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Today's devotion

5/31/2017

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                                 tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com

The Struggle Within Ourselves


​By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:1-7
 click here to read the scripture
 
Scripture Quote: “Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
 
Christ followers strive to emulate Him in word and deed. But, by trying to conform to the behavior of our holy Savior, we will struggle with our flesh continually. We have the formula for perfection from God by revelation through His Word. Just because we may know something, it doesn't necessarily follow that we are actually capable of accomplishing it. Still, God requires that His children desire a mind that thinks as Jesus does and a heart that is dominated by love. 
 
There is great reward in the heart in which Christ dwells and rules, even as it struggles to reach His standards. Until we are raised into eternity, we won't be able to achieve a level of self-control that never falters. Neither will we love unselfishly at all times. But, if we can dwell on the many blessings we have already received, and concentrate on the light Christ shines on our path each day as we seek and see the good in life, we will have come that much closer to the goal. Let God’s light shine through you whenever possible. Darkness flees in the presence of light.
 
Today’s meditation: Put God's Word into practice by your thoughts and actions.
 
Memory Verse: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
 
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Today's devotion

5/30/2017

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                                    tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com

​Thank God We Are His Sheep


By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Psalms 23:1-6
 click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote:  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
 
Believers are like a flock of sheep under the direction of our God, who condescends to be called the Shepherd of His people. We lack nothing under His provision because He has all power in heaven and earth. Our God knows our needs and His Grace leads us in the way we should go.  He protects us from our enemies just like a shepherd keeps his flock from being injured or killed by ravenous predators. If any of us stray from His path, He brings us back and gives us green pastures that are tranquil and always safe to rest upon.
 
As the sun gives earth power to revolve, Jesus, the Son, enables us through His power. We can walk in a godly manner, while illuminating His attributes through us, to a lost world. And even in the darkest valley, He sustains us against evil. His majesty is our comfort and assurance in the face of our enemies.  God never leaves His true followers because one day He wants us to dwell with Him in glory.
 
Today’s meditation: Sheep aren’t terribly bright – For this reason, the shepherd stays close by to keep them safe.
 
Memory Verse: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Mathew 11:28 (NIV)
 

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Today's devotion

5/26/2017

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                                                                 tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com                        
Spiritual Warfare

By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:11-20
 click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote:  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Ephesians 4:14 (NIV)
 
Every Christian is under attack from Satan's deceptions, so we must remain steadfast in our faith. We can choose to begin each day with the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit. With spiritual protection, we can wear our faith like a shield that circles around and enfolds us. Praying God's Word back to Him, can slice through any of Satan's schemes and temporarily expose him to the light, which he hates. Satan knows God's Word too, and he fears it's truth.
 
Our enemy is cunning - He waits for us to be caught off-guard. Remember though, God will not allow the enemy’s attack to overcome the strength he gives you. As the trial comes, he will provide you with His sufficient grace. If we are praying in the Spirit, we will be given wisdom to discern his deceptions.
 
Pray for strength for yourself and for other believers you may know. Be especially diligent in praying for your leaders, so that they may continue to teach truth as they guide all of the Lord's people. Above all, stand firm against the different plans, schemes and lies of the devil. Stand firm in your salvation, using the full armor of God, and the forces of evil will flee from you.
 
 
Today’s meditation: God’s protection is invincible.
 
Memory Verse: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)
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Today's devotion

5/25/2017

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                                             tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com
Self-Worth
                                                         By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
 click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will -- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” Ephesians 1:4-6 (NIV)
 
All believers are loved by God and called to be His holy people, recipients of his incredibly excellent blessings. We can ask for wisdom and revelation so we can understand Him better. Our privileged position allows us to call the Great Creator of the universe, our loving Father. He gives us enlightenment to know, without doubt, the hope He has placed within each of our hearts – That, and His promise of a glorious inheritance. It is incredible, yet true, that we have great worth to our Father, God.
 
He has made us joint heirs with Jesus, our Savior. What greater gift could exist? John 3:16 tells us that God loves us, but can we possibly comprehend to what extent? Who among us could ever sacrifice our own child’s life in trade for anyone else? Yet God, through the impulse of His eternal love for us, provided for our rescue with the suffering and death of His Precious Son. How could we ever suffer from low self-esteem?
 
