God Is My Happy Place

Morning & Evening Devotional
1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4245-6233-6
Verlag: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 736 Seiten

Reihe: Morning & Evening devotionals

God encourages us in his Word to give thanks in all things at all times. That's not a mistake. When we choose to focus on things we are grateful for, we become happier people. Our satisfaction in life increases. Comparisons cease. Unnecessary pursuits pause. And we begin to notice the little things. The things that matter. Life. Breath. Connection. Kindness. Beauty. This is where we find God-our true happy place. As you reflect on these devotional entries, Scriptures, and prayers, refocus your perspective and begin to meditate on things that produce life and joy, that bring peace and comfort. Spend the beginning and end of your day with God, experiencing his goodness and being refreshed in his presence. Be encouraged as you take time to ponder how wonderfully unique and abundantly blessed you are. Evaluate each day in the light of God's truth. From the time you wake up, until the time you fall into bed at night, choose gratitude. Choose satisfaction. Choose your happy place.  

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Leseproben

JANUARY 1

All About God

ROMANS 11:36 NIV

“She is very religious; she’s always talking about God!” What was meant as an insult was really quite a compliment. Has this ever been said about you? Maybe it has, and it has shut you up. With cheeks flushed, you felt judged and misread by the person you were with. Do not be ashamed. What some meant as harm is really a reflection of the gift God has given you. If you have tunnel vision for Jesus, you are not on the wrong path. The Bible, and this verse in Romans, makes it pretty clear that we are to be all about the kingdom of God!

We are not called to live in a divide of the sacred and the secular, but in all things give God the glory. Not everyone will understand why you choose to make God your happy place and bring him up in areas they don’t think he belongs. Don’t mind them. You are not too much; God loves how you can see him in all the details of life.

Do you lean more toward dividing sacred and secular or seeing God in all things?

ROMANS 11:36 TPT

Having eyes for the kingdom of God will make you feel like an outsider. We are told to expect to be hated by the world. But there will even be those who call themselves believers who find you to be too much. A life dedicated to the glory of God is never too much. A heart set on seeking him is exactly where it needs to be. A mouth proclaiming his goodness and mercy so that the rocks don’t cry out is speaking what needs to be said.

Well done! God is pleased and delighted in you. He is present in our world: moving and working. To be a person who sees him at work and brings attention to it is exactly what this world needs. You have a mind set on the Spirit. That is to be commended.

Jesus, my mind is set on you. My heart longs for more of you. I see you working in the world around me; thank you! Help me to never be ashamed of the gifts you have given me.

JANUARY 2

Beyond the Pain

2 CORINTHIANS 4:17-18 ESV

you might be thinking. But this verse is written by a man who has been in prison, shipwrecked, beaten, starved, robbed, stoned, whipped, and more. If there was someone who knew about affliction, Paul could for sure qualify as an expert! It just goes to solidify that what he is writing about here is true.

The unseen, eternal glory that is to come is unimaginably good. Incomprehensibly splendid. And on top of that, it’s solid. It’s not going anywhere. It’s more real than any reality you’ve experienced. It’s designed by a good Father who loves you deeply. When things feel hopeless, maybe your hope is in the wrong place. Turn your hope to the unshakeable age that is to come, to our eternal glory with Jesus Christ. That is a sustaining hope that will not disappoint and will afford you much joy in the here and now.

Would you say you have an eternal perspective, or are your eyes focused on now?

2 CORINTHIANS 4:17-18 TPT

Perspective can be everything. For example, someone in a windowless basement of a house will think it’s dark, but the person upstairs can see the sun outside the windows. If we set our eyes above our circumstances, it will change so much for us. Looking up to Christ will fill us with hope no matter how dark a circumstance may be.

Remembering that our time on earth is the journey not the destination, and that our eternal home awaits us, will help us keep our priorities aligned with Jesus and keep us from getting tangled up in earthly affairs. It’s helpful to have a fellow believer you can pray over your priorities with and share your perspective so both of you can encourage each other to look to Christ. Who could you reach out to share in the journey of this year with?

God, show me another believer who can help me lift my eyes back to you when times get hard.

JANUARY 3

Called His Own

1 SAMUEL 12:22 NASB

The Israelites have an extensive history, laid out for us in the Old Testament. It is often seen as back and forth: the Israelites disobeying God and God consistently redeeming them to himself. If you can think of it, it’s been done by this group of people God called his own—idolatry, complaining, disobedience, murder, lying, sexual immorality, the list goes on over thousands of years. It leaves you wondering if they would ever get it right, which is an easy stance to take from our bird’s eye view of reading the Old Testament. It also makes us wonder if God would ever give up on his people.

The answer to both of those is no; they would never get it right and God would never give up. If you find yourself shaking your head at all their shortcomings, it is wise to remember you are never going to get it right either. The good news is you don’t have to! The glory that is coming to his name by making a people for himself is the fact that through the Israelites, a people called the “missionary nation,” all other nations could know God. You can be secure in Jesus, no matter how right or wrong you get it. Faith in him means you are called his own.

Do you think that you, or someone you know, has gone too far and God has given up on them?

1 SAMUEL 12:22 NIV

As we chewed on this morning, it takes pushback against wrong thinking to be free from the lie that we will never measure up to God. People usually swing one of two ways, either trying to work harder for their salvation or giving up completely and accepting the title of unforgivable. The truth is that none of us have to work harder, and none of us are unforgivable. The grace of God is perfect in its mission—to bring God glory.

When we pendulum swing, we either spit on the grace of God by saying it is not strong enough or comprehensive enough to forgive us. If we swing the opposite direction, we try to earn the grace ourselves. This status of being his is a free gift, and it comes with the richest of rewards.

God, thank you for your grace. Thank you for calling me your own. Free me from any swinging back and forth and help me to rest in your grace alone. Help me to forgive those I don’t find worthy of your forgiveness and keep me from adding to my salvation, trying to do it in my own power.

JANUARY 4

Empowered to Hope

ROMANS 15:13 NRSV

Think of yourself as a glass. God pours joy and peace into you. When he does that, you overflow with hope. That overflow is noticeable to all around you. They, in turn, acknowledge God, and it spurs them on to believe in him! The cycle starts again in a new believer. This is discipleship made simple.

When you exercise your faith muscle, spending time with Jesus, walking in obedience to him, and reading his Word, God fills you with joy and peace. This joy and peace mixed together release hope. Try and bottle it up, but why would you want to? it’s a mixture waiting to be shared with others. When you share what God is brewing in your heart with others, it causes belief in them as well. Isn’t it awesome how God wants to use us? Won’t you be a vessel for his glory and overflow this morning?

Who can you share God’s hope with today?

ROMANS 15:13 TPT

Who is doing the filling? By whose power is this hope flourishing in us? Is it our own? No! God does the filling. The Holy Spirit provides the power. This is his work! He is not limited by your ability to be productive. He is not prone to measure your days how you measure them. The good, lasting, worthwhile work that he is doing, the glorious fruit that he produces in a person’s life, comes from the Holy Spirit!

Stop striving and wearing yourself out achieving things for God. Let him do the work for you; partner with him to see him move. Let us be stripped of our independent ways and built back up so we are dependent on him.

God,...