My Daily Nourishment

I do not accept human praise.” – John 5:41

I was having lunch with friends one day. I was really getting hungry but couldn’t start eating because my friend who was blessing our food was saying a litany of prayers. Then I heard a little girl from the other table saying a simple yet poignant prayer. “Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the fries, the burger and the Coke, and for giving Mommy and Daddy the money to buy them.” “Amen,” I replied, to the surprise of my friend who was still praying.

God takes no account of the quantity of words we use when we talk to Him. The one thing He looks into is our motives and the state of our hearts when we pray. We should never utter one syllable of prayer, either in public or in private, until we are sure that we have come into the presence of God and are actually praying to Him.

The greatest acts of worship are acts of simple obedience to God each day of the week.
Jane Gonzales

The Lord is our Strength and our shield…
If the LORD delights in a man’s way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Psalm 27:23,24 NIV

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“And the LORD will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.”

Isaiah 58:11,12 NASB

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Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee;
they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known
to thee this day, even to thee.

Proverbs 22:17-19 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Trust God, even when you feel weak and powerless…
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV

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“For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

For man is born for trouble,
As sparks fly upward.

But as for me, I would seek God,
And I would place my cause before God;

Who does great and unsearchable things,
Wonders without number.

He gives rain on the earth
And sends water on the fields,

So that He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

Job 5:6-11 NASB

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Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my meditation.

Hearken unto the voice of my cry,
my King, and my God:
for unto thee will I pray.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;
in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee,
and will look up.

Psalm 5:1-3 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Meditation

Don’t suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures–either God’s Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama.

God’s Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God’s Law will be alive and working.

Trivialize even the smallest item in God’s Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom.

Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the kingdom.

Matthew 5:17-20 MSG

History records that in the first part of the 15th century, a young French peasant girl, Joan of Arc, was called to save her country from its enemies. There was something about her that endeared her to her followers and caused them to have a respect — almost a reverence, an awe — for what she was attempting to do. Her sacred sword, her consecrated banner and her belief in her mission helped her to sweep away the armies that were before her.

It has been said, and rightly so, that courage is transferable and that if a leader has a sense of mission and purpose and an absolute conviction in what can be accomplished, people gather around and follow this leader. This conviction was demonstrated by the courage displayed by Joan of Arc. She sent a thrill of enthusiasm through the French army and gave them the courage and confidence that a king, a statesman and a president could not produce.

However, she, like all other leaders, had her share of cynics and skeptics. On one occasion, she said to one of her generals, “I will lead the men over the wall.”

The general said, “Not a man will follow you.”

At that point, Joan of Arc did what leaders with a mission and a conviction always do. She replied, “I won’t be looking back to see whether they’re following me.”

Yes, commitment and courage were on display, and those are two qualities that will win many battles and enable you to accomplish worthwhile objectives. Think along those lines, develop those qualities, and you’ll succeed!!!

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard:
that went down to the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended
upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded
the blessing, even life for evermore.

Psalm 133 KJV

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Better a meal of vegetables where there is love
than a fattened calf with hatred.

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension,
but a patient man calms a quarrel.

Proverbs 15:17,18 NIV

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Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Meditation

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:17-20 NIV

Let all things be done unto edifying –
build one another up!

If anyone thinks himself to be religious,
and yet does not bridle his tongue but
deceives his own heart, this man’s
religion is worthless.

James 1:26 NASB

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Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV

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There is one who speaks rashly
like the thrusts of a sword,

But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Truthful lips will be established forever,
But a lying tongue is only for a moment.

Proverbs 12:18,19 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.

1 John 4:13-15 NIV

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Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
For the sake of Your name,
O LORD, revive me.

In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

Psalm 143:10,11 NASB

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But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9-12 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

Psalm 22:23,24 NIV

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For thou wilt save the afflicted people;
but wilt bring down high looks.

For thou wilt light my candle:
the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Psalm 18:27,28 KJV

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Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy.
Though I fall I will rise;

Though I dwell in darkness,
the LORD is a light for me.

I will bear the indignation of the LORD
Because I have sinned against Him,

Until He pleads my case and
executes justice for me.
He will bring me out to the light,
And I will see His righteousness.

Micah 7:8,9 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten
Son of God is the object of our faith;
the only faith that saves is faith in Him.