August 23

Spiritual Check Up Day 5 by SGLY Ministry

PEACE
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you;
not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
–Jesus John 14:27 (NKJV)

Today’s Action:
Jesus said He was leaving us Peace, His peace.
His peace is different than the world’s peace.
His peace is interior, the world’s is exterior.
His peace is constant, it does not depend on circumstances like the world’s peace does.
In the midst of the world’s confusion, we can be at peace daily with the peace Jesus gives us. Our spiritual health depends on having His peace.

Spiritual Exercise:
Choose to accept and put on the peace daily that Jesus offers for He has said:
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (NLT)
Choose to walk then in His peace, and you will not be troubled, nor afraid.
Even if you are walking in a world full of unrest today, you can claim the peace that Jesus gives, and you will be spiritually healthy and well.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

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Psalm 46:1 ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.’

- This must be one of the most encouraging verses in all of the scriptures.
- It is a constant reminder, that no matter what, the Lord is there for us.
- He is your Refuge; He is your Strength and He is your Helper.
- Place ALL of your trust in Him and know Him as your ‘ever-present’ help.

PRAYER: Lord, it’s all because of You that I can stand today and give You glory and praise. I am alive today, and its all because of You, my Refuge, my Strength and my Help. Amen.

Kind Regards
Pastor Andrew Roebert

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No Slapping On Labels

The front door slammed, indicating that Ava was home from school. But she didn't burst into the kitchen as usual, so Mom went to check on her. She found her sitting on the sofa, looking unhappy "What's wrong?" asked Mom.

Ava scowled. "I've been assigned to work on a school project with a new girl in my class-Lily," she mumbled. "You should see her. Her pants are too short, her socks never match, and her hair's always a mess."

"But what makes you think she won't be a good partner?" asked Mom.

"I just told you," grumbled Ava. "If you could see her, you wouldn't even ask."

Just then, there was a loud clunk in the kitchen. "That sounds like trouble," said Mom. She and Ava hurried to the kitchen where they found two-year-old Travis surrounded by several cans he had taken out of the cupboard-many with the labels peeled off. "Oh, no," moaned Mom as she looked at the mess.

"I'll help Travis put them back," said Ava.

After thinking a moment, Mom nodded. "Okay, Ava, but first tape the labels back on the cans," she said.

"But I won't know which label goes on which can," said Ava.

"Well, just figure it out the best you can and make them all look nice and neat," replied Mom. "Then give me one that says 'green beans.' We'll have that for dinner tonight. Beans will go well with the meat loaf I'm fixing."

"But if I just slap the labels on any old can, those that say 'green beans' will probably be something else," protested Ava.

"So what you see on the outside can be misleading, right?" asked Mom. She smiled at Ava. "You should remember that when you think of Lily. You've already judged her because of the way she looks on the outside. That's like slapping a label on her without knowing what's on the inside. Find out what Lily is really like as a person. Don't judge her by her appearance."

Ava looked startled. "I . . . I . . . okay. I should get to know Lily better," she admitted thoughtfully.

Then looking at the cans, she asked, "But what can we do about this mess?"

Mom laughed. "I guess we'll be having mystery foods for a while," she said.

HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you judge people and slap labels on them by the way they look or dress? Don't do that! God doesn't judge by outward appearance and neither should you. A person's height, clothes, skin and hair color-these are unimportant things. Being kind and considerate, having a high standard of behavior, honoring God, respecting parents, etc.-these are the characteristics that help you know what people are like inside. So don't slap on labels; instead, get to know people.

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. John 7:24

Keys For Kids Devotion

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Today’s Scripture: “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.” (Matthew 6:14–15, NIV)

For Your Own Sake

In life, we all have unfair things that happen to us. We can choose to hold on to the hurt, become bitter and angry, and let it poison our future; or, we can choose to let it go and trust God to make it up to us. You may not think that you are able to forgive because someone hurt you so badly. You might say, “You don’t know how I was raised.” Or, “My ex-spouse caused me a lot of pain.” “This friend betrayed me.” “I just can’t let it go.” Realize that forgiveness isn’t for their sake; forgiveness is for your own sake. When you forgive, you are taking away their power to hurt you. But if you hold on to that offense and stay angry, you are only poisoning your own life and disconnecting yourself from God.

