Blog Archives - Toni Writing for The Master

Daily devotion

9/28/2018

Our Eternal God

Scripture Reading for the day: Exodus 3:14-21

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Scripture Quote: “Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, what is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” Exodus 3:13 (NKJV)

God is self-existing. How can He be explained or compared to anyone or anything else? How can we comprehend His Majesty? We can’t. We can’t think of something not existing in a time frame with a beginning and an end. The concept of eternity seems to be futuristic to us mortals. But the idea of there being no beginning is just too difficult for us to grasp. We also know that believers in Jesus are to be joined with Him after their deaths to live eternally in heaven - Many questions will be answered in the end.

Though it amazes us that God has always been, we know that God can not lie and so we trust what the Bible tells us. To be totally dependent and confident in God’s goodness and faithfulness is the only way to accept that He is, indeed, who He says He is – Our amazing God who was and is and ever will be.

Meditation for the day: Does anything about God amaze you? Remember that thing and take time each day to praise Him about it.

Daily devotion

9/28/2018

Daily devotion

9/28/2018

Daily devotion

9/28/2018

Daily devotion

9/27/2018

No Condemnation

Scripture Reading for the day:  Romans 8:31-39

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Scripture Quote: “Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of honor next to God, pleading for us.” Romans 8:34 (NLT)

            We are in a relationship with Christ by faith. His death becomes our death if His spirit abides within us. Additionally, His perfection is also ours. Christ took our punishment, which we won’t have to bear and gave us His perfection, which we could never achieve ourselves.

            Our faith is not what makes us approved of God, but Christ’s sacrifice. Our faith in that sacrifice is what joins us to Jesus who in turn covers us with His righteousness before God.

            Jesus torturous death is the only thing that secures our freedom from condemnation. If we believe that Christ died for us and defeated death by His resurrection, then it is just as true that He cleansed us and brought us back into relationship with our heavenly Father. What Christ suffered, covers every sin we ever committed or will commit in the future. We are free from fear of death or any of Satan’s tricks because we are homeward bound.

Meditation for today: God sent Jesus to suffer unsurpassed agony and death because He loves us more than we can ever fully comprehend.

Memory Verse: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NLT)

Daily devotion

9/25/2018

Never Forget
Scripture Reading for the day: Deuteronomy 4:29-35
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Scripture Quote: “As they had their pasture, they became satisfied And being satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me.” Hosea 13:6 (NASB)
Do you fail to give God all the gratitude that is due to Him? Sometimes when stress and problems overwhelm us we plead to God to rescue us. We seek His mercy and grace and pray for a strong awareness of His presence - We need Him and we know it.
Equally typical, we tend to take over the controls again just as soon as it seems like everything is going well. We suddenly become in charge and feel independent and satisfied. But God wants us to know that we need Him always.
People often wonder and sometimes complain about how hard their lives are and don’t think they should suffer because they are believers. But without the refining trials, without the immediate urgency, we become swollen with pride and discard our need for Jesus. We truly are a sinful people, full of pride. And even though we all tend to be this way, our wonderful friend and merciful Savior keeps faithful to us and remains ready to hold us up with his love whenever we turn to Him.
Today’s meditation: Never forget that Jesus is your only true provision and repent of your rebellious self-reliance. Praise God’s unfailing love for you in good or bad times.
Memory Verse: “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalms 100:5

Daily devotion

9/24/2018

Keep Your Eyes On Jesus

Scripture Reading for the day: Philippians 3:12-21

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Scripture Quote: “As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing his death, so that, somehow I can experience the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10

Our priority is not self realization as much as knowing Christ. Understanding that circumstances are not accidental, we can react with understanding when life’s inevitable trouble and problems occur. Christians certainly are not exempt from the consequence of their own sins, as well as the malice encompassing our sinful world. Satan often spends great effort in making things worse for Christians because he wants to discourage and tempt us away from our love of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is determined that we grow to the position that we look for and find Jesus in all happenings in our life. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the worst of times and in the most menial work, as should we. To know who we are in Christ and to spend our lives trying to know Him even more is the most productive thing we can do.

