LHM Daily Devotion - October 28, 2017 "He Knows and Remembers"

Most people I know forget things. Me, I forget where I have placed...

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"He Knows and Remembers"

October 28, 2017

LORD, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

~ Psalm 139:1-6 (ESV)

Most people I know forget things. 

Me, I forget where I have placed my car keys, glasses, wallet, watch, and anything else that isn't surgically attached, along with these lesser things:

• at airports and shopping malls, I forget where I parked my car;

• I forget if I have closed my garage door;

• I forget names, including those of my children and my dog.

On the other hand, I must confess I am an amateur compared to the family which went to the Crazy Corn Maze outside of Salt Lake City on a Monday evening. After having had a fun time, the family headed home. Nobody noticed their three-year-old child was not with them when they left; they didn't notice he wasn't there when it was bedtime, and nobody noticed overnight.

The next day the mother called police and confessed she was missing a child.

That was 12 hours after a lady had found the crying child and turned him into the Maze owners. The Maze owners went car-to-car and throughout the Maze trying to find the parents. Their job was made harder because the lad would only tell them his age and the names of his brother and his cat.

Eventually, the boy was handed over to the Department of Child and Family services.

According to the police, the child and mother live in a home with multiple families and a lot of children under the same roof. Still, even they were shocked when the boy's mother showed up with about ten children in tow. As of this writing, nobody knew if the boy was back with his family.

That story got me to thinking about the things which God remembers and those things He forgets.

I have to admit when you are speaking about the all-knowing Triune God, it is a challenge to find an example of anything which the Lord forgets. That being said, here is one which fits the bill. In Hebrews 8:12, the Lord gives this promise to His redeemed people: "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."

Another way of saying it is because of the sacrifice of His Son and the redemption of our souls which Jesus has won, the Lord absolutely remembers to forget our sins and the charges which once had destined our souls for hell.

And as far as the things which the Lord remembers, that list could go on forever. The Lord never forgets His covenant which bestows salvation; He remembers who we were before we were born. He recalls the hairs on our head and He knows the secrets of our hearts. The Lord knows us and remembers us and because He does there is hope and salvation for all who are brought to faith.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, it is a sad thing that humanity so regularly forgets You and all You have done for us. Open the eyes of the world so they may see all You have done to save them. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

The Daily Readings for FRIDAY, October 27, 2017

Jesus and Beelzebul

Daily Readings

Ezra 3:1-13

When the seventh month came, and the Israelites were in the towns, the people gathered together in Jerusalem. Then Jeshua son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God. They set up the altar on its foundation, because they were in dread of the neighboring peoples, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the LORD, morning and evening. And they kept the festival of booths, as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day, and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the LORD. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia. In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work on the house of the LORD. And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his sons, Binnui and Hodaviah along with the sons of Henadad, the Levites, their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of God. When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the LORD with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel." And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.

1 Corinthians 16:10-24

If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am; therefore let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I am expecting him with the brothers. Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. He will come when he has the opportunity. Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brothers and sisters, you know that members of the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to put yourselves at the service of such people, and of everyone who works and toils with them. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such persons. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord. All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 12:22-32

Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see. All the crowds were amazed and said, "Can this be the Son of David?" But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons." He knew what they were thinking and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Morning Psalms

