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Devotional Scripture/Prayers

JUST FOR YOU

Proverbs 3:11-12(KJV):
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Proverbs 3:11-12(Amplified):
11 My son, do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord -- His correction by punishment, or by subjection to suffering or trial; neither be weary and impatient and loathe or abhor His reproof.
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Thought for the Day

Verse 11 - To become wise, we must receive God's correction, or His chastening. We should pray for it so that we will remain on the right path; if we go astray we can be destroyed. God corrects His children as an earthly father does. A good father never injures his children when correcting them. He chastens to teach proper behavior so that they will avoid pain and trouble. It is important to understand that God does not send evil things into our lives in order to teach us. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and the Bible is our textbook. Students must learn from their teachers and textbooks to pass their tests. If one does not pay attention to instruction and refuses to study, he does not advance. He must apply what he hears. Likewise, we must obey the Holy Spirit's promptings and apply the Bible to our lives, in order to pass life's tests. If we are rebellious or ignorant of the Bible's teachings, we will suffer things that God never intended for us to suffer.

Verse 12 - A good father never does anything evil to his own child, but protects and cares for him. If his child should hurt himself, whether through ignorance or disobedience, he quickly comes to his aid. Our heavenly Father loves us and sent His Son to redeem us from the curse, not to put another one on us. The Bible tells us who the "troublemaker" is (the devil) and how to avoid his temptations and attacks.

Some people claim that they came to the Lord through tragedy. This may be true, but the devil, not God, devised the tragedy. God, in His grace, was there to help and deliver them in the midst of their troubles. Tragedies in themselves never save anyone; many lead to death, and those involved that do not know Jesus as Savior will endure eternity in hell. The Spirit of God brings us to salvation, not tragedy. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). People are saved because the Holy Spirit leads others to pray for them.

We must never blame God for difficulties, but rather turn to Him and praise Him; not for the trouble, but for the fact that He is there to help us in the midst of it. Praise God that we can call upon Him to show us the way to overcome problems and grow spiritually in the process. Remember: He loves us and delights in us!

Prayer

Dearest Father, I thank you for all the times You have corrected me. Please do not stop correcting me, even if I cry about my situation. Thank you for loving me enough to correct me and not allow me to continue in the wrong way. I am sorry that I sometimes complain of my trials. I want to rise above complaining and learn to trust You more. Help me to overcome the fears and doubts I feel when facing trouble. I want to come to the place when I am facing a test, that I will see the your vastness and not the bigness of my problem. I know You love and care for me, so give me patience, grace and wisdom to overcome what the enemy brings against me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The pursuit of happiness is everyone's inherent right. But the right in itself does not guarantee the reality. The fact remains that many people have pursued happiness for many years and have never" caught up" with it. Why? God wants us to be happy. He has made abundant provision for our happiness regard-less of our circumstances.
Perhaps the problem lies in contentment.
To be happy we must be content, satisfied with everything we have and experience in life. That's, too, is possible! A careful study Ps 37:1-11 will unlock the blessed truth that you can be happy.
Do you have everything your heart desires? No? Why not? God wants you to have it. It is possible. " He shall give them the desires of thine heart" Ps 37:4
Never have we had so much, and never have we been less satisfied. It seems that people have become obsessed with the idea that happiness can be secured with things. God warns, " A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth" Luke 12:15. We are gadgets-conscious generation. The more things we possess, the more time we have, and consequently more frustration result. Man cannot be happy and content as long as there are unfulfilled desires. If you are not content, there is a reason. You either want the wrong things or you want more than God wants you to have.

All Nations Duala Branch Children’s Program.

Devotional Scripture/Prayer

Proverbs 3:21-24(KJV):
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
Thought for the Day

Verse 21 - If we are wise, we will keep God's laws and commandments from the heart. This is possible only as we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and stay in close relationship with Jesus. Keeping God's words before our eyes (by studying the Bible) is one way in which we maintain a close relationship with Him. We keep sound wisdom and learn discretion by obeying His Word.

