faith – herbcotton.org

Where Do You Turn When Life Gets Hard?

A Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

God Speaks:

Psalm 116:1-2 King James Version (KJV)

116 I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

Listen to God Speak & Obey:

Do you know the God of the Bible? In whom do you trust? Where is your God? To love the Lord, you must know Him.

Psalm 115:1-3 King James Version (KJV)

115 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

The following conversation of Jesus with a Gentile woman informs my understanding of the God of the Bible.

John 4:21-26 King James Version (KJV)

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

The Bible describes God in human terms that we can understand. He has eyes that can see us, ears that can hear us, and hands that can touch us. God is a great God and a loving heavenly Father.

There is no place I would rather be than in the hands of God.

Psalm 31:15 King James Version (KJV)

15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

There is nothing beyond the reach of God, and there is nothing too difficult for our Father in heaven.

Luke 1:37 King James Version (KJV)

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, we offer up to you our prayers of praise and thanksgiving. Father, we acknowledge that You are God, and we are not.

Father, we are so grateful that You have eyes to see us, ears to hear us, and hands that can reach down and touch us.

Father, we rest in the knowledge that nothing is too difficult for You. Father, we stretch our hands and surrender our lives to You. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

—

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What Do You Do While You Are Waiting?

Today Somebody Prayed for You

Today’s Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

Bible Text for Today’s Meditation and Application:

Jude 21 King James Version (KJV)

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

My Reflections on the Word of God Today:

We tend to spend a lot of time waiting. Can you identify with the condition of waiting for something to happen?

While waiting, I want to suggest that you ask two questions. One, what am I waiting for; and two, am I expecting alone?

What does the Bible say about these two questions that I have posed for your consideration?

Deuteronomy 31:6 King James Version (KJV)

6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

John 16:33 King James Version (KJV)

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

I believe that if we listen to God and spend time with Him in prayer, we will find that waiting can be a joy and not a burden to bear, but a season to rejoice in the God of our salvation.

We need to prepare ourselves with the knowledge that we will always face troubles in this world. That’s the way things are down here. But, we don’t have to live under the circumstances, we can look up, get up and move up to higher ground. We can live in the presence of God today and not tomorrow.

Jude 21 King James Version (KJV)

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Prayer Offered to Our Father in Heaven:

Father God, I pray that You will stir the hearts of Your people to draw closer to You and to live in Your presence all of the days of our life in the world regardless of all of the troubles we face.

Father, give us peace and power in the knowledge and understanding of the times in which we live, and with the assurance that Jesus has overcome the world. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.

How to Live A Balance and Satisfying Day That is Repeatable?

Today Somebody Prayed for You

Today’s Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

Bible Text for Today’s Meditation and Application:

Philippians 2:5 King James Version (KJV)

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

King James Version (KJV)

My Reflections on the Word of God Today:

This morning the first word that came to my consciousness was the word mind. I got up, and as I was looking in the mirror, I saw a notification popup from a friend.

I took the bait and read the notification and clicked on it to read the entire post. This friend wrote about this word, and I will paraphrase what she wrote and disclosed publicly.

“I’ve been in this deep wrestle in my mind and heart all morning.”

Wow! I said God is speaking to me through this post by a friend I know well; mostly at a distant, but also close up to a lesser degree. I remember her parents much better.

The critical point I want to stress in this devotional is that we need to pay attention to the battle that we all face. We meet it every day; the fight for our mind and heart and the enemies are the world, flesh and the devil; the chief emery of God and His children.

Since we know this to be true, we should do everything we know to do and do it in the strength of the Lord.

The key to being an overcomer is to do what Jesus told us to do and to follow His example by walking in the footprints of Jesus every day and all the day long.

To get the complete view, I refer you to the context for our discussion today for a more in-depth understanding of how to win the victory in your life over the battle for your mind. The Word of God has the answer, and it’s worth the time you spend getting dressed for victory. You are an overcomer; the answer is a click and a few minutes away.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=phil+2%3A1-18&version=KJV

Finally, I invite you to be encouraged by the last words of Jesus to His disciples and to all of His children who are Christ followers until He takes us home or His second coming.