Psalm 31 In te, Domine, speravi

1   In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
2   Incline your ear to me; make haste to deliver me.
3   Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe, for you are my crag and my stronghold; for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
4   Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, for you are my tower of strength.
5   Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O LORD, O God of truth.
6   I hate those who cling to worthless idols, and I put my trust in the LORD.
7   I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy; for you have seen my affliction; you know my distress.
8   You have not shut me up in the power of the enemy; you have set my feet in an open place.
9   Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
10   For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed.
11   I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors, a dismay to those of my acquaintance; when they see me in the street they avoid me.
12   I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am as useless as a broken pot.
13   For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
14   But as for me, I have trusted in you, O LORD. I have said, "You are my God.
15   My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
16   Make your face to shine upon your servant, and in your loving-kindness save me."
17   LORD, let me not be ashamed for having called upon you; rather, let the wicked be put to shame; let them be silent in the grave.
18   Let the lying lips be silenced which speak against the righteous, haughtily, disdainfully, and with contempt.
19   How great is your goodness, O LORD! which you have laid up for those who fear you; which you have done in the sight of all for those who put their trust in you.
20   You hide them in the covert of your presence from those who slander them; you keep them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
21   Blessed be the LORD! for he has shown me the wonders of his love in a besieged city.
22   Yet I said in my alarm, "I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes." Nevertheless, you heard the sound of my entreaty when I cried out to you.
23   Love the LORD, all you who worship him; the LORD protects the faithful, but repays to the full those who act haughtily.
24   Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 35 Judica, Domine

1   Fight those who fight me, O LORD; attack those who are attacking me.
2   Take up shield and armor and rise up to help me.
3   Draw the sword and bar the way against those who pursue me; say to my soul, "I am your salvation."
4   Let those who seek after my life be shamed and humbled; let those who plot my ruin fall back and be dismayed.
5   Let them be like chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the LORD drive them away.
6   Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD pursue them.
7   For they have secretly spread a net for me without a cause; without a cause they have dug a pit to take me alive.
8   Let ruin come upon them unawares; let them be caught in the net they hid; let them fall into the pit they dug.
9   Then I will be joyful in the LORD; I will glory in his victory.
10   My very bones will say, "LORD, who is like you? You deliver the poor from those who are too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."
11   Malicious witnesses rise up against me; they charge me with matters I know nothing about.
12   They pay me evil in exchange for good; my soul is full of despair.
13   But when they were sick I dressed in sack-cloth and humbled myself by fasting.
14   I prayed with my whole heart, as one would for a friend or a brother; I behaved like one who mourns for his mother, bowed down and grieving.
15   But when I stumbled, they were glad and gathered together; they gathered against me; strangers whom I did not know tore me to pieces and would not stop.
16   They put me to the test and mocked me; they gnashed at me with their teeth.
17   O Lord, how long will you look on? rescue me from the roaring beasts, and my life from the young lions.
18   I will give you thanks in the great congregation; I will praise you in the mighty throng.
19   Do not let my treacherous foes rejoice over me, nor let those who hate me without a cause wink at each other.
20   For they do not plan for peace, but invent deceitful schemes against the quiet in the land.
21   They opened their mouths at me and said, "Aha! we saw it with our own eyes."
22   You saw it, O LORD; do not be silent; O Lord, be not far from me.
23   Awake, arise, to my cause! to my defense, my God and my Lord!
24   Give me justice, O LORD my God, according to your righteousness; do not let them triumph over me.
25   Do not let them say in their hearts, "Aha! just what we want!" Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up."
26   Let all who rejoice at my ruin be ashamed and disgraced; let those who boast against me be clothed with dismay and shame.
27   Let those who favor my cause sing out with joy and be glad; let them say always, "Great is the LORD, who desires the prosperity of his servant."
28   And my tongue shall be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

Prayer of the Day for FRIDAY, October 27, 2017

Holy God, I believe that you will change people and many things, if asked and if it is your will. Change me Lord, if it is your will, for I would lead a better life. Touch me, I pray, great God whose touch transforms. Reach out your mighty hand to me, and to all who seek you in the name of your Son. Heal us, transform us, and make us whole; reach out your mighty hand to lift us up to serve you; touch me and all of us this very day, O Lord, that our own hands may bring your hope and healing to this broken world.

Amen

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, October 27, 2017

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Read all of Hebrews 4

Listen to Hebrews 4

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - Will He Still Forgive Us?

Will He Still Forgive Us?

"And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living."