Business success, financial goals and aspirations to fame are all irrelevant - They fade in comparison to the great love and future glory we will be surrounded by. Seek earnestly to know your Lord and Savior and glorify Him in all your actions and attitudes.

Mediation for the day: Train yourself to run the race of life, keeping your eyes on Christ.

Memory Verse: “I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.” Philippians 3:7

Daily devotion

9/21/2018

Keep Your Eyes On Jesus

Scripture Reading for the day: Philippians 3:12-21

click here to read the scripture

Scripture Quote: “As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing his death, so that, somehow I can experience the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10

Our priority is not self realization as much as knowing Christ. Understanding that circumstances are not accidental, we can react with understanding when life’s inevitable trouble and problems occur. Christians certainly are not exempt from the consequence of their own sins, as well as the malice encompassing our sinful world. Satan often spends great effort in making things worse for Christians because he wants to discourage and tempt us away from our love of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is determined that we grow to the position that we look for and find Jesus in all happenings in our life. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the worst of times and in the most menial work, as should we. To know who we are in Christ and to spend our lives trying to know Him even more is the most productive thing we can do.

Business success, financial goals and aspirations to fame are all irrelevant - They fade in comparison to the great love and future glory we will be surrounded by. Seek earnestly to know your Lord and Savior and glorify Him in all your actions and attitudes.

Mediation for the day: Train yourself to run the race of life, keeping your eyes on Christ.

Memory Verse: “I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.” Philippians 3:7

Daily devotion

9/20/2018

Judgment Of Sin

Scripture Reading for the day:  Psalm 51:10-17

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Scripture Quote: “So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. The letter instructed Joab, Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 2 Samuel 11:14-17

            So David was indirectly but still quite guilty of murder. Yet we read that he was favored by God. Is our sin less because we haven’t murdered anyone? Does God rate sins on a scale of 1 to 10? He doesn’t, because the Bible tells us that all sin is abhorrent to God. All have sinned and been found wanting and in need of Christ’s cleansing sacrifice for God’s unconditional forgiveness.

            We must learn to loath our own sin as much, if not more than, our brother’s. We all have that blackness in our inner being that can only be healed by Him. We must plead for our hearts to be cleansed and our souls renewed. More than anything we hold dear, we must hold the gift of a pure heart in the highest esteem. The Bible tells us, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”

Meditation for today: “God has promised to forgive and restore those who come to him hating their sins and wanting to be saved from them. He did it for David; He will do it for us, too.” J.J. Packer

Memory Verse: “You may be saying, what terrible people have you been talking about? But you are just as bad and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself for you do these very same things.” Romans 2:1 (NLT)

Daily devotion

9/19/2018

Jesus Is The Good Shepherd

Scripture Reading for the day:  John 10:1-18

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Scripture Quote: “I have other sheep too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also and they will listen to my voice and there will be one flock with one shepherd.” John 10:14-16 (NLT)

            A hired man will tend sheep for pay, but the true shepherd owns his sheep and does it out of love because he is committed to them. Jesus did not merely fulfill prophecy; he did everything that He did out of His abundant love for us. He was 100% willing to reach as many as He could while He was with us and then to pass the message of good news on to his apostles.

            People tend to build fences. We like to see far off places off and make them our own, disinterested in what takes place outside our small realms. We think our own little section or group is blessed of God while the others are not - But Jesus will never be limited by our pathetic barriers. He wants to bless all His sheep, from every corner of the world. Christ’s glorious kingdom will come only after that last lost sheep has been found and brought into the flock.

Meditation for the day: No one could have killed Jesus without His consent and no one can speed up or alter in any way His plan for His church.

Memory Verse: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 (NLT)

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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