Day 11

Hebrews 12:3 ~ “Think of what He went through; how he put up with so much hatred from sinners! So do not let yourselves become discouraged and give up.” (GNT)

I just learned that some people I considered my friends have been gossiping about me behind my back. I was angry and hurt. I mean, I am human after all. I was trying to figure out why they would do something like that. I’ve prayed with and for them, spent time with them, shared meals with them. To hear the things that were said about me was very disheartening. I thought about cutting them off, not praying for them anymore, not encouraging them, not loving them…but that obviously is not the answer. Today’s verse reminds us to consider Jesus, the one who was without sin. He was talked about, lied on, ridiculed…but he still went through and fulfilled His purpose. We must do the same. When we are “hated on”, we should use that as the fuel to propel us forward. We are not above being lied on and talked about; we can pretty much expect it when we’re doing what God has called us to do. Take it as a sign that you’re on the right path…and keep it moving!

Day 10

Matthew 6:12 ~ “Forgive us the wrongs we’ve done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.” (GNT)

Imagine this. While sitting in Heaven, God has decided to go to your blessing storage and send you down one of the things He has stored for you. He takes a moment looking through all of the goodness there and chooses just the thing you need for that day. He’s so excited! You’ve been praying and now it’s time for Him to let you have it. He picks up the blessing and just as He’s about to walk out of the room, something in your heart catches His eye. He leans in a little closer to see what it is…it’s forgiveness that’s waiting to be given, you’ve been holding on to it...harboring ill feelings towards someone.  His heart sinks. Disappointed, He turns and puts the blessing back on the shelf. He really wanted to bless you, but because you haven’t forgiven the person who wronged you, your blessing is being withheld. Forgiveness is not ours to hold hostage. We don’t deserve it, yet God gives it to us freely AND He forgets what we did! If God can do it for us, knowing ALL that’s we’ve done, surely we can extend the same for someone else!  

Day 9

Romans 8:1 ~ “There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.” (GNT)

Have you ever sinned, confessed that sin to God, only to allow the guilt of what you did condemn you? It seems you just keep replaying it over and over in your head, and each time you feel worse. When I was in my teens I made a LOT of mistakes, lots of bad choices. One of the choices I made was to terminate a pregnancy. Although I prayed and asked God to forgive me (several times!) every time I thought about it I felt guilty, as if I needed to ask for forgiveness again. I’m sure God thought I was crazy because He had already forgiven me and moved on, I was the one who kept bringing it up! Today’s verse is a reminder that there is NO condemnation for those who live in union with Christ. He loves us and offers His forgiveness freely; it’s not ours to take back. Whatever it is you may be holding on to, I encourage you to let it go……God has!

Day 8

Matthew 21:22 ~ “If you have faith, you will receive whatever you pray for.” (CEB)

My son came to me and said, “Mommy, I would ask you something, but you’re gonna say no so, nevermind.” My response to him was, “Well, if you already think I’m going to say no, then the answer is no”. It made me mad that he would automatically assume that I wouldn’t give him what he was asking for, but it made me think. This is how we do God sometimes. We want to ask Him for something, a promotion at work, a new car or home, maybe a financial increase, but we don’t because we don’t think He’ll grant the request. We are reminded in this verse that ALL we need to have is faith, and we’ll get what we’ve been praying for. It’s ours for the asking! God is willing to grant us whatever our hearts desire, but if we don’t have the faith to believe He’ll do it, why would He even bother? He is not a man that He would lie. Pray believing…don’t doubt…and you’ll receive it!

Day 7

Philippians 4:8 ~ “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” (CEV)

God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. Plans to prosper you, plans to heal you, plans to deliver you. He longs for you to live as He intended from the very beginning, in no lack. He wants you to be happy, to have joy and peace that surpasses all understanding. The enemy knows this, and he will try to distract you in any way he can. It may be through a co-worker, it may through your spouse or children, maybe even through your finances. Today I want to remind you to keep your mind “stayed on Jesus”. Look past the negative and see that God is about to bless your socks off! If you can think on the things in this verse, I mean really focus on all of the good that God has to offer, you won’t have time to entertain anything else that may come your way!