~ Luke 15:13 (NKJV)

Have you ever wondered whether God would forgive you or extend a second chance? Maybe you think that because of the sins you’ve committed perhaps you have gone too far.

Jesus told the story of the prodigal son who ran away from home. He took the money he received through his inheritance and squandered it on prostitutes and parties. Then, after the money ran out and his friends went away, the prodigal came to his senses and returned home. He was graciously welcomed back and forgiven by his father.

Jesus told this story to give us a picture of God. We are like that prodigal who has run away from God. But if we will turn from our sin and return to Him, He will forgive us.

But what if, after a few months of being home, the prodigal son got tired of hanging around with his dad and told him, “I’m leaving again.” Let’s say that he went out and did the same things again and then returned home. Do you think his father would have forgiven him a second time? Yes. But let’s say he went out a third time and did it again. Do you think the prodigal would have been forgiven a third time? Yes. What if he did it a fourth time? What if he did it a fifteenth time? Would he have been forgiven? Yes, yes, and yes.

In the same way, we might ask, “If we sin against God, will He forgive us?” Absolutely. What if we’ve blown it more than once? Will He still forgive us? Yes. He will forgive us again, and again, and again.

No matter what you have done, no matter what sins you have committed, God stands ready to forgive you if you will come to Him.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Devotion by Greg Laurie © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.
We might think we've passed the point of no return with God. But have we?

Un Dia a la Vez - Jesús y el divorcio

Jesús y el divorcio

Por tanto, lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo separe el hombre.

~ Marcos 10:9 (NVI)

El divorcio es un tema que me causa mucho dolor. En mi caso, me resulta muy triste debido a que he pasado por dos divorcios que me dolieron por varios años. En realidad, esto es traumático en gran medida y lo lamentable es que los más afectados son los niños.

En el primero, no conocía de Dios y no había principios, ni respeto. Incluso, llegué a vivir los primeros pasos de la violencia doméstica. En el segundo, fue más triste aun porque se trataba de una boda cristiana donde el amor no fue suficiente para lidiar con los problemas y nos dejamos llevar por el orgullo.

De estas dos experiencias aprendí que casarse no era cuestión de emoción, sino que es una decisión muy seria. Por lo tanto, Dios debe ser el que nos escoja esa pareja. En la Biblia, Él nos dice que la única ocasión en la que aprueba el divorcio es cuando ha habido adulterio.

Mi consejo es que si no estás en esta situación y solo te empeñas en divorciarte porque crees que todo está perdido, dale una oportunidad a Dios para restaurar tu hogar.

Recuerda, Él tiene la última palabra.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - SACRIFICIAL GIVING

SACRIFICIAL GIVING 

In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

~ Luke 14:33 (NIV)

Johnny Li, a former colleague and current missionary trainer in China shares about his meeting with two young pastors there:

As I entered the house, I surprised to observe the humble existence of these two mighty men of God. They were the leaders of house churches in their provinces, which had grown the past nine years to more than 200,000 Christians. They were both in their late twenties and even though they have been in the ministry since they were nineteen their enthusiasm reflected beautifully.

Everybody knew about the work of the Lord through these faithful servants. I also knew that they both spent several years in prison in extremely harsh conditions, but nothing prepared me for this humble home and modest lifestyle.

There were no furniture items, no ornaments, and no beds in the small house. Their clothes were hanging on the wall due to a lack of cupboards. The only furniture was a table and a chair to sit on. There was a blanket on the ground that was obviously used as the bed. Together we sat down and I started questioning them about their activities and work that was bearing much fruit.

“How often do you travel to neighbouring villages?” I asked. “As often as possible,” they replied.

“Where do you obtain your finances to do so?” “We sell what we have,” they replied and supplied me with an explanation to the question about the empty house which I dared not ask. “We sold the chairs and we sold the cupboard,” they continued. “And that supplied much-needed funds for our outreach.”

