Gifts From God: Devotions From Time of GraceSample

Introduction

How are you doing today? No, I mean it. How are you really doing? Are you flying high or crawling low? Are you running or limping? Do you feel rich or poor today? Do you feel hopeful or hopeless?

You know, at one time or another, all of us have felt all of those things. Nobody--no man, woman, or child on the face of the earth--has it all. There are times when it seems as if everything’s working, and then come those stretches when everything seems to be broken.

You don’t need any assistance in listing your troubles. Pain always demands attention. And Satan will always remind you of your pain when he tries to get you to feel cheated in life. If he can keep you obsessed with your frustrations, fears, and failings, then he can keep you feeling depressed and defeated.

And that’s why I wrote these devotions for each day. One of the best ways to experience God’s lift is to let him guide your thoughts as you recall how he involves himself in your life. "Gifts From God" will help you take inventory of all the things in your life that are good. As you let your mind savor those blessings, you will realize how rich, loved, and valuable you are.

Each morning for a month you can begin your day with a celebration of what is good in your life, knowing that those things come from a God who is good. St. James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights [i.e., the stars]” (1:17).

I hope that you will find in "Gifts From God" a source of daily encouragement and inspiration. May the Lord make you a more joyful and hope-filled believer each day! --Pastor Mark Jeske