Today’s meditation: Be still and spend time quietly basking in God’s enormous love for you.
 
Memory Verse: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 (NIV)

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Today's devotion

5/24/2017

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                                    tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com
Lion’s Den Kind of Faith
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Daniel 6:1-9
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Scripture Quote:  “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty. The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.” Daniel 6:22 (NIV)
 
The incident with Daniel and the lions makes us see, in living color, how mighty was Daniel’s faith in God. He knew that the goodness, provision, grace and mercy of God, would all work for his protection because he believed with a steadfast faith. There was no circumstance that could place doubt in Daniel's heart. It is that kind of pure faith, which believes that God will reward those who diligently seek him, that always finds favor and the willing shelter of our Sovern God.
 
Our generation has the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as our faith foundation. It was for us less than brilliant ones, God made Himself totally visible, this time in the living color of His Son’s blood. There can be no doubt about how incredibly deep God’s love for us is and no doubt about how much He deserves our complete faith.
 
Today’s meditation: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)
 
Memory Verse:  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
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Today's devotion

5/23/2017

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                                       tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com
Life Lesson
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 9:9-12
 click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: “All share a common destiny--the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them.” Ecclesiastes 9:2 (NIV)
 
Each day we face challenges, whether it be traffic jams, rebellious children, a seemingly endless pile up of work at the office, or illness, or any myriad of things that tax our ability to cope. We can sometimes feel like we are falling behind, like we are just not fast enough, or good enough, or smart enough. It would be prudent then, to stop and see a different, more joyfull perspective on our lives.
 
Instead of wondering how you will catch up with the specific demands on your life, slow down and realize that getting every last thing done doesn't make your heart any lighter. Thinking about the blessings surrounding your day can begin to show you what is and what just isn't that important.
 
The love of your heavenly Father, your cherished family, friends, and the simple fun you find in each day – all conspire to make life great. These are the truly important things. And while its true that we will all die some day, as beleivers, we are also destined for the throne - joint heirs with Jesus Christ, our Savior and friend. So, try spending much more time resting in simple gratitude.
 
Today’s meditation: Calmness flows from God.
 
Memory Verse: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalms 90:12 (NIV)
 
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Today's devotion

5/22/2017

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                                   tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com
                 
                                              God's Love & Forgiveness


By, Toni Smothers

​Scripture Reading:
 1 John 3:1-9
 click here to read the scripture
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)

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Today's devotion

5/19/2017

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                                     tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com
God’s Holy Spirit
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:11-16
 click here to read the scripture
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)
 
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Today's devotion

5/18/2017

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                                     tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com
God’s Glory
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Exodus 33:15-23
 click here to read the scripture
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 by 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 the 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)
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today's devotion

5/17/2017

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​                                     tasmothers@gmail.com        www.writingforthemaster.com
Faithfulness
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Daniel  2:16-24
 click here to read the scripture
Scripture Quote: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand.”
Daniel 3:17 (NIV)
 
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a disturbing dream that caused him to seek council. His magicians, sorcerers and the like, could not give the king adequate answers. This led the king to order the execution of all the wise men in Babylon. However, there were a few truly wise men, especially one named, Daniel, who were followers of God.
 
God was merciful to Daniel and his friends who prayed with him by revealing the king's dream and it's interpretation. Daniel confessed to the king that he had no such wonderous powers by himself, but the highest praise was due to his God for revealing these things to Daniel. So, as a result, the king spared the lives of Daniel and his praying friends. The king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him.
 
Further, into the story, we learn that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up an image of gold for all the people to fall down before and worship. Daniel’s three friends were not rebels, but they could only give their worship to their God. When faced with their disobedience, the king ordered them thrown into a blazing furnace. However, even the threat of death by fire did not move their steadfast faith in God. They were miraculously spared by God because of their faithfulness.
 
Today’s meditation: God rewards faith that is resolute.
 
Memory Verse: “Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps the faith.” Isaiah 26:2 (NIV)
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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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