So happy you’ve decided to visit daily devos! This is where short reads are added for today’s hungry, and often harried souls! Breeze through quickly if your time is limited. Saunter with solace if you are leisurely browsing. Whether you have only a few minutes or time to linger, be sure to reflect on the thought-provoking questions and challenges included to encourage your spiritual awareness and growth.
Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers grazing the flocks in Shechem? Come, let me send you to them.” …
Now they saw him from a distance. Before he was close to them they plotted together against him in order to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes the master of dreams! Come on now! Let’s kill him and throw him into one of those pits, so we can say that an evil animal devoured him …” Genesis 37:13-20 TLV
Isn’t it interesting that Joseph’s brothers plotted his demise and conjured a cover up story that reflected themselves? In essence, they projected their wrong thoughts and feelings into the cover up story, naming the culprit an evil animal. Isn’t that what their actions were like? Carrying out such a plan would be like an evil animal. We, too, can project our inadequacies onto others. If we were to pay attention to our thoughts and actions toward others, would our findings be worthy or wicked? If worthy, let us praise God for helping us reflect His image and likeness. If wicked, let us bow before Him in reverent fear and repentance.
You also enjoy this resource from Warrior of the Word: Return, a study of Naomi and Ruth as they returned to God in the place where He promised to bless His people. Available on Amazon by Tanja Dufrene.
For surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12 NIV 1984
|| 2 P (Pause to Praise) by Warrior of the Word
We read that social media usage spikes around 9 pm. So, we at Warrior of the Word decided to expand our posts to meet you there and hope you will enjoy these restful reflections.
… a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3 NIV 1984
For surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12 NIV 1984
|| 2 P (Pause to Praise) by Warrior of the Word
From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth – He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. Psalm 33:13-15 NIV 1984
Some seek attention while others prefer to hide. Yet God looks down from heaven and sees all. He considers what we do. And James wrote clearly about what we need to do:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 NIV 1984
So what will we do today?
For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. Psalm 97:9 NIV 1984
|| 2 P (Pause to Praise) by Warrior of the Word
We read that social media usage spikes around 9 pm. So, we at Warrior of the Word decided to expand our posts to meet you there and hope you will enjoy these restful reflections.
… a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3 NIV 1984
For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. Psalm 97:9 NIV 1984
|| 2 P (Pause to Praise) by Warrior of the Word
Goal setting, future focused, retirement planning – these are prominent considerations in our days. And we can easily find ourselves puzzled and questioning how we reached the age and circumstances of our latter years so quickly. Yet notice what is recorded about Darius in his later years:
So Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62. Daniel 6:1 TLV
In our country, the age of 62 can be an early retirement age. Yet Darius was just getting started as a kingdom ruler at that age. We know this was from God because His Word says:
… so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of man and bestows it to whomever He wishes … Daniel 4:14 TLV
So just as He placed Darius as a ruler of a kingdom when he was seemingly facing retirement, so too, He has purpose for us – whether we are just getting started, somewhere in the middle, or nearing our later days. Let us look to Him in wonder and awe, praise and adoration for the best is yet to come!
