The Bottom Line

AUGUST 5

MATTHEW 6:27_can add one cubit unto his statue?

Does worry do any good at all? If so, what kind of good? Does it change anything? If you need money and worry about it night and day, will that bring you money?  If you’ve lost your job and worry so much you can’t sleep, will that get you a job?

Why do you worry? Does it make you feel better?  You may think so temporarily, but the truth is it makes you sick. Or maybe you feel obligated to worry. After all, you need to do something about the problem, but it is out of your hands – so you worry.

Worry requires a lot of energy. The bottom line according to Jesus is worry won’t change a single thing. It is not simple to turn off worry. Everyone struggles with worry. It is certainly something to learn to lay at the feet of Jesus.   

Use your energy to praise the mighty God of the Impossible! Don’t be timid to say out loud, “God will help me!” When you’re in that prayer closet talk out loud. Let God know you believe! Show some faith! Ask God to release you from fear of the unknown. Ask Him to give you faith in His power.

If you get to the place you replace worry with praise – you are free of one less bondage.

PRAYER

God of My Faith, Please replace my worry with Your praise. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants my praise—I will give it to Him!

Love Conquers All!

JULY 24

MATTHEW 6:23_therefore if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Darkness can be dangerous. To the body. To the soul. To the spirit.

Darkness of soul causes deep depression, an absence of hope. Hope gives light.

Without hope there is an absence of security. Security overrides fear. 

Without security there is an absence of power. Power defies weakness.

Without power there is an absence of peace. Peace prevails over despair.

Without peace there is an absence of confidence. Confidence resists doubt. 

Without confidence there is an absence of love. Love conquers all!  

Darkness of the spirit is to be void of Jesus.

Without Jesus,

Giants cannot be slain.

Mountains cannot be moved.

Waters cannot be parted.

If you allow your light to become darkness – it will be dark indeed!

PRAYER

Jesus Who Conquers, Praise You there is no darkness You cannot conquer. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ has already conquered darkness—I must believe!

Freedom Breaks Bondage

JULY 21

MATTHEW 6:22_thy whole body shall be full of light.

Jesus gives courage and light to face every day.  Only the truth can give that. Lies give fear and darkness. God says to Joshua in chapter 1 (KJV):Be strong and of a good courage …,’ and in verse ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous …,’ and in verse ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The single eye Jesus refers to here means focused on Him, only. Singleness of vision on Jesus keeps you on His path. Never forget, His path leads to freedom.

Freedom breaks bondage. Nothing in bondage is free, and nothing free is in bondage. With your spirit as the mainspring, shackles corrode away. The mainspring creates the function of whatever it is operating. For everything to function properly the mainspring has to be free from any encumbrance. An encumbrance is a false part that does not belong.

Jesus wants your focus on Him alone.

Your whole being (body, soul, spirit) will be full of light.     

PRAYER

God of Courage, Help me be strong and of a good courage every day. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants me to keep my eyes on Him—I will!

Freely Let Go

JUNE 9

MATTHEW 6:11_Give us…

To give is to freely let go. There is no holding back when you give. If you have something that meets the need of someone else, will you give it? 

There is no charge involved in giving. Giving supplies needs, fills an empty place. Giving comes from one who has the supply. Would you ask for supply from someone you knew did not have it?

God worked many miracles in the process of freeing the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Psalm 81:10 (KJV), “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” God says don’t be afraid to open your mouth and ask for your needs. He calls you to remember His miracles of the past.

Psalm 143 (KJV) is one of those Psalms to pray, especially when going through a time of trial. Verse 5 says, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.”

God gives.

God wants to give.

God has a full supply – to give.

If he can, the devil will intimidate you into feeling it is selfish to ask God for your needs.

Go back to Psalm 81:10!

 PRAYER

Giving God, Thank You that You want me to ask for my needs. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                      

Christ teaches me to ask in prayer—I will!

The Depths of Your Heart

MAY 25

MATTHEW 6:6_and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…

Jesus says the Father is in the closet with you.  When He says the Father seeth in secret He means more than vision. God reads your soul. He sees everything in your mind and thoughts. God sees deeply – into the very depths of your heart. He knows if there is room for Him in that depth, or if it is consumed with you.

God also knows if your desire is to replace self with the Savior. He can help you with that.

God’s desire is for you to bring all your emotions of pain, heartbreak, fear, anger, and unforgiveness to Him in prayer. If you can trust God is with you in the closet, you will begin to trust He is with you anywhere. The more you trust in God’s presence, the more confident you will grow in your relationship with Him. 

Listening is every bit as important to prayer time as talking. Remember that falling in love sequence? If you do all the talking, and never any listening, then you will not know your loved one at all. It’s difficult to truly love someone you don’t know.

The more you hear God, the more you become salt and light.

PRAYER

God Who Speaks, Please speak to my heart, and help me trust You are always with me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is with me—I want to be with Him!