Sunday April 21, 2024: Consider God First Monday April 22, 2024: My Voice Is Heard There Tuesday April 23, 2024: Sprout Again and Cease Not Wednesday April 24, 2024: God Is Sovereign Thursday April 25, 2024: What Are You Teaching Your Children? Friday April 26, 2024: Your Childlike Spirit Gets You Into God's Kingdom Saturday April 27, 2024: Making Sure Your Prayers Are Heard Sunday April 28, 2024: End Your Complaints with Praise Monday April 29, 2024: Mediocre Commitment Part 1 Horizons Unlimited PDF Archive 
Sunday April 21, 2024
Consider God First Isaiah 1:3, KJV: The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. It is one thing to be uninformed, or to lack information. Most of the time, such ignorance is tolerated. But it is another thing to be unwilling to consider a thing. That is a very dangerous position to be in. People failing to use their spirits as the yardsticks to make judgments often become hardened, rebellious, stubborn, and dogmatic. It is not wrong to stay open; it is wrong to open yourself up to things without filtering them through your spirit.
God was saying through the prophet Isaiah that even supposedly dumb oxen are familiar with their owners. Even a donkey can recognize home as the place where it is sustained and maintained! These animals do not look to anyone other than their owners, nor do they expect to find their resources and supplies in cribs other than the ones their masters provide.
What has happened to us? We say God promised to supply all our need. We say we will not lean to our own understanding but will acknowledge God in all of our ways. Yet when the unexpected arrives at an inopportune time, we consider everything but God. Our conversations with God (which are what prayer is all about) are to be offered as deposits in times of peace so that in the day of adversity we know our Banker and are confident to withdraw what we have on deposit.
I am so glad that my deposits not only include prayer to God but that even when I did not know what to pray for, He had already provided a promise to cover it. Get to know Him so that in anything and for everything He and His promise will be the first thing you consider.
Back to list Monday April 22, 2024
My Voice Is Heard There Jeremiah 18:2, KJV: Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. I believe God is saying: "If you are not hearing My voice speaking clearly to you, examine where you are. There are many places you can go, but you will only hear Me 'there.' There is always where I told you to go. No amount of wishing and praying for Me to speak to you will help if you neglect to be in the place called there. You cannot hear My voice simply because of your desire to hear. You can only hear Me when I cause it to be. I cause you to hear Me when you obey Me by going there.
"There is never your choice for you. There is not even your destination. There is where your journey towards your destination begins. So obey My prompting, My leading, to go where I have commanded you--because there is where you will receive additional instructions".
Back to list Tuesday April 23, 2024
Sprout Again and Cease Not Job 14:7, KJV: For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Obviously Job knew about the nature of a tree. He knew that even if a tree were cut down and its roots grew old, water would cause the tree to bud and produce again.
It may produce a limb or it may simply produce foliage, but it has not ceased to produce life. A tree may appear to be destroyed, but inside the tree bears the potential to produce. All it needs is the one thing that will cause it to produce-water.
This principle is applicable to our lives. The Word of God given to anyone who has been cut down by the circumstance of life is sufficient to change the circumstances of his life.
I have had days when I felt cut down. I know what it is like to have no hope, to want to quit. My life had been built merely upon physical things and had crashed to the ground. But somewhere below the surface, the roots of my Christian training produced and bore fruit. The Word of God rose up from within, and I am alive today and bearing fruit for His kingdom.
Father God, I thank you for exposing my roots to the water of Your Word and Your Spirit. satan may have cut me down. Those around me may have declared me worthless and dead.
I almost gave up on myself. But God, You kept me alive and I will never cease to be grateful.
Back to list Wednesday April 24, 2024
God Is Sovereign Exodus 16:33, CEV: Then Moses told Aaron, 'Put some manna in a jar and store it in the place of worship for future generations to see.' The key to this was that it was a requirement of God and not a choice of man. God told Moses to tell this to the people (verse 32), because He was going to use it as a "show and tell" for the generations to come. They would have no excuse not to trust Him to supply whatever was needed, because God used the manna as evidence to those yet to be born so that they could not say it never happened.
As proof of His great power and commitment to His people, God used the very thing that He said would spoil and stink if kept overnight. The difference was that this time, He told them to save it. Had they been able to do this contrary to what God had spoken to them, they would have made an idol of the manna, when it was simply a provision of God-although spectacular-for a season and a for a reason.
Too often when God instructs us to do something one time, and He gave differing instructions at another time, we disobey and say it can't be God because He doesn't change His mind. I beg to disagree. God is looking for our obedience whenever He speaks to us, and the way we'll know it is God is by the witness in our spirits. Never think that because He instructed something to be handled one way at one time, He will never instruct in any other way. To Him, "obedience" is the operative word. Set your sails always to go the way His Spirit wind is blowing. God is sovereign.
Back to list Thursday April 25, 2024
What Are You Teaching Your Children? Genesis 26:1, CEV: Once during Abraham's lifetime, the fields had not produced enough grain, and now the same thing happened. So Isaac went to King Abimelech of the Philistines in the land of Gerar. We tend to think we can protect our children from things we've experienced, but we can't. When we train our children in the Word of God as to how we came out on the victory side of every challenge, they are then equipped to handle life's little darts. We cannot protect them from, but we can prepare them for. Even then, their faith will be tested. Although God appeared to Isaac and made promises to him, there was a doubtful moment when he asked Rebekah to say she was his sister in order to spare his life (Genesis 26:9).