Forgiveness is like a door on your heart. If you shut the door and refuse to forgive, then God cannot forgive you. But when you open the door and allow forgiveness to flow from you, then His forgiveness can flow into you. Choose to forgive and open the door to receive God’s life, peace and healing today.

A Prayer for Today: “God, thank You for the gift of forgiveness that sets me free. Help me to truly understand what it means to forgive so I can receive Your forgiveness. Search me today and have Your way in my heart in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Joel Osteen

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Two-year-old Max was securely buckled in his seat in Grandpa's pickup truck.
He was waiting for Dad and Grandpa to stop talking so he could go for a ride.

His mother poked her head in the truck and said, "Where are you going, Max?"

"Not know," he replied, raising his little arms.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Not know," came the answer again.

"Well," she asked, "do you want to come back in the house with me?"

"No!" came the quick reply as he settled himself more firmly, waiting
to begin his adventure.

"That little boy taught me a lesson I needed right then," his mother Sheryl
told me later. She was soon to give birth to another baby, and she had reason
to be unsure of what was ahead. "He didn't know where he was going or what
he was going to do, but he trusted Grandpa completely. Max's confidence in
Grandpa is the kind of trust I need in my heavenly Father."

If you are in one of those periods of life when you don't know what lies ahead, or you don't know what to do about some critical issue, it might help to think
about it that way. God wants you to have the confidence in Him to say, like
the prophet Isaiah, "I will trust and not be afraid" (12:2).

-- Timothy Williams

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And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? — Matthew 6:27 (AMPC)

Worry Is No Good by Joyce Meyer

Worrying does us absolutely no good. It doesn't change anything, and we waste time by being upset over things we can't do anything about. The Bible says we can't even add one inch to our height by worrying. Yet we often worry, worry, worry, which gets us nowhere.

Every time we get upset, it takes a lot of emotional energy, tires us out, can harm our health, steals our joy, and still doesn't change one thing. We need to stop trying to fix things only God can fix.

Jesus essentially tells us to calm down (see John 14:27) and cheer up (see John 16:33). I believe these two things combined serve as a one-two knockout punch to the devil. When you realize you can't fix everything, you calm down; and when you know God can, you cheer up!

Refuse to worry; worrying doesn't change a thing.

Prayer Starter: Lord, please help me to give everything to You that I’m worried about! In Jesus’ name, amen. And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? — Matthew 6:27 (AMPC)

Worry Is No Good by Joyce Meyer

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What About Your Pocket?

A serviceman once wrote about a moment of comedy he had witnessed in the army. It happened during a company inspection at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.
The inspection was being conducted by a full colonel. Everything had gone smoothly until the officer came to a certain soldier, looked him up and down and snapped, “Button that pocket, trooper!”
The soldier, more than a little rattled, stammered, “Right now, sir?”
“Of course, right now!” was the reply.
Whereupon the soldier very carefully reached out and buttoned the flap on the colonel’s shirt pocket. The officer had been quick to note the youngster’s uniform problem, but hadn’t noticed his own.
For some reason, we seem to be the same way. The faults of others stick out like a missing tooth, while our own are often hard to spot. Small specks in other people seem major, while the planks in our own eye seem excusable (Matthew 7:1-5).
Let’s quit dwelling on the faults of others all the time. We need builders and workers-not a wrecking crew. Work on your own faults, then seek to help others in a spirit of gentleness. --Author Unknown

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New Habits

I commit to higher expressions of speech, thought, and action.

Aristotle taught, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” To be the best expression of the Christ that I can be, I revisit my behaviors and routines. Where needed, I replace unhealthy habits with life-affirming ones.

If I find that I regularly complain, I make a concerted effort to express gratitude. If I have lapsed into mindless routines, such as snacking or binge-watching television, I insert a new activity into that same time slot, such as walking, reading, praying, or meditating.

