Blog Archives - Toni Writing for The Master

Today's devotion

9/29/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

Transparency
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Psalms 139:1-14

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Scripture Quote: Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being. (Psalms 139:16 BBE)

God understands our every thought and desire. Omnipresence is defined as, presence in every place at the same time; unbounded or universal presence - Omnipresence is an attribute unique to God. How He is always with us and keeps watch over each person is a total mystery to the finite mind of man. The Word tells us that God even knows our thoughts before they are formed in our minds. How humbling it is to realize that there is no secret we can hide from our Heavenly Father. That ugly, selfish part of us that we would hide even from ourselves, if we could, is laid bare before Him.

Despite our worst thought or deed, God loves us intimately and completely. It's startling to actually try to grasp the concept that God's knowledge of us includes absolutely everything from beginning to end - That concept of total transparency is too huge for us to comprehend, but as we understand more incrementally, we can't help but love Him more fully and remain in awe of His Almighty Mercy and Grace. Believers should never doubt the unfathomable depth of love the Father has for each of His Own.

Today’s meditation: We are the complicated creation of God’s mind, power and love.

Memory Verse: You have seen my wanderings; put the drops from my eyes into your bottle; are they not in your record? (Psalms 56:8 BBE)

Today's devotion

9/28/2016

tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

To Serve, or Not to Serve

Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Romans 15:1-7

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Scripture Quote: But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. (Luke 22:26 NIV)

The humble servant is greater than the subtle tyrant who always insists on things going his way. Christ washed His disciples feet to show them how to care for and serve one another. If the One who holds all of creation together can condescend to wash humanity's dirty feet and hearts, why would we think we should act any other way? Jesus ended up giving His life as a ransom for us. Though we may never be called to give our life for another, we are exhorted to imitate the excellence of our Perfect Savior. Of course there isn't any Christian who can shun all his vices and live a totally pure life. However, it is in the striving toward the goal that we learn humility and service.

There is no one person better than another - Social, financial or moral status should never affect our willingness to love and care about all humanity. We can choose to make ourselves agreeable and willing to share our brother's burdens. Whoever accepts another in love, accepts and possesses the love of Christ as well - So that we can offer His Love to each other. “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17 NIV)

Today’s meditation: A life of giving is a life worth living.

Memory Verse: Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. (Romans 12:16 NIV)

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Today's devotion

9/27/2016

tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com
Spiritual Circumcision
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22
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Scripture Quote: In whom you had a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; Having been put to death with him in baptism, by which you came to life again with him, through faith in the working of God, who made him come back from the dead. (Colossians 2:11-12 BBE)

We are circumcised of the sins of the flesh through the Spirit and power of Jesus who became our mediator with God the Father. Every act of Christ, before and after His resurrection, contributed to the salvation of all His Believers. The Law required a cutting off of flesh, but the Gospel of our Lord circumcised sin from the heart. Baptism by immersion into water is symbolic of Christ's burial - The resurrection of His body, illustrates total renewal of life for the Believer. We are saved by faith in Jesus, which is a gift from God.

It was God's free mercy to us, manifested through Christ's circumcision of our hearts, that enabled us to believe and also receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Our salvation is not manifested because of who we are, or what good we may have done, but rather because of who Christ is and His sacrificial death for us. Besides acknowledging our need, we contributed nothing towards the circumcision of our hearts or our redemption. It is God's Divine Grace that gives us the power to believe and to be saved.

Today’s meditation: Christ has cut off sin’s dominion over us.

Memory Verse: So that you may give the rest of your lives in the flesh not to the desires of men, but to the purpose of God. (1Peter 4:2 BBE)

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Daily devotion

9/26/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

Share the Message

Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Romans 5:16-19

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Scripture Quote: God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others. (2 Corinthians 5:18 CEV)

It's awesome that Christ was able to reconcile the whole of humanity to God, by making atonement for our sins. Jesus was the Temple of Eeternal Divinity, because even as a man, the triune God dwelt within Him at all times. Jesus made peace for us with God by the shedding of His own blood for the forgiveness of our sins, in our place. It really is a mystery how by Christ's offering upon the cross He made atonement for every Believer, taking upon Himself all God's wrath and penalty.

Christians should never take this tremendous sacrifice by our perfect, sinless Lord for granted - There is no amount of gratitude that could cover the debt we owe Jesus. All He ever asked of His followers, was to pass His message of salvation on to others. We are called to share the awesome love our triune God has for each of His own. The only way a blinded, hardened heart can accept Christ's free gift of salvation is to become aware of it and it’s up to us to tell them about it. Our personal testimony can be short, simple and gentle. Nothing but His truth will set the captives free.

Today’s meditation: Share Christ’s message with someone today.

Memory Verse: (Romans 3:24 CEV) But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.

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Today's devotion

9/25/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

Our Spirits Will Soar

Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Psalms 71:1-9

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Scripture Quote: Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:30-31)

Eagles live to a very old age compared to a lot of other birds. They molt their youthful feathers periodically and, whether fact or fable, their strength is said to be renewed repeatedly with the growth of new feathers. We, on the other hand, wilt hair and lose elasticity in our skin, as our muscles and organs progressively weaken with our increased years. Bodies that eventually disintegrate are part of our inheritance from Adam's fall.

