Daily Devotional

[Ronnie W. Stark]

And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. (NIV) ( 1 Samuel 1:6 )

God's answer of "not now" to Hannah's prayers was difficult to bear while enduring the cutting, taunting words. God's timing may appear to be disconnected from your circumstances, but in hindsight His timing is timely. Weather through the storm, God will give you the strength. If you know of a fellow Christian going through such times, come alongside them and help lift them up.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

Don't wait on the hearse to take you to church.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV) ( Hebrews 10:25 )

It's easy to get carried away with busy schedules and slip away from going to church. After all, there are only two days in the weekend. But don't let yourself forget the importance of church. Where will you go and who will you turn to in hard times? If you are already established in the church, you will find lots of support.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (NIV) ( Proverbs 27:17 )

God created us to be relational, not isolated. For some of us, our stubbornness or hubris can hurt us by making decisions in our own little world. But receiving Godly advice from a mentor could change the course of your life. Who is your mentor? If you don't know, actively take steps to seek someone out.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

This is what the ancients were commended for. (NIV) ( Hebrews 11:2 )

What do your neighbors say about you? Are you viewed as a person whose word is as good as gold? How valuable is your handshake? It is important to note a direct result of being faithful to God is the gift of a good reputation. When you are faithful to God it correlates that you are faithful to other people as well. Be careful though, it's easy to take pride in your reputation.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (NIV) ( Deuteronomy 31:8 )

The ups and downs in life bring beauty in unforeseen ways. There are life events that batter us down. However, your faith can determine the outcome. It's easy to stay beaten in a lonely place by focusing on yourself as a victim. Or, you can overcome this and recover by placing your faith in God. Even more, you can come out a better person and excel beyond your imagination. Remember, God has the power to make things we can't see appear. It just takes a little faith.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. (NIV) ( Matthew 5:25 )

Pride can seep into a relationship when disagreements occur. The longer you sit and stew over your disagreement, the harder it is to reconcile. Pretty soon, days, weeks, and years pass by and you become accustomed to the way things have become in the relationship. Every passing moment without reconciliation makes it that much harder to turn around and say you are sorry. Don't let your pride get the better side of you. Make it a practice to hurry and settle your differences quickly.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God. (NIV) ( Ecclesiastes 3:13 )

Where are you putting your time? Each one of us decides where we want to use our time. Are you making the most of your time to something that really counts? Everyone of us gets 24 hours in a day, no more, no less. Are you waking up bursting to get out the door and make a difference? It's important to recognize the gifts God has blessed us with.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (NIV) ( Revelation 3:15-16 )

What does it look like to be on fire for Christ? Does God see your faith as hot or cold, or worse, lukewarm? Are you thinking of ways you can impact God's kingdom? Is your day filled with busyness or is it filled with purposefulness? Maybe it's time to infuse some passion today.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NIV) ( Psalm 34:18 )

Are you missing someone who is very dear to your heart? The pain may be very deep and even unbearable. And while you may think that no one can truly understand your pain, there is one. Relinquish your sadness to God, even if it's just for a moment and you will feel comforted. Remember, God loves you and will never give up on you.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: (NIV) ( Ecclesiastes 3:1 )

Sometime's bad things happen to good people. But how do you make peace with this thought, especially when you are fighting back anger, hurt, betrayal, or loneliness? It's important to realize God has perfect timing, even when we can't understand it. Without placing your faith in His timing, you leave room for resentment, despair, and rebellion. When you can't see the work God is doing through tragedy, remain faithful in knowing God's timing is perfect.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God. (NIV) ( Ecclesiastes 5:19 )

Isn't it true how fortunate we would be if we were happy with the blessings God has given us? Rather, we spend much of our time thinking about the newest car we want or count down the days until our contract ends to get a new cell phone. Be happy with the blessings you have received from God and enjoy it.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (NIV) ( Matthew 5:13 )

Salt is used as a preservative to keep food fresh longer. Once it loses its usefulness the salt will get tossed out with yesterday's trash. It's difficult to imagine how salt loses its saltiness but in the context of a Christian, it's easy to see how a Christian loses their flavor. When Christians try to blend in with the world we give away the essence of a Christian. Let's do our best to keep our flavor!
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. (NIV) ( 1 Thessalonians 5:15 )

When we get offended our first reaction is to return the offense and exact punishment. As a believer in Christ, we know better than to lash out in anger and return the hurt, although we do it in other ways. Don't allow yourself to get sidetracked by focusing on payment for the offense; God will handle that. After all, there's more important work to be done, such as showing them God's love.
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. (NIV) ( Psalm 112:7 )

Sometimes, your head is able to trust God but your heart gets in the way. You know God loves you and has an awesome plan for you, but still your heart isn't peaceful about it. We even try to control situations in life and we don't leave room for God to step in or we don't allow our hearts to step out in faith. If we are busy planning a failsafe, how will we ever notice God at work? Are you able to see the hand of God in your life because you have left room for Him to work?
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[Ronnie W. Stark]

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (NIV) ( Mark 15:37-38 )

A great way to think of Jesus is that He is a bridge. God on one side of the river and humans are on the other. Because God is so perfect, He can't stand the sight of sin. Therefore, He was unapproachable without bringing a sacrifice to cover the sins. When Jesus came, He took the place of the sacrifice. Because the curtain was separated in two after Jesus's death, we are now able to freely approach God using the bridge. Use this gift often and speak to God.
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