with the kids, at church, ect. So our minds tend to be focused on those things instead of God. Look at this verse:



Colossians 3:2

2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.



Where are our minds suppose to be? On things that are in heaven or important to the Kingdom of God. The stresses of life can be overwhelming, but God tells us not to worry!



Matthew 6:25-34 Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.



God tells us how to deal with these worries here:



Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;



Give it to God and then be obedient and do the things of the Kingdom of God. When we are doing God's work, we won't have time for our minds to get on things we have no control over!



So get your mind right this morning! Get it on God!



Tom

Are you hearing?

These are the Words of Jesus:



John 8:47

47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”



To many folks today let the Word of God go in one ear and out the other. We must listen and take to heart every Word of God. We can not pick and choose what we want to hear and what we want to ignore. God's Word is an all or nothing option. When folks choose not to listen to what God says we are told here it is because they are not of God. Can't get more simple than that can it. Once we hear the Word then this is the next step:



James 1:22

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.



Do what God says...plain and simple!



So this morning are you hearing and doing or are you picking and choosing? When you figure this out you will know if you are of God or not!



Tom

Be a Berean!

We can pick up some very important things from the Bereans! Read these verses:



Acts 17:10-11

10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.



So what do we see here?



1. "they received the word with all eagerness" They wanted God's Word! Do you? I will be honest, some days I have a eagerness to get into the Word, and some days I have to force myself into the Word. The key is though, I get in the Word. No matter how I get into the Word, once I get started I am ALWAYS blessed by spending time with God. So get in God's Word!



2. "examining the Scriptures daily" The Bereans are in the Word daily! Not just on Sunday morning but daily! This is how we get to know God and His ways. Are you in the Word daily? Examining is more that just a read over! They studied to get deep meaning. I hope and pray you are too so you can get a deep relationship with God!



3. "examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so" what does this mean? It means they did not take man's word about the scriptures but they looked and studied for themselves! This is a important point. I pray that your pastor or whoever is bringing the truth to you about scripture, but it is your responsibility to find out. The Bereans looked for themselves and you should too! If your are reading and studying your bibles like you should, you will have a good idea if the truth is coming out because you are studied up!



So are you like the Bereans? You need to be! Get in the Word, eagerly, read to lean and apply what God teaches you. The blessing that will flow from that is a deeper, more intimate relationship with the God who created you and loves you!



Tom