October 16

If you are angry, don't sin by nursing your grudge. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry. Get it over quickly, for when you are angry you give a mighty foothold to the devil. It is such a blessing that we can  bring our anger immediately to the Lord. He is able and willing to fill our hearts with His love.

"Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger." Ephesians 4:26 RSV

Lord, thank You that sin no longer has victory over us because of Your victory on the cross and Your Resurrection.

RSV - The Revised Standard Version of the Bible Copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971 and 1973

October 15

If you lose yourself for Jesus' sake, you cannot hold out on anything. No "excepts" are accepted!

I said, “Let me walk in the fields.”

He said, “No, walk in the town.”

I said, “There are no flowers there.”

He said, “No flowers, but a crown.”

                        George MacDonald

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21 KJV

Lord Jesus, forgive my “excepts.” I surrender anew and now totally. My mind and body may say I cannot, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can.

October 14

The growth of the Christian life does not stop at the first surrender, any more than marriage stops at the wedding ceremony. The Lord is the potter. We are the clay.

" ... Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel." Isaiah 18:6 KJV

Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay
Mold me and make me, after Thy will
While I am waiting, yielded and still
- Adelaide A. Pollard

October 13

I once visited a weaver's school, where the students were making beautiful patterns. I asked, "When you make a mistake, must you cut it out and start from the beginning?"

A student said, "No. Our teacher is such a great artist that when we make a mistake, he uses it to improve the beauty of the pattern."

That is what the Lord does with our mistakes. He is the greatest artist but we must surrender. Surrender your blunders to the Lord. He can use them to make the pattern of your life more beautiful.

Faith came singing into my room
and other guests took flight
Grief, anxiety, fear and gloom
sped out into the night
I wondered that such peace could be
but Faith said gently, "Don't you see,
that they can never live with me?"
- Elizabeth Cheney

" ... thy faith has made thee whole." Matthew 9:22 KJV

Lord, we can be so depressed when we blunder. It is wonderful to know that our mistakes can be made useful to You, because You are our Master Artist.

October 12

A prisoner told me, "I decided to follow Jesus, but politics, my car, power, and position came between God and me. This is judgement from God, that I am here."

The shelf behind the door
tear it down, throw it out
don't use it anymore
For Jesus wants your dwelling
from the ceiling to the floor
He even wants that little shelf
you keep behind the door

"And he left all, rose up, and followed him." Luke 5:28 KJV

Lord, in Your love You want me 100 percent. I humble myself. Take me, Lord, from head to foot.

October 11

God's all-sufficiency is a major. Your inability is a minor. Major in majors, not in minors. Your ability is not involved. His all-sufficiency and your inability must meet.

"I can do all things in him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 RSV

Thank You, Lord, that Your Holy Spirit enables me to major in Your divine power.

RSV - The Revised Standard Version of the Bible Copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971 and 1973