Blog Archives - Toni Writing for The Master

DAILY DEVOTION

12/24/2021

Hospitality & Harmony
Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Romans 15:4-13

Scripture Quote: “Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” Jude 1:21-23 (NIV)

Christians are the church and the body of our Lord, Jesus. We need the church to keep us fully in the love of God. We stray when we devalue the importance of continued fellowship in worship with each other. The world is very hospitable to the floundering Christian. We need to be all the more hospitable with each other and with that stranger or struggling Christian. Support, earnestness and encouragement all create a peaceful, harmonious group. We need to be conscientious about building each other up with prayer and with hospitable, welcoming attitudes. We need to also be completely rooted in God's Word.

We are judged by the world around us who are hopeful that they can find some condemnation of us that supports their distrust and disbelief. We are known by the fruit of our lives. Harmony stems from our relationship to Jesus acted out. The discord of sin can destroy harmony and must be avoided. When the church displays hospitality and harmony she is a powerful witness to the world.

Today’s meditation: Be welcoming and generous to everyone.

Memory Verse: “I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” Romans 15:14 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

12/23/2021

Giving

By, Toni Smothers
Scripture Reading for the day: Malachi 3:9-12

Scripture Quote: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Mat 6:19-21(NIV)

The bible says that we are under God's displeasure if we neglect His church by being stingy with our time and/or finances. Has God been stingy with His blessings and provision to you? What you give to God will not lessen your security. When you give as you should, see if God doesn't increase His provision to you. His rewards may not be in cash directly, but new opportunities will be presented to you. In God's economy, when one door closes, another becomes available. Your efforts will bear fruit as you learn to be a joyful giver.

A heart designed for God and eternity is degraded when focused on material possessions. When we look for the needy, rather than looking away from obvious poverty, the compassion meant to guide the Christian's heart will strengthen. Jesus said that when we do good to the poor, it is the same as doing good to Him.

Today’s meditation: Give back generously from God's provision.

Memory Verse: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

12/22/2021

Give The Holy Spirit Control

Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: John 16:7-15

Scripture Quote: "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17 (NIV)

Is Jesus more and more dominating every interest of our lives? Jesus said to abide in Him and He would abide in us. Do we actually take the time to abide in Him, or does He get the crumbs of our attention throughout the day? It takes deliberate discipline to limit ourselves and be filled with the mind, spirit and heart of Christ. One of the hardest things about being a Christian is the directing of all the stray thoughts and actions of the flesh.

Being determined to limit ourselves in any way is acting in direct contradiction to everything we have been taught by our teachers, leaders, society and sometimes even our parents. We have been taught to expand, take control and conquer - God wants us to rest, lean and follow His perfect will. Then those of us who believe can ask to be enabled by the Holy Spirit's abundant influences, which will give us the purpose we all yearn to find for our lives.

Today’s meditation: Let the Holy Spirit guide all aspects of your life.

Memory Verse: “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

12/21/2021

Give Good for Evil

By Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Romans 12:14-20 (All Scripture quotes are CEV)

Scripture Quote: If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat. And if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. This will be the same as piling burning coals on their heads. And the LORD will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22)

If another person hates us and does bad things to us, the Bible tells us to return good for evil. The way to promote peace is to do good even to enemies. People will resist wrath, anger and power, but goodness they don't resist. Goodness finds its way to the heart and effects another's conscience. The way to bring your enemy to repentance is to be kind to him. If we all could act on the principles of the gospel and hand out good for evil, our world would move closer to becoming at peace. The only problem is that it is not in our nature to act this way - We want revenge. We want to be the one to hand out the burning coals.

It is impossible to love the conduct of a person that curses at us or injures us or our property, but though we may hate his conduct, and may suffer from it, we can still wish that person could find Jesus by repenting of his sinfulness. If Christians would meet all unkindness with kindness, all malice with benevolence and all wrong with right, peace and love would abound. This is the love of benevolence and the peace that passes understanding. May the Lord help us resist anger.

Today’s meditation: We can resist the urge to retaliate.

Memory Verse: But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. (Matthew 5:44)

December 19th, 2021

12/20/2021

Fulfillment of God’s Holy Law
By, Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:1-15

Scripture Quote: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV)

The standard of God’s Holy Law is impeccable. It demands holiness, love and perfection, which is the character of God. We could never rise to those standards. But Jesus fulfilled every bit of the law by His life and death. The truth is that Jesus came to fulfill the law and thank God that He did because our very best efforts towards holiness, are like filthy rags in comparison to God’s Holy standards.

Jesus showed us what it meant to live out the heavenly standards of God, by always doing what pleased the Father. Because the Law’s penalty of sin is death, Jesus also fulfilled that requirement. He lovingly died at the hands of brutes. He was a substitutionary sacrifice in place of us, the sinners that He loves. The Lord Jesus wants to live in and through the lives of His believers, as we continually put our faith in Him. Jesus fulfilled the Law, defeated death and rose victorious. He is now with the Father forever. Because He lives, we also will live.

Today’s meditation: Jesus fulfilled the law for us.

Memory Verse: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

12/17/2021

Fulfillment of God’s Holy Law

By, Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:1-15

Scripture Quote: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:17-18 (NIV)

The standard of God’s Holy Law is impeccable. It demands holiness, love and perfection, which is the character of God. We could never rise to those standards. But Jesus fulfilled every bit of the law by His life and death. The truth is that Jesus came to fulfill the law and thank God that He did because our very best efforts towards holiness, are like filthy rags in comparison to God’s Holy standards.