John 16:33 King James Version (KJV)

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Prayer Offered to Our Father in Heaven:

Father, we ask that You would tune our hearts to have the desire and discipline to guard our minds and our hearts to live in Your presence, walk daily in the Spirit and in the footprints of Jesus.

Father, help us to be more like Jesus everyday, and live the overcoming life through the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit of God. Let the people of God say, Amen.

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 112:1 (NLT)

Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands.

Psalm 112:7-8 (NLT)

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.

They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Ezekiel 30:6 (NLT)

“For this is what the LORD says: All of Egypt’s allies will fall, and the pride of her power will end. From Migdol to Aswan they will be slaughtered by the sword, says the Sovereign LORD.

The Gospel Message:

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Observation:

Today I want to meditate on faith. Everybody needs faith if we desire to know God and be known by Him as one of His children.

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

I invite you to think of three reasons why we need faith.

We need faith to worship God.

Hebrews 11:4 (NLT)

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

We need faith to do God’s work.

Hebrews 11:7 (NLT)

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

We need faith to walk with God.

Hebrews 11:8-9 (NLT)

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, we know that we need faith that You have already given it to us. Father, give us the willingness and the confidence to put our faith in You.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

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What Am I Hoping For?

Text:

Romans 8:25 (ESV)

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Observation:

Do you have hopes and dreams for things you do not see? It is possible to achieve your hopes, and dreams. It takes practice and patience. It also takes faith in God.

Hebrews 11:1 (AMP)

1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

Hope in God is possible through the eyes of the heart. The way to have hope, and to access the power that is within you is to have the Holy Spirit of God living in your heart. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to His children.

Romans 5:5 (NIV)

5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

To make your hopes and dreams become reality put your trust in God, who can do anything but fail, and who will never disappoint you. Take the first step; it can be a small step, but make it a step forward; a step toward Jesus.

“Footprints of Jesus,

That make the pathway glow;

We will follow the steps of Jesus

Where’er they go.” – – Author: M.B.B. Slade (1871)

Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)

9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.

Prayer:

Father God, hallowed be Your name. Father, Your name is so wonderful, and it is so sweet, and wonderful to think about what the Word says about your name.

Psalm 103:2-5 (ESV)

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Father, help us to open the eyes of our hearts, and surrender all of us to all of You, and allow You to establish our steps. O, we ask You to give us sufficient grace and faith to walk in the Spirit of God. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Listen to all of the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

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The Reality and Rewards of Faith In God

Text:

Hebrews 11:1 (HCSB)

1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

Hebrews 11:6 (HCSB)

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

Observation:

The lyrics of this gospel hymn is ringing in my heart as I think about the greatness, and goodness of the Lord.

“Have you any rivers

That seem uncrossable?

And have you any mountain

That you cannot tunnel through?

God specializes

In things thought impossible

And He will do what no other

No other power but holy power can do”.

I am so thankful for the gift of saving faith. I will never forget the day that God’s love and forgiveness; God’s grace, and mercy, found me.

How do you get the faith that pleases God?

Romans 10:17 (HCSB)

17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

Notice this illuminating verse.

Isaiah 53:1 (HCSB)

1 Who has believed what we have heard? And who has the arm of the LORD been revealed to?

The faith that pleases God includes three steps.

Hearing
Believing
Receiving

The Bible says that the Gospel of Christ was written for this reason.

John 20:31 (HCSB)

31 But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.

Before you deny Christ, read the Gospel of John. God is speaking. Are you listening?

When we have biblical faith in God, everything changes. True belief results in change of belief and behavior.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)

17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I unite my heart and voice with all who believe in Jesus. Father, I am so thankful for the reality, and the rewards of faith in the true and living God. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

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Do You Believe God Works?

Text:

Luke 9:37-42 (ESV)

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.

38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.

39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him.

40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”

41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

Observation:

In our focal passage for today we are presented with two truths that grip my heart.

The first is that we can’t but God can. We don’t know who the disciples were that could not help the son of the man who made his appeal to Jesus after the disciples of Jesus could not help the child.

But, the second thing that we see from this passage is that nothing is impossible when we put it in the hands of the Lord.