How could Isaac think someone would kill him when God did not allow his father Abraham to kill him as a lad on the altar? Like too many of us, Isaac said, "I thought" (Genesis 26:9). When are we going to learn to stop thinking and start believing? Don't consider potential defeat when God has already promised victory (Proverbs 3:5)? Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, the world is bombarding your youth with the "what could's" of the world. When are we going to boldly share with them the "what did's" of our walk with the Lord? God has not given us repeated victories so that we would just remain silent. The same thing He brought us through is the same thing our youth must experience in order to develop the same strength of character we have cultivated.
What are you teaching your children?
Back to list Friday April 26, 2024
Your Childlike Spirit Gets You Into God's Kingdom Luke 18:17, TM: 'Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in.' God does want us to behave like children except in the areas of humbling ourselves, submitting to Him, trusting in Him, depending on Him, and showing Him gratitude. Our flesh tries to dominate our behavior, which rejects all of the above. However, our spirits thrive on all the above.
This kingdom represents our rule and reign in this earth realm. God is sovereign and He alone rules in heaven. This nation of a foundation of power makes us rule and reign here and now when we humble ourselves to His authority in us. We can't resist the devil until we first submit to God (James 4:7). Who is more trustworthy in our lives than the Lord? Our earthly parents can only claim us as dependents up to a certain age. God wants us to depend only on His written and spoken Word to us forever. This all leads to the reverence of Him, which should make our hearts glad. When we are no longer affected by earth's economy, prognoses, diagnoses or legislation, we are free to enter God's kingdom, which is not a future place, but a realm of authority in which we can enjoy things here and now.
It makes no sense in the natural, but total submission and gratitude put you in a position to rule. Release your childlike faith now.
Back to list Saturday April 27, 2024
Making Sure Your Prayers Are Heard Daniel 10:12, NLT: Then he said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer." What thrills me about this verse is not that an angel came to reassure Daniel and to direct him not to fear. It is that the angel gave a pattern for you and me to follow in order for our prayers to be heard. Knowing that I am heard comforts me and encourages me to believe that my heard prayer is also my answered prayer.
Even when the answer may be different than what I had hoped for, that does not bother me. If God does not answer my prayers in the way I wanted, that simply says to me that He knows something about the situation that I don't know or that what I am asking for if answered that way could limit His plan for my life. And His plan is always better than what I can see or know.
What I have learned is that God's plan and thoughts for me are often higher and better than what I thought possible, so I have chosen to pray to understand what God knows is best.
That is how I humble myself. I used to think that I knew everything that would make me happy. Now I rest in Him setting the pace and the goal.
David sang a song of victory to the Lord when He delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, including Saul (2 Samuel 22:1). I have made the next two verses from that chapter my confession for the present and the future, and I believe and act like they are mine now. David essentially said of the Lord, "He is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer; in Him will I trust.
He is my shield, the arm of my salvation, my high tower, my refuge, my Savior, and my rescuer from violence" (2 Samuel 22:2-3).
Daniel prayed in humility for understanding, and God heard him immediately. I believe that my prayer of thanksgiving for the manifestation of God's presence in my life is mine now by faith in what He has already done.
Please join me in believing and trusting in the one true God who wants only His best for you. Are you ready for that?
Back to list Sunday April 28, 2024
End Your Complaints with Praise Psalms 89:52, CEV: Our LORD, we praise you forever. Amen and amen. In this psalm, David had just completed pouring his soul out to God about what he was feeling. He wanted to know why it appeared that God had forgotten His promises to him? But David was wise enough to stop his own venting with a declaration of trust and praise, saying: "I'll praise you forever. Amen and Amen."
God does not mind our sounding off and letting out the steam of discontent and frustration. That doesn't bother Him a bit. What matters is how we choose to conclude our conversation with Him. In all things give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
God never said we were to thank Him for everything. You can't thank God for "everything" because everything does not come from Him. You can and must, however, praise Him in the midst of everything.
Do you praise God only when all is going well, or does your heart rejoice in spite of what is happening? I have learned that the quickest and easiest way to get past the depression and despair the devil tries to dump on us is to look for God in the midst of all the attacks of the enemy. Sooner or later it will sink in, that if the devil could destroy you, he would have already. God won't let him, because you and I don't belong to him, and God has not finished His plan for our lives. God does not always stop satan's onslaught, but He always reminds us that His grace is sufficient for us.
In my weakness He is made strong. Therefore, I will glory in my infirmities, attacks, and what appears to be lack. There is no power like praise when you seem down for the count. Praise your way up. End your complaints with praise!
Back to list Monday April 29, 2024
Mediocre Commitment Part 1 James 2:23, KJV: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the Friend of God. God is not looking for casual acquaintances. He is looking for disciples, people who are committed to become His pupils-learners and those who are committed to doing things God's way even when they do not understand why. Abraham was called the friend of God, not just a friend of God. That friendship meant that Abraham was committed and determined to follow God, to obey Him, and to serve Him with his whole heart.
Divided hearts offer mediocrity at best. I know a number of people and I love them all. However, among the few I call my "friends," the following qualities are exhibited in our relationship: We esteem and cherish the other as close, personal friends and associates; we know each other well and work to ensure that we never violate each other's trust; and we are companions-true comrades-in Christ.
My friends are not people I selected to be my friends. They are God's choice for me. He knows who will help me reach His goal and master plan for my life and vice versa. Two years ago, God spoke to me to back away from an individual who wanted to be close to me. I later discovered and understood His reason. Father really does know best. I'm glad I listened.
Back to list Horizons Unlimited PDF Archive
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