Blog Archives - Toni Writing for The Master

DAILY DEVOTION

6/30/2022

The Struggle Within
By, Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Romans 7:18-25

Scripture Quote: “In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. Love the LORD, all his faithful people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full." Psalms 31:22-23 (NIV)

How often do we glory in our own achievements, thinking that we have struggled with a thing and won? Hopefully, at some point after the gloating, we repent in our hearts and give the glory to God. In Romans, our scripture reading for today, Paul confessed a similar struggle between his devotion to God that contrasted dramatically with his inner struggle with sin. So even those we esteem as great leaders and evangelists, are still sinners.

It’s difficult to face our inherently tenacious tendency to stray from what we know is right. We love God and want to spread His Gospel. But often we come across as imperfect people with no business telling others how to live. So, even our efforts at evangelism are tainted and limited. We can see Paul's struggle and understand his feelings of being so much less than he wanted to be. Yet he trusted that God knew the depth of his heart's commitment to Him and how he loathed the sin that clung to him like a ball and chain – We can do the same.

Today’s meditation: God promises to forgive and forget.

Memory Verse: Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." Hebrews 10:17 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/29/2022

The Struggle Within Ourselves
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:1-7

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)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/28/2022

The Power in God’s Word
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:8-13

Scripture Quote: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)

God's Word is alive, powerful, illumined and discerning of everything that touches our lives. We are continually nourished and guided by the wisdom we find within it. Scripture can lead us to healing, truth and freedom. As the Divine Holy Spirit influences our hearts and minds, He sees and knows what we need to understand as we read. Certain lines of scripture can suddenly come alive before us and affect us as never before. Though we may have encountered those very words any number of times, they can suddenly speak to us anew. God is the ruler of His children's hearts and His Word can turn us where He pleases.

God knows our passions, appetites and our most secret struggles with sin - That's why it is said that the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword that can only penetrate the body. God's Word will always accomplish what He intends as it pierces into our souls and spirits. Scripture will never become too old or be forgotten because it will always mold God's people, correcting our thoughts with His admonitions and penetrating our hearts with His truth and promises. The Word of God will stand forever.

Today’s meditation: There is incredible power in God’s Word.

Memory Verse: I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32 NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/27/2022

God’s Holy Spirit
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: John 16:1-11

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

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to His disciples to comfort them after His resurrection. This same Spirit inspired all the writers of the Old and New Testaments. The Holy Spirit reveals to His people God's nature as the Father and as the Son. The Word of God has been breathed into life through God's Holy Spirit and it is alive to believers today, carrying the same authority as Jesus' words during His ministry. When God's Word is read or spoken by a believer with absolute faith, it carries authentic authority and great power to fulfill God’s Will.

Many Christians still fall victim to Satan's persuasions that create doubt and unbelief. When we waver in our faith, God's Word does not produce authority in us. We actually weaken ourselves when we do not stand absolutely firm on the truth and power of God's Word. So, without meaning to, we actually dethrone God in our hearts and minds when we let any unbelief enter into our thoughts. We are told to equip ourselves by following the example of Jesus - He claimed that God's Word is truth. We believe in Jesus, let us also continually search God's Word, as His Spirit fills our ever deepening faith.

Today’s meditation: Practice uncompromising faith.

Memory Verse: “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/24/2022

The Holy Spirit’s Nourishment
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: John 4:9-14 (All Scripture quoted is CEV)

Scripture Quote: Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty. (John 6:35)

We, who have received the gift of salvation from Christ, have within us the living, Holy Spirit, who is our eternal spring of life. Believers have the Lord's doctrine, explaining and promising the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which proceed from Jesus our fountain, dwelling in our believing hearts. Christians who receive Christ's doctrine and believe in Him, will be perfectly satisfied. All the guilt of our sins have been blotted out and our souls have been purified before God. Since we are able to love Christ with all our hearts, we are also able to rest fully and happily in our God.

Like a spring that is continually supplied with water from the great deep, with which it has interaction, so will the soul of the genuine Believer be supplied with love and life - And all the other graces of the indwelling Holy Spirit, from our indwelling Lord Jesus. Like the heart distributes blood to every part of the human body, so God, by Jesus Christ, conveys the life giving streams of His providential goodness to all who believe and trust fully in Him.

Today’s meditation: Believers are supplied with Christ’s thirst quenching springs of life.

Memory Verse: “Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say." (John 7:38)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/23/2022

The Good Shepherd
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 6:16-20

Scripture Quote: "My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.” Jeremiah 50:6 (NIV)

Whatever is pure or excellent is from God - Whatever is selfish, mean spirited or evil comes from mankind. We are a pitiable people who Christ has redeemed. Without Jesus abiding in us, we don't know how to apply Scripture or live out our convictions. We need Devine help to handle business decisions, financial matters, or for resolving conflicts. Jesus helps us access the character of others so we can understand their needs - He is the only reason we would care about the needs of others. It is His compassion in us that leads us to care. Our natural inclination is to care about ourselves exclusively.

