Faithful | Kristi's Morning Devotional

I spent a good portion of yesterday in busy work. So much to be done…so little time but the words that I shared with you from Philippians kept going through my heart.

“Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. ”

Those words kept my heart centered and my thoughts focused. Most of my day was spent cleaning out clutter, separating the mundane from the important. With the cleaning, I began purging things from my bookcase. Some books I had read many times and others I have had for years and never read. On the bottom shelf I found my journals and some notebooks of teachings I have done through the years. Next to those were a number of Bibles that I have used over the years, one dated back to 1967.

I took time to read some of the comments I had made in the margins. There were outlines of sermons that were especially meaningful during those years. Most of those Bibles were worn and pages were loose and falling out but the words on the pages were so sweet – as the psalmist says “sweeter than honey in the honeycomb”.

The sweetness of God’s word is even better than a plate of pumpkin pie.

Oh yes, even in my cleaning, my mind was focused on what was truly worthwhile and worthy of praise!

This morning as I woke, the words of a song we sang Sunday in worship, by Bethel Music, was filling my heart and my head.

“You reign above it all, You reign above it all
Over the universe and over every heart
There is no higher name
Jesus, You reign above it all”

Is there anything more praise worthy than that? Jesus reigns in my heart and over the entire universe – nothing is more worthwhile to focus on! Those thoughts are SO GOOD!

“God made heaven and earth; he created the sea and everything else. God always keeps his word. ⁷He gives justice to the poor and food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free
⁸ and heals blind eyes. He gives a helping hand to everyone who falls. The Lord loves good people ⁹and looks after strangers. He defends the rights of orphans and widows, but destroys the wicked. ¹⁰The Lord God of Zion will rule forever! Shout praises to the Lord!” Psalm 146:6-10 CEV

The Lord will rule forever! That is such a refreshing promise. Our God, our Father is SO GOOD!

Do kids still do “pinky swear”? You remember, we’d be on the play ground or at a friend’s house when something would be said or done, a secret was confided or a promise made and we would “pinky swear”. There was nothing stronger than a pinky swear – it was unbreakable!

But as I grew up pinky swear was replaced with “I cross my heart”. And then we knew there was definitely nothing stronger than that…A promise is a promise and should never be broken. Yet, I have broken promises and have also experienced the breaking of them. I know we all have. It can be devastating.

However, there is One who never breaks a promise!

“All of God’s promises have their yes in him. That is why we say Amen through him to the glory of God.” II Corinthians 1:20

When God makes a promise He keeps it. Simply put, God cannot lie. What promise has God made you that you haven’t seen come to pass yet? Don’t get weary, stand strong it will happen!!

The life of Joseph reveals God’s promise keeping commitment. He had that dream as a seventeen year old and then his brothers sold him into slavery because of their jealousy. I’m sure Joseph was beginning to wonder how God was going to make this all come about but he knew God was with him.

“The traders who bought Joseph took him down to Egypt. They sold him to the captain of Pharaoh’s guard, Potiphar. 2 The LORD helped Joseph become a successful man. Joseph lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian. 3 Potiphar saw that the LORD was with Joseph and that the LORD helped Joseph be successful in everything he did.” Genesis 39:1-3

“Joseph told them to come closer to him, and when they did, he said: Yes, I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt. ⁵Don’t worry or blame yourselves for what you did. God is the one who sent me ahead of you to save lives.” Genesis 45:4-5 CEV

Joseph had been in Egypt for thirteen years. Most of that time he had been enslaved or imprisoned. He held on to God’s promise that he would be placed in authority and his brothers would see his prominence. Joseph became second in command in Egypt and God used him to save his father, brothers and their families from starvation.

I will ask again, what promise has God made you? Is it one of these?

“My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Philippians 4:19

“Great shall be the peace of thy children for they are taught of the Lord.” Isaiah 54:13

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises up against you, you shall condemn for this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgives all your iniquities; who healeth all your diseases;” Psalm 103:2-3

“Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God believe also in me” John 14:1

“The thief cometh not but for to steal, kill and destroy but I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

I’m not sure if your promise is in this list but if it isn’t add it. God will keep His word; He is faithful to a thousand generations. He hasn’t lied in the pass and He’s not going to start now by lying to you.

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change.
If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised.” Number 23:19 ERV

When God makes a promise it’s unbreakable – pinky swear!

Tag: Faithful

So Good!

No Broken Promises