“What happens when you have nothing more to sell?” One pastor looked sadly down to the ground and answered softly, “We find something else to sell.”

“But what?” I kept on pressuring them. “You have already sold everything and have nothing left to sell. How will you raise money now?” Then came the startling answer. “We sell our blood on the black market. We get about five dollars but the need is so great that we have to do something to tell the people around us about Jesus.”

“How can you do this” I asked. “How can you justify selling your blood to send out missionaries?” Without hesitation they answered, “We have no choice! The need is so great!”

RESPONSE: Today I will not complain about what I lack but think of what I can sacrifice for Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, I reaffirm today my decision to follow You. I give You everything I am and have.

Men of the Bible - Peter

Peter

His name means: "Rock"

His work: A career fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.
His character: Peter was a determined and impetuous man who became bold in his witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
His sorrow: Like many impulsive people, Peter's greatest enemy was his mouth—speaking without thinking. This landed him in all kinds of trouble.
His triumph: The leadership of the disciples, the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles, and his martyrdom for the Savior he loved.
Key Scriptures: Luke 9

A Look at the Man

Simon Peter had heard about Jesus. Living close to the Sea of Galilee, as Peter did, it would have been hard to miss him. But Peter's career kept him busy. Being distracted by the Teacher wouldn't be good for business.

Then one morning, as Jesus walked along the shore with the usual crowd of people surrounding him, he stopped and, without warning or permission, stepped into Peter's boat. Imagine the fisherman's shock when Jesus said to him, "Push out into the deep and drop your nets."

"But, Master," Peter protested, surprised that Jesus knew his name. "We've been up all night fishing and haven't caught anything."

Jesus turned to look at Peter with a glance that for the next three years would become familiar.

"Okay," Peter sighed. "Because it's you, I'll do it."

The moment the nets drifted below the water's surface, they filled with fish. Peter called for a second boat. But the nets were so full of fish that both boats nearly sank. Suddenly Peter made the connection between the miracle and his own wickedness. "Go away, Lord," he pleaded as he fell to his knees. "I'm a sinful man."

The Master must have instantly bonded to this rough but tenderhearted fisherman. "Don't be afraid, my friend," Jesus said to him. This may have been the first time anyone had ever said these words to this brave man. Then Jesus added, "Follow me."

The most outspoken and visible of Jesus' disciples, Simon Peter was a remarkably complex man. He was impulsive, brash, thickheaded, courageous, tough—and fearful. But there was a special place among Jesus' closest followers for this man. We have no record of there being an election of officers, but the gospel writers put Peter's name first when they list the disciples. He was their designated leader.

And there was a special place in Jesus' heart for Peter as well. He was the only disciple who received a new name—a nickname. "Blessed are you, Simon son of John," Jesus announced to him one day. "Now you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And against my church, the gates of hell don't have a chance."

But like the man who carried the name, the word rock had many faces. Certainly there was the kind of rock that provided stability—bedrock on which the church was to be built. But there was the rock that represented shallowness—an impediment for the seed to grow. There was the rock that got in the way of progress—the stumbling stone of offense. And there was the rock that was many Jews' weapon of choice. And in a contemporary setting, rock sometimes refers to a precious gem. Jesus couldn't have given Simon a more appropriate moniker.

But any instability that marked the man prior to Jesus' resurrection was permanently erased once he touched the risen Savior and heard his call once more: "Follow me!" It was Peter who stood at Pentecost and preached a radical conversion message. It was Peter who, like his Lord, healed the sick—even his shadow had healing power! It was Peter who confidently stood before the antagonists in the Sanhedrin, the same men who later murdered Stephen. "Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus," he declared. "There's no other name under heaven by which we must be saved!"

It was Peter who was singled out for an extremely unpopular assignment—to take the message of salvation to non-Jews. Peter, whom King Herod imprisoned for his refusal to stop preaching the Good News, was miraculously set free by an angel. And it was Peter whose death, Jesus said, would "glorify God."