As I consciously replace ineffective habits with more constructive ones, I feel happier, more peaceful, and energetic—more like my true self—each day.
Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.—1 Timothy 4:15

Daily Word

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No Fishing Allowed

[God will] hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19

Today's Scripture & Insight:

Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom knew the importance of forgiveness. In her book Tramp for the Lord, she says her favorite mental picture was of forgiven sins thrown into the sea. “When we confess our sins, God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever. . . . I believe God then places a sign out there that says No Fishing Allowed.”

She points to an important truth that believers in Jesus can sometimes fail to grasp—when God forgives our wrongdoing, we’re forgiven fully! We don’t have to keep dredging up our shameful deeds, wallowing in any mucky feelings. Rather we can accept His grace and forgiveness, following Him in freedom.

We see this idea of “no fishing allowed” in Psalm 130. The psalmist proclaims that although God is just, He forgives the sin of those who repent: “But with you there is forgiveness” (v. 4). As the psalmist waits for God, putting his trust in Him (v. 5), he states in faith that He “himself will redeem Israel from all their sins” (v. 8). Those who believe will find “full redemption” (v. 7).

When we’re caught in feelings of shame and unworthiness, we can’t serve God with our whole hearts. Instead, we’re restricted by our past. If you feel stymied by the wrong you’ve done, ask God to help you fully believe in His gift of forgiveness and new life. He’s cast your sins into the ocean!

By: Amy Boucher Pye

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Bible Verses

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:2

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You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6

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Psalm 68:19 19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

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An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble. — Proverbs 12:13

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James 2:17 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

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Prayers

God, I pray that this day you will incline my heart to keep your commandments, driving temptation from my mind. Guide my feet into the way of peace; that having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, I may, when the night comes, rejoice in giving you thanks for a day lived in your presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, I pray, Amen.

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Dear Lord, You have said that as a man thinks, so he becomes. Search me, Oh Lord, and bring my unconscious images and drives before Your judgment and mercy. Cleanse me with Your love, helping me to forgive as I would be forgiven. Let my thoughts be Your thoughts, that I may be re-made in Your likeness. Then my life will take on new meaning, and others will be warmed by its glow, and Your glory will be shown for all to see.

In Your holy name I pray.

Amen.

© 2000 by D. L. Hammond, Permission to copy granted for noncommercial use.

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Lord God, I thank thee for the delight of congenial companions and the memory of friendship. May I not be quick to lose my friends through misunderstanding and selfishness. May I be considerate and constant and be able to climb to the highest steeps of friendship. Amen.

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Lord, may my attitude and all that I think and do always be based on a spirit of love and care, so that I may make a difference in my own part of the world by treating people as individuals. Amen.

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Disciplined for Service

2 Timothy 2:1-7

Dear Father,

Make me strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Help me pass your word on to others who also will share it.

Help me take my share of suffering as a good soldier of Christ. Help me avoid "civilian" entanglements that would dilute my loyal obedience to Christ, my commander.

Help me be a disciplined athlete for you. Help me to be a hard-working farmer who tills in your vineyard, patiently waiting for the harvest that comes from you.

In the name of Jesus I ask. Amen.

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Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10–11, NIV

Lord our God, we thank you that you have given us an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank you that you have already begun to give us new vision, that already many things are being transformed, so that we may go gladly and confidently on our way with hope for whatever is still unsolved. May all this live in our hearts and fill us with thanks to you. We want to be courageous and keep in sight what still needs to be changed. Then we can take part as workers in your vineyard. May the light you have given us continue to shine in us and burn ever more brightly, as you have promised. Amen.

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Dear Father, life can be overwhelming at times. Sometime we are given trials we think we won't make it through. I face one of those today dear Lord. Please be with me and guide me as I face the heart of darkness. For you are my light, and with you I will be able to overcome.

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Lord our God, we thank you that you have given us an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank you that you have already begun to give us new vision, that already many things are being transformed, so that we may go gladly and confidently on our way with hope for whatever is still unsolved. May all this live in our hearts and fill us with thanks to you. We want to be courageous and keep in sight what still needs to be changed. Then we can take part as workers in your vineyard. May the light you have given us continue to shine in us and burn ever more brightly, as you have promised. Amen.