Blog Archives - Toni Writing for The Master

Daily devotion

2/14/2019

God’s Mercies Are New Everyday

Scripture Reading for the day: Psalms 103:2-13
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Scripture Quote: “But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children.” Psa 103:17 (NIV)

Ignorant pagens hunted David as if he were a dangerous animal, trying to pierce him with their spears or capture him in the snares they had set. They wanted to sacrifice David before the people as an enemy of the state, but they were never successful. Joseph was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery and even imprisoned unjustly. No matter how dire his circumstances were, God managed to turn it around for Joeseph’s good.

God rescued David and Joseph back then those many years ago and He does the same for us now. From the beginning of our history God has been our protector and defense. God will always help His own. So, as we study the bible and reflect back on the numerous acts done by God in behalf of His children, we will discover that there were many instances of His mercy and goodness. We can trust in God for help when we need it.

Luckily, God has never punished us in proportion to our sins or shown His mercy based on our worthiness. We have done unmentionable things, but His mercies are so great that they overshadow everything else.

Today’s meditation: God has forgiven us, He loves us and He is always available to help us.

Memory Verse: “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Psa 86:15 (NIV)

Daily devotion

2/13/2019

God's Love & Forgiveness

Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:1-9
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Scripture Quote: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Believers have no claim of goodness, nor of earnestness, yet God's love is lavished on us. It is precisely that incomprehensible love of the Father that has brought us from being and having nothing of lasting value, to making us joint heirs with Jesus, our Savior. Alone, we are prisoners of pride, rationalizing our sinful behaviors, convinced that, by comparison, we are "good" people. We puff up about our good deeds and feel satisfaction in our kindness to others, even though we are inconsistent at best in those attitudes and behaviors. If we are truthful, our pretense of goodness must seem very hollow in God’s sight.

Only when we recognize and feel genuine remorse for our sins, can we be freed from them. “If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.” (2Ch 7:14) We have to face the fact that we all sin and fall short of the glory ransomed for us by Jesus. We need to approach our sinfulness truthfully and humbly before our gracious Father. God's ears are always attentive to the sincere, repentant confession of His children.

Today’s meditation: We can trust God to forgive us.

Memory Verse: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Daily devotion

2/12/2019

God’s Law
Scripture Reading for the day: Romans 8:1-11
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Scripture Quote: For the law of the Spirit, which brings us life in union with Christ Jesus, has set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

            God’s glory is revealed to us as He inhabits our praises. We experience a deep communion with Him when He pours His love and unfathomable peace into us. But first, we must discard the world’s standards and replace them with God’s Law.

            In the Old Testament, we read about God’s demand for holy perfection and the blood sacrifices required for forgiveness of sin that the Israelites lived under. God says in Leviticus 18:5 (NIV), “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.” You will notice that God doesn’t say, keep some of the laws.

            God hates sin and can never embrace it - This is a real problem for us. Even on our best day, how could we shed all the pride and selfishness inherent in us? We try, sure, but we can’t actually live sinless lives. We are sinful people. That’s the reason, in His love and mercy, God sent Jesus to save us. (See John 3:16)

            Jesus lived a sinless life, yet He offered His purity as the blood sacrifice for our sins. God accepts Jesus’ covering over His believers and grants us forgiveness, the Holy Spirit’s guidance and eternity with Him.

Today’s meditation: Jesus has broken sin’s power and polluting influence!

Memory Verse: “With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God.” Romans 7:22 (CEV)

Daily devotion

2/11/2019

God’s Holy Spirit

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:11-16
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Scripture Quote: “Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:3 (NIV)

We all possess a running liturgy of thoughts and feelings that are secret. It is only the Spirit of God that knows these personal things. But, we do not know those private thoughts within the Holy Spirit, which is to say that we cannot know the mind of God like He knows ours. We love God and that which we do know about Him causes us to want to worship Him. It is the Holy Spirit, working within our yielded spirits that allows us to enter into His presence with thanksgiving in our hearts and praise on our lips.

