Blog Archives - Toni Writing for The Master

Daily devotion

3/27/2018

We Are Chosen
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:29 NIV)

Isn't it great that the Gentiles were brought into fellowship with the Jews and that it was God’s plan all along? God has always had you and me in mind, even from the beginning of the creation. We were always meant for the salvation by our precious Jesus. God had us Gentiles as much in the contemplation of his mercy and goodness as he had the Jews and He always wanted us included in His plans. God dispensed the blessings of the Gospel so that we might all learn to be holy and without blame before Him. God still wants us all to love each other as He loves us.

Without any Mosaic rite, Gentiles were admitted to all the privileges of God's church and His eternal purposes. It's incredible to try to grasp that before the foundation of the world, God predetermined that we would be His own. We did not have any special goodness or merit in us - God calls His children according to the good pleasure of His benevolent will. He has pardoned the sins of all of us who have turned to Him with repentance and true faith. We will all be gathered into glory one day with our wonderful God. Praise Him with grateful hearts!

Today’s meditation: God has predetermined our calling and we are His.

Memory Verse: And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:30 NIV)

Daily devotion

3/23/2018

Loving the Unlovable
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Romans 12:9-21
Click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:27-28 NIV)

God loves His children and can use any circumstance, whether we believe it to be evil or good, to our betterment or advantage. It's a hard truth to swallow, but we are not to respond with anger to anyone, even someone who is obviously worldly with evil intent. We can choose to be more concerned with the salvation of an evil doer, rather than to dwell on contempt for the person. It isn’t easy to be of the same spirit as Jesus, but that is what we are called to be. It takes a faithful heart and a noble mind to respond to unmerited abuse with peaceful resolve.

Quarrelsome retaliation is not appropriate behavior for the Christian. We are to leave each matter of unjust treatment to our Father God, who is the righteous judge. We can reprove with mildness whatever our enemy’s fault, but we must ultimately trust in God's willingness to use evil for our eventual good. God's children think that using something bad for good would be plain and simple. However, sometimes God's manipulation serves purposes that we are not privy to - We may never know the chain of events that God orchestrates for His purposes. Simply trust and obey, knowing that God’s way is always best for us.

Today’s meditation: Christians are supposed to be the peacemakers.

Memory Verse: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44 NIV)

Daily devotion

3/23/2018

Scripture Reading: Romans 12:9-21
Click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:27-28 NIV)

God loves His children and can use any circumstance, whether we believe it to be evil or good, to our betterment or advantage. It's a hard truth to swallow, but we are not to respond with anger to anyone, even someone who is obviously worldly with evil intent. We can choose to be more concerned with the salvation of an evil doer, rather than to dwell on contempt for the person. It isn’t easy to be of the same spirit as Jesus, but that is what we are called to be. It takes a faithful heart and a noble mind to respond to unmerited abuse with peaceful resolve.

Quarrelsome retaliation is not appropriate behavior for the Christian. We are to leave each matter of unjust treatment to our Father God, who is the righteous judge. We can reprove with mildness whatever our enemy’s fault, but we must ultimately trust in God's willingness to use evil for our eventual good. God's children think that using something bad for good would be plain and simple. However, sometimes God's manipulation serves purposes that we are not privy to - We may never know the chain of events that God orchestrates for His purposes. Simply trust and obey, knowing that God’s way is always best for us.

Today’s meditation: Christians are supposed to be the peacemakers.

Memory Verse: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (Matthew 5:44 NIV)

Daily devotion

3/22/2018

God Is Mighty to Save
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:25-31
Click here to read the scriptures
Scripture Quote: He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
(Isaiah 40:22-23 NIV)

How can we ever imagine in what manner God created and holds all of the universe together? Isn't the creation proof of the wisdom and power of God? How can we even try to compare the majesty and glory of God to anything we have ever known? We cannot. God is sovereign over all the earth, yet He loves broken humanity. He is great and glorious and worthy of the confidence of His people.

Even the most powerful leaders in our culture today are as nothing compared with our incredible God. We are a busy, agitated, impatient multitude, spread out all over the earth as God sees and cares for each of us. It's almost impossible to believe, yet we do believe - His presence in the form of the Holy Spirit is always with us and confirms God's faithfulness to all who love Him. We bring nothing more to the table than our hearts and obedience, yet God has promised to be our provision and our strength. Like Psa 27:1a says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation-— whom shall I fear?

Today’s meditation: We can rest confidently in God’s might and love.

Memory Verse: Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34b NIV)

Daily devotion

3/21/2018

God Is Mighty to Save
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:25-31
Click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
(Isaiah 40:22-23 NIV)

How can we ever imagine in what manner God created and holds all of the universe together? Isn't the creation proof of the wisdom and power of God? How can we even try to compare the majesty and glory of God to anything we have ever known? We cannot. God is sovereign over all the earth, yet He loves broken humanity. He is great and glorious and worthy of the confidence of His people.