There is something that encourages my heart as I read, and reflect upon this passage. Jesus has provided the way for those of us who are His disciples to be His extended heart and hand in the healing and helping ministry.

There is something that we can do with every problem we face in this world. We can take it to the Lord in prayer. The key is to have faith in God.

Luke 9:41 (ESV)

41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, Oh how sweet it is to live in Your presence; to know You, and to know Your power.

Father, we pray that You will never have an occasion to look at us, and say, “O faithless and twisted generation”. Father, I pray that You would grant us the grace gift of sufficient faith in You so that we would be faithful to You all of the days of our life.

Father, make us mighty men and women of faith who have a pray first attitude; a people who are devoted to prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Why What We Do With Our Heart Is Important

Text:

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Observation:

Who you have in your heart is of utmost importance. Notice what Solomon, who was called the wisest of men, said about the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

We may trust in many things and people, but there is no thing or person that can compare with the Lord. The reason why we can trust in the Lord is because He is trustworthy. There is no one that you can say this about without reservation. “The Lord cannot lie”. “It was impossible for God to lie”.

Titus 1:2 (KJV)

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Hebrews 6:18 (KJV)

18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

I have no difficulty in trusting in the Lord with all my heart, seeking and doing His will, and walking in His ways. I trust Him when He speaks; I listen, and obey. I believe it is impossible for Him to lie.

John 14:6 (KJV)

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful, and thankful for the open door that I have to come to Your throne room of grace and mercy.

Lord, I trust in You with my whole heart, and I submit my understanding to Your will, and Your way. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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What Gives You the Most Satisifaction?

Text:

Psalm 119:107 (ESV)

107 I am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word!

Observation:

I considered taking a break from writing for publication today. But, the Lord had a better plan.

I love my life, and I view it as a gift from God. I love the Lord because He loved me first.

I am so thankful that the Lord led me to this verse early this morning. It was a very timely, and uplifting message for me; it met a need in my life; it was life giving, inspiring, and gave me just what I needed in this season of my life.

These words will stay with me for a long time, “Give me life, O LORD, according to your word”. There is power in the Word.

As I reflect upon these words, I was reminded of the importance of relationships. I value relationships above riches. There is nothing more precious to me.

However, I am also reminded daily of the difficulty of having close, and meaningful relationships. The psalmist reflected this in his words, “I am severely afflicted”.

What I have found to be true in my life is that the Lord, and His Word gives me life, it gives me power to live, and overcome any afflictions I will face in life and death.

Today, and everyday, I am grateful to God for the life He has given me. I am so blessed by the presence, plan, provisions, protection, peace, and power of God, which are the gifts that I receive daily from the Lord. God gives daily bread to His people.

I will be eternally grateful for the gift of faith that is the key that gives me access to my creator, my redeemer, and my best friend. I am so blessed to be able to talk to God, and to talk to you; my family and friends, about the one who is the source of life, and who gives His children the resources to live the abundant life.

This is my story, and I love to share it with others. I am so grateful for having God in my life; for the faith that enables me to be in a relationship with Him, and to please Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Prayer:

Father, I exalt Your name, and give You praise, honor, and glory. Father, I am so thankful for the blessing of life, and the provisions that You give to enjoy life now, and forever. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Do You Desire to Have True Unity?

Text:

Ephesians 2:14 (NLT)

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.

Observation:

Yesterday I listened to what man, female and male, said about how to have unity in our nation.

This morning as I sat down to write the Lord directed my steps to turn to this passage in Ephesians. In this passage we hear of what God says about how to have true unity.

Many of you heard what man said. If you are willing, here is what God says in His Word.

Ephesians 2:11-18 (NLT)

11 Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.

12 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.

13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.

15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.

16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.

18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Who do you believe; man or God? Who do you trust; man or God? Who do you follow; man or God?

Numbers 23:19 (NLT)

19 God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

God has spoken. What is your response to Him?

Prayer:

Father, I exalt Your name higher the highest heavens. Father, I declare that my only hope is in You alone because all other ground is sinking sand.

Father, I pray that no one listening to the sound of my voice or reading these words would reject your invitation to come to You, and find the only way to peace and rest that endures forever. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry