it was fitting that God should make the author of our salvation perfect through suffering.....we are made perfect in and through our suffering. Its they way God designed it.  Read less

here as jeremiah is looking at himself and wether or not he will be able to speak for the LORD in his own power..v6. in v7 GOD is saying that he will give him the power and words to go and speak to those GOD has COMMANDED...in this passage it doesnt read like it is a suggestion....for me the realization that GOD will give the WORDS and set up the opportunity all i have to do is SUBMIT.  Read less

Are we going to be single minded or double minded? What is it that we want, that we will serve? Focus is to be . . . . . servant of the kingdom, ambassador, etc. World is always working to scatter the focus, to distract us. Father God, dear Lord, what distracts me? What scatters me? How can I avoid those traps and those snares?  Read less

4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. 5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. 6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. 7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. 9 They have scattered abroad their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. 10 The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.  Read less

September 9 (Portion below taken from Joyce Meyer Devotions) [For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be. He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb. No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. —Romans 4:18-21 Doubt, as I’ve said, raises questions. It makes us ask, “Did God really say . . . ?” “Does the Word really mean . . . ?” Doubt is often the devil’s entry point into our minds. Just such simple, easy questions are enough to give Satan a place to attack. Unbelief is far worse than doubt. Doubt brings in the question, but unbelief is the result. I’ve watched Satan launch his attacks on Christians by first posing a question and then causing that question to bring doubt. The triumph of sin in the Garden of Eden began just that way. Satan said to Eve, “Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1b). That’s subtle. Satan doesn’t fight with God or argue with the Bible. He just raises a question and allows our minds to do the rest. When the question comes in such a simple way, the obvious answer must be, “Well, He didn’t really mean . . .” With that reaction, Satan has established a stronghold in your mind, and it takes little for him to move you from there to a total lack of belief...  Read less