While ministering in Rome, Peter was arrested by Nero and was later tried and crucified. However, unwilling to be killed in the same sacred way his Master had died, Peter requested that he be crucified upside down. His wish was granted, and God was glorified.

Reflect On: 1 Peter 4:12–13
Praise God: For his love.
Offer Thanks: For the wonder of a Savior who meets us where we are and transforms us by his Spirit.
Confess: Your inconsistency in wanting to follow him but so often neglecting to be his unfailing and faithful ambassador.
Ask God: For the will to be in his presence daily and to find in that encounter his redeeming power.

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.

Girlfriends in God - Overcoming the Troubles of This World

Overcoming the Troubles of This World

Erin Odom

We hope you are enjoying the Girlfriends in God daily devotions. We (Mary, Sharon, and Gwen) would like to introduce you to some of our special friends. From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our “Friday Friends.” So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our “Friday Friend,” Erin Odom.

Today’s Truth

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

~ John 16:33 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

God doesn’t promise us a life of health, wealth, and prosperity. To the contrary, Jesus told His disciples that in this world we would have trouble. But He didn’t stop there: He reminded them that He overcame the world.

Several years ago, my family walked through a period of extreme financial frustration. Month after month, we saw our savings dwindle and our bank account diminishing. We felt like we were barely surviving financially, emotionally, and even spiritually at some points.

But it was during that troublesome and turbulent time that God pointed us to Himself and the promise that He has overcome the world—despite the troubles we encounter in it. He also showed us very clearly that He is the Great Provider of all our needs. No, we will not have perfect, trouble-free lives on this earth, but God has promised to provide exactly what we need, when we need it. His provision might not always look like we would imagine or what we would pick out for ourselves, but it’s exactly what He knows is best.

I clearly remember when there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. I thought life would never get better. We would never be able to breathe. And we would always barely be making it.

The humility of our season of trouble brought me face-to-face with real need, and real provision. More than anything, our time in the tunnel tuned our hearts to God’s. We failed to acknowledge or appreciate the Lord’s provision when it seemed we were meeting all of our own needs, when we had enough money for excess. But when every penny counted, when our budget never made sense on paper, when we had cents instead of dollars in our bank account at the end of the month, that was when we learned that only God is the provider of all of our needs.

Are you there now, friend? You don’t see a way out. Hope is dim. There is no light. Are you stumbling around in the fog? Is the tunnel still dark?

Romans 8:37 says “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Yes, we will have trouble in this world, but, through Him, we can overcome them.

With the right attitude and perspective, we can look back on a season of troubling times as some of the most faith-building days of our lives.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, You never pretended that we wouldn’t have trouble in this world, but You left us with the promise that You have overcome the world. Help us to recognize your provision—whether it is financial, emotional, or spiritual provision—in our lives. Lead us to worship You during difficult seasons, and teach us that, through You, we can overcome whatever challenges we face each day.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Today, when you are tempted to get frustrated at circumstances beyond your control, think back to how Jesus warned us that we would have trouble in this world. Thank Him for overcoming the world, and pray that He can help you do the same.

More from the Girlfriends

Erin Odom is the founder of The Humbled Homemaker, a blog dedicated to grace-filled living designed to equip and encourage mothers in the trenches. Erin and her husband, Will, live in the South where they raise their four children.

Erin’s new book, More Than Just Making It: Hope for the Heart of the Financially Frustrated, is part memoir, part practical how-to that reads like a novel. Are you struggling with contentment or even stuck in a cycle of financial frustration? You’re not alone. In More Than Just Making It, Erin Odom tells the story of her family’s breaking point, as well as their comeback. It took hard work, creativity and faith in God’s provision to reset their bank account as well as their hearts. You can do the same. Learn how to rise above your circumstances with money-saving tips, and reimagine the good life as God designed it, outside the myth of the American Dream.

Seeking God?

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Girlfriends in God

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