Day 6

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 ~ “Always be joyful and never stop praying” (CEV)

Trials and tribulations are inevitable, as Christians we can expect them at some point in our lives. It may seem as if every time you turn around, something else goes wrong. Financial troubles, kids acting up, relationships out of whack. Today God wants to remind you, even though you’re in the middle of a tough situation, be joyful. There’s no need to be upset about anything. God is omnipresent, everywhere at all times, He knows where you are and He hasn’t forgotten about you. Keep praying! When you keep the lines of communication open between you and God, you get stronger. Prayer gives you power over whatever the enemy may try to bring against you. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! (Psalm 30:5)

Day 5

Psalm 46:10a ~ “Be still and know that I am God” (NIV)

We live in a busy time, everybody has something to do. We go to work, we go to school, we have families to take care of...there is always something to do. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, and if you’re not careful, you’ll start to feel overwhelmed. You begin worry as you see your “to do list” get longer and longer. You get stressed out trying to be everything and do everything. And then, in the middle of all of that, you still have trials and tribulations! You know that God won’t put more on you than you can bear, and yet, here comes something else? What gives? Today’s reminder is a simple one. Be still! He is God. He’s bigger and stronger than any situation you could possible face. AND, He’s already put in you what you need to conquer whatever comes your way. The peace that comes with knowing that God has your back is like none other. All you have to do is…be still!

Day 4

Psalm 27:1 ~ “The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid” (GNT)

Everyone knows Romans 8:15 “God didn’t give us a spirit of fear”, yet there are still times when we’re fearful. The economy, fatal illnesses, our children’s safety, unemployment…life brings with it many challenges, hills to climb, hurdles to jump over. Trying to go at it alone will cause you to see things through YOUR eyes, instead of allowing God to lead you and see it through HIS eyes. His light will guide you in the right direction, the path has been laid before you, don’t be afraid. His salvation provides you security, no matter what happens you’re safe with Him, don’t be afraid. He will protect you in times of struggle; all you have to do is call on Him, don’t be afraid. No weapon (mental or physical) formed against you shall prosper, DON’T…BE…AFRAID!!

Day 3

1 Peter 4:14 ~ If you are mocked because of Christ’s name, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory—indeed, the Spirit of God—rests on you. (CEB, Common English Bible)

As much as we hate to admit it, it hurts to hear that someone has been bad mouthing you behind your back. Even more so, if that person is someone you care about. Our first instinct may be to confront that person; naturally we want to know why they did what they did. We may want to “get them back” for hurting us. But, instead of getting angry or lashing out at that person, think back on this verse. When you’re trying to live right, really seeking God and doing what He called you to do, you can expect to be persecuted. If you’re being lied on, talked about, judged and criticized, you should rejoice! Every negative word that is spoken against you, God is taking that and turning it into a major blessing for you. He is “preparing a table before you in the presence of your enemies”. So, let ‘em talk, the more they do, the higher you rise!

Day 2

John 15:13 ~ “The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.” (CEV)

Take a moment to think of your closest friend. The one who’s been through thick and thin, ups and downs, twists and turns with you. Now ask yourself this question, “would that person die for me”?  We would like to think the answer would be yes, but the reality of the situation is, the answer more than likely will be no. But, what about The One who did die for you? He is the greatest friend you have. He’s a shoulder to cry on, a confidant, an encourager, a healer, a deliverer. He knew who you would be and the things you would do and He STILL chose you to be His friend.  He loved you so much that He paid the ultimate price for your friendship.  He died…for you…because you're His friend!

Day 1

James 1:6-8 ~ “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.”

With all that we know about God, and all that He’s done for us, why do we still doubt Him? Is it because we think what we’re asking for is too big of a request? If you have asked God for something, and it is in line with His will, then you can rest assured that you will receive it. But, if you spend time trying to figure out if (or when) He’ll come through, then you may as well not have asked in the first place. You can’t believe Him one day and doubt Him the next. You don’t want God to think you’re unstable do you? I mean, seriously, would YOU trust an unstable person? Of course not! Trust Him. Believe Him. Don’t doubt Him, even for a millisecond, and see won’t He come through!

And so it begins.....

This blog is entitled, "In Case You Forgot" because sometimes we do just that, we forget! We forget how good God really is. We forget that He sent His son to die for us. We forget that we're made in His image and His likeness. We forget that we're the heirs to the kingdom of Heaven. We simply...forget. With all the things we have going on in our lives, sometimes we need someone to tap us on the shoulder and say, "Hey! Don't forget!" With the help of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, I plan to do just that.

I will be posting a daily devotional, or "reminder" if you will, to encourage you as you continue on your life's journey. It is my prayer that each day you will be blessed beyond measure and that your faith will be strengthened so that you can go forth and do all of the wonderful things that God has called you to do!  

Be Blessed!!