God occupies no one place in the universe. God fills the heavens and the earth, is everywhere present, sees all, rules over all, and shines upon all. He dispenses his blessings equally and is loving to every Believer. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, is the Christian's resting place - If we forget that, we will follow after other false shepherds and loose our way. But when we follow the Good Shepherd, our path is loaded with God's good will and His perfect guidance.

Today’s meditation: We are lost sheep who need to follow Jesus.

Memory Verse: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/22/2022

The Goat and the Sheep
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:31-34

Scripture Quote: His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12 NIV)

Do we forget the minus side to God’s end game sometimes and go about our lives thinking that we are fortunate to have heard and believed the Gospel, relieved to know that we will spend eternity with our Savior, completely comforted knowing that eternity with Him will be our reward. But, wait a minute, is life in this world supposed to be all about us Christians? What about the multitude that exists without the blessed knowledge of salvation?

Since we can claim the kingdom of heaven not as an earned reward, but as a gift of pure unmerited mercy, like we tell our kids, we need to share! We know that every person will be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness or misery. Are we so hard-hearted to the victims of Satan that we won't attempt to find the way into our brother's troubled thinking? We can't actually justify that selfish, frightened silence. We are not ignorant to the nonbeliever's fate and our lack of mercy for his destiny can hardly be seen as loving our neighbor as Jesus instructed. There comes a point when we must face our insecurities and submit in humble obedience to our Lord - suffering eternal punishment is horrible enough for us to get over our timidity.

Today’s meditation: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Memory Verse: He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. (Mat 25:45 NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/21/2022

The Fear of God
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 21:16-20

Scripture Quote: When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Revelation 1:16-17 (NIV)

Many of God's servants responded to various manifestations of God in sheer terror. Spiritual prophets, Kings, and apostles required supernatural strength through Divine intervention just to stand before the holiness of the Lord. Daniel had a holy vision and he was terrified. (Dan 8:17) Peter was immediately awestruck by Jesus' power and of his own sinfulness in the presence of Divine Holiness. (Luke 5:7-8) These are a few demonstrations of Believers fearing their God.

We attempt to fit the fear of God into a more palatable concept of simply honoring and revering Him. While reverence is certainly one aspect of the fear of the LORD, the bible also speaks of terror, falling as if dead and many aspects of compelling, sudden and violent fright. All this is not to say that our God isn't also loving and kind, because he most certainly is. Yahweh is intimate and personal - At the same time, awesome and beyond our comprehension. The fear of God is the heart-stopping realization of His Majesty and glory.

Today’s meditation: Real fear of God’s gigantic power is appropriate.

Memory Verse: Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/20/2022

The Danger of Wealth Without Charity
By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading: Luke 16:19-31

Scripture Quote: "If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘you are my security,’ if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.” Job 31:24-28 (NIV)

The account of the rich man tells us he was an uncharitable man who was unmoved by another's torment. He lived out his life in the ease and comfort that wealth can provide a person - Lazarus, not so much. Since the rich man was without mercy and the love of God was not present in his heart, he had no place in heaven after his death. But Lazarus was escorted into paradise to live forever with God.

Financial status is irrelevant - We can give cheerfully towards the welfare of those in need from whatever resources we have. The compassion we show others demonstrates God to them. We need to conform in our hearts to the spirit and mind of Christ. We who know the Lord and bear His fruit in this lifetime, will stand victorious with all the saints in heaven after our death.

Today’s meditation: Look for opportunities to share.

Memory Verse: "But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.’” Luke 16:25 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

6/17/2022

The Believer’s Heart
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:18-23

Scripture Quote: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:16-18)

God's Word conveys ideas of infinite importance to mankind. Academics try to explain it, but the mystery within it can’t be successfully verbalized. Believers take nourishment from the Bible incrementally - When we reread a certain passage for the umpteenth time, suddenly it pierces past our minds into our hearts and it transforms us. Every word seems to have come immediately from heaven - We need to study and continually learn from it all our lives. Love, mercy and truth can never be redundant.

Christians often face trials too great for our natural strength and temptations which we do not have the power to resist without help. We are given Divine strength from the Holy Spirit and verbal ammunition as we memorize verses from God's Word. The believing heart is the endless residence of God, in which dwells all power, all love, and the mystery of the eternal Trinity. All this resides in each of our hearts that believe in Jesus!

Today’s meditation: Set your goal on God’s best for your life.

Memory Verse: All your works praise you, LORD; your faithful people extol you. (Psalms 145:10)

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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