Though our physical strength fades, our faith and hope increases with the years. Experience interacting with the Holy Spirit brings us ever closer to the image of Christ. Through trials and joys we grow closer to our spiritual roots and come to understand that the part of us that we identify with as our true, inner selves is pure spirit. Separation from the body in death is the beginning of spiritual freedom without encumbrance. We are now new creatures in Christ Jesus, but later, when we will see Him in all His Glory, sin and sorrow will be distant memories and the joy of the Lord will let our spirits truly soar.

Today’s meditation: Look ahead joyfully at the prize that awaits us.

Memory Verse: Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. (Psalms 71:3 NIV)

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Daily devotion

9/22/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

Living Victoriously
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 4:3-8

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Scripture Quote: For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy. (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 NIV)

We are truly blessed whenever we are able to stand against temptations and trials. The Bible tells us that we will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. All worldly glory will only wither and perish. Also, there is a crown of righteousness for those who live the Christian life with dignity and humility, serving and loving others as Christ has taught us.

The crown of exultation is offered to us for the people we have encountered during our lives that we have influenced in some way for Christ. They truly are "our hope and our joy." When there is good purpose in our hearts, Christ uses that to welcome others into the fold. Just by opening ourselves up to be used, God blesses others with the Gospel message and draws them to the cross. To be a miniscule part of the glorious transformation of a newly saved soul has got to be better than great fame or fortune. And then, when our time here is done and we go to our true forever home, we will be privileged to lay our crowns at the foot of our Lord and our joy will truly be complete.

Today’s meditation: In everything you do, glorify Jesus.

Memory Verse: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. (Revelation 4:11 NIV)

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Daily devotion

9/21/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

Culpability

Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: John 3:16-21

Scripture Quote: Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16 NIV)

Christians who profess to love God, also love, comfort and support each other, so that we can feel confident to share our troubles and mistakes without fear of gossip or betrayal of personal issues. But, this is an accountability that is not often pursued because our secrets can shame us. Where we might reveal an illness in a prayer request, that seems to be where our willingness to be vulnerable can often end. The idea of confessing our sins to one another makes some faint-hearted. God's Word instructs us to be accountable, humble our souls and openly seek another to pray for our specific sins, as we pray for theirs, which helps both to be more watchful of our slips.

We naturally want our friends to think well of us. When we admit to them offenses they would otherwise never have known, it humbles our pride and makes us deny rationalizations. We face ourselves in an amazingly fresh way - We definitely learn to desert self-applause. This confession is not meant for the Pastors or Elders of the church, but for other members of the church body. We can improve our faith walk when we share sin and prayer with a trustworthy Christian friend. Try it, you may not like it, but you will grow as a result of it.

Today’s meditation: Answerability improves sin-self-awareness.

Memory Verse: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 NIV)

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Today's devotion

9/20/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com
Contemplate God’s Attributes
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Job 11:7-18

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Scripture Quote: (Ecclesiastes 8:17 NIV) then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.

Our most inspired thought cannot grasp the concept of divinity or even eternity. We can define those words to human satisfaction, yet verbal explanations are shallow at best. Those realities are so beyond our perception that we haven't the ability to adequately express them to each other. Our human denial of the spiritual dimension in which Christ is King is only altered as far as our willingness to believe. We cannot see Christ who is spirit.

We can feel and be led by the Holy Spirit to read God’s Word and experience a small measure of His Divinity, but without any prior experience or source of reference, we simply cannot conceive of an eternal dimension in which total purity and holiness exists. Only our faith can venture into those realms and take the smallest taste of what we believe to be our eventual destiny. This much we do know: Power belongs to God, and with Him is unfailing love. How glorious that day will be for us when we finally go home to witness and exist in His glory for all eternity.

Today’s meditation: Contemplate Almighty God in awestruck wonder!

Memory Verse: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! (Romans 11:33 NIV)

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Today's devotion

9/19/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com

We Are New Creatures

Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: John 15:5-11

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Scripture Quote: 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)

Christians know that they are accountable to God's Law. We can't conform to the world's view of a fulfilled life through material gain and the worship of personal comfort and gratification of the lustful desires of their hearts. Instead, we are to fashion our lives after Christ's example, which leads us to find pleasure in more morale and substantial practices. We feel a strong aversion to the low standards of this world and do not wish to follow its vain pleasures.

We are new creatures in Christ Jesus and because of that transformation, God's will has become our dominate motivation. Our renewed minds gave us a disposition to obey Him and a capability to understand His precepts. The precious occasions when we walk solely in His will, we can see the appropriateness and beauty of His commands. Though we wander from Him entirely too often, His grace draws us back to appreciate our need for humility, repentance and awe of His great love for us. Our God rescued us from this world's ways. We are able to embrace the incredible thing He has done in our lives. Because once we were lost and now we are saved - Praise God!

Today’s meditation: Offer yourself to God’s will for your life.

Memory Verse: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

Daily devotion

9/18/2016

Toni Smothers tasmothers@gmail.com www.writingforthemaster.com
We Are Chosen
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
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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)

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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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