Verse 22 - Obeying God's Word brings life to our souls. The soul of man is made up of his mind, emotions, and will. Man is a spirit who has a soul and lives in a body. The body is only the house that holds the real man. The real person is the "spirit man." The Greek word for spirit is "pneuma," which also means "breath." The spirit man, unseen with the natural eye, is the true, inward man. It is made to rule over the realms of soul and body. It is the sphere of divine influence, referred to in Scripture as the heart of man. "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God a great price" (1 Peter 3:4).

Verse 23 - The Lord promises us His grace to overcome in this life in addition to many other blessings. Among these are the blessings of safety and His grace to keep us from falling.

Verse 24 - The gift of sweet sleep is a wonderful blessing. Sleep for many people is not the peaceful state God intended it to be, but a restless one. Many are unable to rest at night because they fill their minds with unwholesome things through books, movies, and so forth during the day. Others are worried and anxious; life's cares keep them awake. Some experience tormenting dreams and nightmares. Many must even use prescription drugs in order to sleep. Although prescriptions may be a temporary help, we can have God's sweet sleep without them, if we ask Him to deliver us from the root problem which causes sleeplessness. "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments" (Proverbs 3:1). God promises us sweet sleep. "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8). "The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep" (Ecclesiastes 5:12). "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2).

Prayer for the Day

Dear Father in heaven, I am so grateful to be Your child and I thank you for Your wonderful promises to me. Thank you for the encouraging Words found in the Bible. I do want to walk in Your wisdom. Open my understanding to Your Words and then give me the grace to obey them. Help me to be able to cast all my cares upon You, when I am tempted to worry or fret over my problems. I do appreciate being able to lie down and have a restful night's sleep. Thank you also for soundness of mind and body. Help me to share with others this day about Your goodness. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Devotional Scripture/Prayer

JUST FOR YOU!

Proverbs 3:13-18(KJV):
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
Thought for the Day

Verses 13-17 - The wisdom of God is better than any earthly treasure because it will not only produce prosperity, but prosperity which is gained honorably. Whoever gains wisdom is given the promise of long life, which only God can give, because life and death are in His hand.

Through the ages, men have sought to obtain happiness through riches. Many have even killed, in their search for gold and precious stones. However, in obtaining riches, they were still not fulfilled, because real peace only comes by knowing God. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are given a peace that passes understanding. It is a gift of God. The kind of peace and joy one receives from God is not based on circumstances, or how much wealth we might have. It is based on our relationship with Jesus. When we know Him, we have access to all things that we need in life.

Verse 18 - Wisdom is a "tree of life" and all who take hold of it experience joy. Since all the riches of wisdom are hidden in Christ (Colossians 2:3), Jesus is that "tree of life." His Word tells us how to take hold of and keep it. By embracing Christ, we experience His life in all we do. Scripture compares the "righteous" to trees planted by water. Trees with a continuous water supply will continue to grow. In the same way, all who commit themselves to the Lord and obey His Word will also continue to grow in Him.

Prayer for the Day

Dear Father, I am thankful for all You have done for me. I do appreciate the peace, love and joy that You have given me. Lord, money cannot buy these things. They come as virtues when we are "born again." Help me to walk in the Spirit Lord, so that these fruits may grow daily. I want to be more like You in all of my ways. I do seek Your wisdom as I need Your guidance and understanding in the affairs of my life. Strengthen me as I daily face challenges and circumstances that only You can give me the grace to bear and overcome. Thank you that the scripture says, when I am weak, You are strong. I claim Your strength today. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Prayer!!

Father, I come to You in Jesus' name, desiring Your wisdom and knowledge. I want to walk in such a way that I can be kind to those who speak against me, truly seeking their good. I know that without the Holy Spirit I cannot do this; so please fill me with Your Spirit today. Let me be kind; change my heart from being argumentative and defensive. Help me to speak the truth in love, remembering that You will defend me. When I see the faults of others, help me to examine my own heart and motives. Please deliver us from those things that are not pleasing to You. I choose to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. I trust You to change whatever is in me and in those around me, which would cause us to engage in unkind speaking. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

There is still hope for those who turn back to God. No loyalty, achievement, or honor can compared to loving Him. Turn to the Lord while the offer is still good. No matter how far you have strayed. God is willing to bring you back.