Without receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior we cannot receive the Holy Spirit. We must choose to worship God with an undivided heart. We also repent of our sins on a daily basis because there is no other way to feel the Spirit's cleansing, rejuvenation and all-encompassing love. It is from this kind of steadfast heart that genuine praise is released by our spirit and received by God's Spirit, which in turn blesses our spirit over and over until we are filled up to the point that we can hold no more.

Today’s meditation: Give God's Spirit full access as you continually repent, worship and seek His face.

Memory Verse: My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. Psalms 57:7 (NIV)

Daily devotion

2/8/2019

God’s Grace and Provision

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-15
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Scripture Quote: "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32 NIV)

We know that shepherds stay with, defend and provide for their sheep. Jesus is often represented as our shepherd and His followers as His flock. God’s Word tells us that He leads us to green pastures and besides still waters - That is a beautiful, peaceful picture of loving nurture. Although there are a multitude of people who profess to be His followers, it is the few that love Him more than anything that this world has to offer, who actually know Him as The Good Shepherd. It is His purpose that we will be secured for God’s Heavenly Kingdom.

God's grace through Christ is so much more valuable than our material wealth. Whether we are rich, have an average income, or even have very little money, God lavishes His grace on all of His children without exception. Although He does provide for our physical needs, God's best provision for us is spiritual. The material things that we have can possibly increase our ease of coping in this life, but fades in importance when compared to our eternal inheritance as joint heirs with Jesus. When we understand the value of a life lived in the comfort of His love and His legacy of Grace, we can show a lost and dying world what a truly abundant life looks like.

Today’s meditation: Let your love for God and His provision be shown to the world around you.

Daily devotion

2/7/2019

God’s Glory

Scripture Reading: Exodus 33:15-23
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Scripture Quote: “Then the LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.” Exo 34:10 (NIV)

The Israelites, who were rescued from Egypt by God, traveled with God for 40 years. In all that time, they saw only a tiny portion of God’s glory. God showed Himself as a pillar of smoke by day and fire at night. He sent them manna to eat that fell out of the sky. Those were pretty awesome displays of God's power. Still, if you consider all of creation, it is obvious that we can't come close to knowing the fullness of God's tremendous glory.

Even Moses, who asked God to see His glory, didn't realize the impossibility of his request. Because God wanted to bless Moses, He shielded Moses in the crevice of a rock, while God covered Moses with His hand until He passed by. Then, God removed His hand and Moses saw only His back. If Moses had seen more of God's glory, it would have killed him. Moses loved God and wanted more of Him, as we all do, but we will never be able to see all of God's glory until we are changed and ascend into heaven.

Today’s meditation: We are small, but God is so large.

Memory Verse: “The LORD replied, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Exo 33:14 (NIV)

Daily devotion

2/6/2019

Godlessness

Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:10-22
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Scripture Quote: People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything that is good. (2 Timothy 3:2-3 CEV)

There have been people in every age of church history, who have sworn that words from Scripture, describing overwhelming godlessness in the last days, must have been written for their specific generation. We can always find selfish, destructive attributes existing within us - The depravity of humanity is a constant. Believers never fail to manage deeply essential and particular corruption of the Gospel. As followers of Jesus, our failings have often made us despicable to Nonbelievers. We are all sinners and fall so short of His image.

Those of our generation who are frivolously aspiring to great recognition and wealth, will never find true satisfaction. Just as those who wait for everything to be handed to them, will find themselves perpetually wanting. Many sit in church on Sundays, making a show of being religious, thinking that God Almighty is somehow duped by their play-acting! God absolutely knows each of our hearts. We can humbly ask that He search ours, revealing whatever steals our heart away from Him so that we may remain true to Him always.

Today’s meditation: Seek the truth about your faithfulness to God.

Memory Verse: They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. (2 Timothy 3:4 CEV)

Daily devotion

2/5/2019

God’s Word is Alive

Scripture Reading: Psalms 77:15-20
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Scripture Quote: I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds." (Psalms 77:11-12 NIV)

It's often rewarding to recollect the personal experiences we have had with the Lord. So many of His blessings fade into our lives when we take the abundant life we have for granted. We need also to consider all the miracles Christ performed in the past to demonstrate His Mercy towards people. Imagine being one of the crowd as you are handed supernatural fish and bread from never emptying baskets! Time spent in sweet memories of his loving kindnesses sets the mood well for meditation on God's Word.