Jesus showed us what it meant to live out the heavenly standards of God, by always doing what pleased the Father. Because the Law’s penalty of sin is death, Jesus also fulfilled that requirement. He lovingly died at the hands of brutes. He was a substitutionary sacrifice in place of us, the sinners that He loves. The Lord Jesus wants to live in and through the lives of His believers, as we continually put our faith in Him. Jesus fulfilled the Law, defeated death and rose victorious. He is now with the Father forever. Because He lives, we also will live.

Today’s meditation: Jesus fulfilled the law for us.

Memory Verse: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

12/16/2021

Free Will Needs Discipline
By Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Psalm 1:1-6

Scripture Quote: Go in through the narrow gate. The gate to destruction is wide, and the road that leads there is easy to follow. A lot of people go through that gate. But the gate to life is very narrow. The road that leads there is so hard to follow that only a few people find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (CEV)

How blessed humanity would have been if we had lived from the beginning for the plan and purpose for which God created us. We'd be happy in the garden and with the dominion of all the creatures God had provided. But as it is, Christians who have received Christ are no longer desperately wicked, but we all slip at times as we transgress and disregard the boundaries God has stipulated for us. How much easier things would be if God had only not given us free will - Ah, but He did, and we must somehow fit ours through that narrow gate!

Our behavior directly demonstrates our commitment to God's Laws. We tend to try and complicate that fact, but nothing could be plainer - We are to love God above all else and others at least as much as we love ourselves. If we can capture that mindset, we can then avoid selfishness and inappropriate idols - We can endeavor to make the immortality of our soul and the existence of God’s invisible reality our primary focus, embracing our free will, as we yield it and our slip-ups to our Father's merciful forgiveness.

Today’s meditation: Love God, His Word, and others above all else.

DAILY DEVOTION

12/15/2021

Forgiveness Isn’t Always Easy

Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:8-12
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Scripture Quote: Mat 6:14-15 (NIV) For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Christians are told to forgive an offense, even if we need to forgive it seventy times seven times. Yet, we often seem to have trouble forgiving a single offense. It's easier to forgive if our offender apologizes and asks us to forgive him. But, if our offender does not ask forgiveness, we are still to be kind to that person and not harbor malice toward him - On top of that, we are not to speak ill of him and continue to be helpful to him.

God's Truth instructs us to be forgiving without exception, if we want Him to do the same for us. (We may be in trouble here!) Our pride, the bane of our destruction, rears up and claims rightful indignation when someone is offensive to us. God's Word says to offer a gentle spirit of forgiveness as soon as the sting of being wronged is felt. Christian or not, our broken humanity screams out for revenge. Jesus is our only solution to this conundrum – we must cry out to Him for a forgiving heart. When we humbly repent, lean totally on Jesus for the attitude of love that fosters forgiveness, He will provide it. We can forgive, but only if we lay down our brokenness at the feet of Jesus.

Today’s meditation: Truly desire to be forgiving.

Memory Verse: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

12/14/2021

Forgiveness And Renewal

By Toni Smothers

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

Scripture Quote: “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalms 40:1–2 (NIV)

To create means to start from sratch were there is nothing, and from that nothing, bring something into being. Our hearts are sometimes very black and void of goodness. We loose sight of the things we believe. We act out of anger, or fear, or pride. We need God's touch as we plead to be something better than we are. Only God's devine power can restore love in a fearful or angry heart.

Some versions of the bible say, "renew a right spirit within me." Others say, "a steadfast spirit." They both mean the kind of sprit that is upright, sincere and constant. We all want to be the child of God who has a willingness to yeild to that which is good. But, we also all share that inherant bent toward disobedience. We want to do things our way. So, again and again, we yeild to temptation and find ourselves begging for forgiveness and cleansing. In His mercy, he allows us to repent. We start fresh, with God's blessing. No matter what we've done, His faithfulness to us never wavers.

Today’s meditation: We serve an awesome God who is always willing to forgive.

Memory Verse: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalms 18:2 (NIV)

DAILY DEVOTION

12/13/2021

Forever Illuminated
By Toni Smothers

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6

Scripture Quote: The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalms 118:27-29 (NIV)

When we call out to our Savior, in faith, a great flood of light is released by Him, through Him and for Him. Jesus' lustrous splendor shines out His divine glory into the heart of each Believer and we are forever illuminated - We make God known by His light. Darkness may envelope much of the earth, but the glory of God shines upon His people. Like solar panels, we must be in the right position to receive the energy that turns into power. To absorb the energy and light of our Redeemer, being in an attitude of prayer allows His glory to shine within, as well as through us.

Prayer can sometimes be a list of requests, but prayer can also include no words at all. It is our state of mind that matters - Are we focused on deep gratitude for Jesus and all He has done for us? We assume an attitude of humility, "Your Will be done," and it is in these moments that we experience Christ's presence, which illuminates our spirit. Once we receive the light of Christ, it is our delight to glorify and praise the Lord in our worship and in our witness.

Today’s meditation: Light conquers darkness every time!

Memory Verse: You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light. 2 Samuel 22:29 (NIV)

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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