Even the most powerful leaders in our culture today are as nothing compared with our incredible God. We are a busy, agitated, impatient multitude, spread out all over the earth as God sees and cares for each of us. It's almost impossible to believe, yet we do believe - His presence in the form of the Holy Spirit is always with us and confirms God's faithfulness to all who love Him. We bring nothing more to the table than our hearts and obedience, yet God has promised to be our provision and our strength. Like Psa 27:1a says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation-— whom shall I fear?

Today’s meditation: We can rest confidently in God’s might and love.

Memory Verse: Christ Jesus who died, more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34b NIV)

Today's devotion

3/21/2018

Faith Like Abram’s
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1-9

Scripture Quote: The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1 NIV)

Think back to the last time you moved your entire household to a new place, perhaps in response to a new job or some other motivating factor. Does the memory hold a residual loathing for the strain and extent of details involved? Many of us can relate to the feeling of being out of our comfort zone. But even so, we’d have the realization that we were expected to arrive in this new place and will eventually work toward calling it home. Abram, however, is told to leave everything familiar – He’s to go to some unknown, far off place.

It was enough for Abram that God said He would show him where to go. Never mind that Abram is told that he will produce a great nation of people, while Abram is childless and he's 75 years old. He’s commanded to go, with the promise of many heirs. It's hard to admit but, how likely would one of us be to leave our country and family because we thought God had spoken to us? I venture we'd be spending more time convincing ourselves that we couldn't possibly be hearing from God. We'd rationalize that we were too old to have children or to make a big move. But, if we hold fast to the claim that we are Believers, do we get to second guess God, or negate His instruction? Think about it.

Today’s meditation: Go deeper - Recognize God’s voice and obey Him.

Memory Verse: Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7 NIV)

today's devotion

3/20/2018

Faith Like Abram’s
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Genesis 12:1-9
click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1 NIV)

Think back to the last time you moved your entire household to a new place, perhaps in response to a new job or some other motivating factor. Does the memory hold a residual loathing for the strain and extent of details involved? Many of us can relate to the feeling of being out of our comfort zone. But even so, we’d have the realization that we were expected to arrive in this new place and will eventually work toward calling it home. Abram, however, is told to leave everything familiar – He’s to go to some unknown, far off place.

It was enough for Abram that God said He would show him where to go. Never mind that Abram is told that he will produce a great nation of people, while Abram is childless and he's 75 years old. He’s commanded to go, with the promise of many heirs. It's hard to admit but, how likely would one of us be to leave our country and family because we thought God had spoken to us? I venture we'd be spending more time convincing ourselves that we couldn't possibly be hearing from God. We'd rationalize that we were too old to have children or to make a big move. But, if we hold fast to the claim that we are Believers, do we get to second guess God, or negate His instruction? Think about it.

Today’s meditation: Go deeper - Recognize God’s voice and obey Him.

Memory Verse: Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7 NIV)

Daily devotion

3/19/2018

Christ’s Power
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:9-14
click to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16 NIV)

Jesus is said to be the image of God, and we are said to be made in the image of God. Since God is invisible, it is reasonable to conclude that nothing of God that appeared in Jesus, or that appears in us, could be a visible image. If it could be visible in Jesus, it could also be visible in the Father. Consequently, God's image in the Son must be invisible. This is that form of unutterable glory, that inaccessible essence, which none of us created humans can possibly comprehend - That divine nature which dwells in Jesus.

It is almost inconceivable to grasp that by His torture and humiliation, Jesus obtained pardon and salvation for us. The all-powerful Jesus accepted the brutal punishment for our sins upon Himself on the cross. Our Lord should be praised above all human and all created beings for His incredible sacrifice. Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things visible and invisible; of all things, whether they exist in time or in eternity - Yet, He suffered and died for us. Despite our sinfulness, Jesus loves us with a pure Savior's heart!

Today’s meditation: Christ's power and love are infinite and eternal.

Memory Verse: (Philipians 2:9 NIV) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Today's devotion

3/19/2018

Daily devotion

3/16/2018

Believe In Miracles
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:22-31
Click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. (Isaiah 64:4 NIV)

The act of restoring sight to the blind, turning water into wine, or any of the many other miracles that Jesus performed, all demonstrated His power and divinity. Christ himself was of course the most glorious of God's miracles. Some Christians today think believing in Jesus back when they saw firsthand how Jesus behaved and heard what He taught, that acceptance of His message should have been a slam-dunk. We can say that Jews in Christ's day were extremely rigid and reluctant to believe, but are we any different? Miracles still occur all around us and many for our personal benefit, yet some still say that these occurrences are either coincidence or wishful thinking.

Jesus was from the beginning with the Father and has since been seen with human eyes as a man that was touchable and accessible. The Word of Life, our Lord, came to show us the way to the Father, God. We could well be like the blind man, afflicted with a different kind of blindness, but still unable to see what God has for His children. Believing in Jesus and His miracles both then and now, has required the same leap of faith. Jesus Christ's divine power has not diminished with time and it never will.

Today’s meditation: Miracles are still happening all the time.

Memory Verse: He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17 NIV)

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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 10 pound, furry, Morky muse, '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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