You can be certain that God wants to see you make an effort to understand and love Him more. He will speak truth to you through your study of the Bible. What a blessed privilege we have in drawing near to God through His Word. How many doubts have been dissolved, fears destroyed, hearts comforted, evil influences dispelled and lives pulled out of the darkness into God's light through contemplating His precepts and promises? Rather than having to remind ourselves to read the Bible each day, choose to be compelled to draw near to your God.

Today’s meditation: Spend time with God each day in His Living Word.

Memory Verse: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2 NIV)

Daily devotion

2/4/2019

God’s Special People

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 26:15-18
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Scripture Quote: In this agreement, the LORD promised that you would be his people and that he would be your God. He first made this promise to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and today the LORD is making this same promise to you. But it isn't just for you; it is also for your descendants. (Deuteronomy 29:13 CEV)

God hasn't explained or revealed His Full Glory to His children. We can’t know things that he has preordained for the future, or all the intricacies of His work in each of our lives. However, God has commanded us to obey the laws in His Word that he gave to us and our descendants. Those commands we can understand - Disobedience results in consequences, the worst of which is estrangement in our relationship with God. Believers don't want to miss out on God's kindness and protection. There is nothing that this world has to offer that can supply the enormous joy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The purposes of God on behalf of His people are too difficult for humanity to comprehend, but He has deliberately made certain concepts within our grasp. We are His children and God The Father loves us dearly and completely. His Word abounds with instruction, warnings, and Divine Providence. God wants us to be successful in our lives. We can choose to learn His Laws and honor them so that in everything we do we will have His blessing.

Today’s meditation: Follow God’s Word and be blessed.

Memory Verse: If you follow and obey the LORD, he will make you his own special people, just as he promised. (Deuteronomy 28:9 CEV)

Daily devotion

2/1/2019

God’s Promises Are Forever

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 6:13-20
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Scripture Quote: God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end so that what you hope for may be fully realized. Hebrews 6:10-11 (NIV)

Once God makes a promise, because of His righteousness and justice, He will keep it. He has promised to reward every good work and labor of love and He will reward us. But each good work must originate from faith in God and have love for its motive. It is His Spirit at work in us that compels us to be generous to those in need and to love them with His love in us. As Christians, we can demonstrate Christ's love through our actions far more dramatically than through our speech.

Believers can earnestly pursue justice and compassion as a goal to offer up to God. With an active faith and a laboring love, we can please the God of our hearts. We are all sinners and don't really deserve our salvation and the extreme love of the Father. Nevertheless, we are blessed beyond measure by the blood of the Savior. This precious gift can be shared by being open about our faith to the nonbeliever and by loving others in the name of God.

Today’s meditation: Never tire of showing love and doing good.

Memory Verse: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

2 Timothy 3:16-17New International Version (NIV) 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work

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Bio: Toni Smothers has written articles for “Total Health”, “Let’s Live”, “People In Action” and “The North American Mentor” magazines. She is a member of the Faithwriters.com writing community and was previously the editor for the teen section of their on-line magazine. She has written many programs, sermons, and skits and has edited several websites. Additionally, she has answered hundreds of questions for GotQuestions.org, a biblical resource site. Here is just one of their many testimonials: "Thank you for this insightful website! I was able to look up many questions I have asked over the years since becoming saved. The site is easy to navigate and gave me so much biblical background for answers that I feel my armor has been strengthened. You and your staff be encouraged to continue to speak the truth for God's glory." When Toni is not writing, she can usually be found cuddling with her 5 pound, furry, Chihuahua muse, “Princess Sweet Pea.” Toni Smothers studied homeopathy extensively and became a proficient layman. She wrote about homeopathy for “Total Health” and “Let’s Live” magazines. Smothers describes her experience befriending a refugee family from Laos in her article published in the travel magazine, “People in Action.” Additionally, “American Mentor” magazine has published some of her poetry. Smothers drew upon her fun experiences as a youth pastor to provide the needed insight to function as the editor of the teen section of “Faithwriters” magazine and she is a member of the Faithwriters.com writer’s community.

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