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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781683222552 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Barbour Publishing, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 11/01/2017 |
| Series: | 3-Minute Devotions |
| Pages: | 192 |
| Sales rank: | 1,112,424 |
| Product dimensions: | 4.20(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.60(d) |
About the Author
Joanna Bloss is a personal trainer, writer, and student living in the Midwest. She is a coauthor of Grit for the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Authors.
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Steady ...
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People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit. ISAIAH 26:3 MSG
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One of the meanings of grace is "an effortless beauty of movement." A person with this kind of grace doesn't trip over her own feet; she's not clumsy or awkward, but instead she moves easily, fluidly, steadily. From a spiritual perspective, most of us stumble quite a bit — and yet we don't give up. We know that God holds our hands, and He will keep us steady even when we would otherwise fall flat on our faces.
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Father, I don't always feel so graceful. Thank You for holding my hand, steadying my feet, and giving me the strength to keep at it, even when I stumble. Amen.
Life and Nourishment
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"I, the LORD, am the one who answers your prayers and watches over you. I am like a green pine tree; your blessings come from me." HOSEA 14:8 NCV
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Think of it: God is like a tree growing at the center of your life! In the shade of this tree, you find shelter. This tree is evergreen, with deep roots that draw up life and nourishment. Each one of life's daily blessings is the fruit of this tree. It is the source of all your life, all your joy, and all your being.
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Look Up!
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The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. PSALM 19:1 NIV
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Grace is as near as the sky over your head. Look up and be reminded of how wonderful God truly is. The same God who created the sun and the atmosphere, the stars and the galaxies, the same God who day by day creates a new sunrise and a new sunset, that same God loves you and creates beauty in your life each day!
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Father, when I look to the heavens, I am reminded that You are Creator, Giver of grace, and Author of beauty. Thank You for surrounding me with the work of Your hands. Amen.
Follow Jesus
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"Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." JOHN 12:26 NIV
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A disciple is someone who follows. That is the discipline we practice: We follow Jesus. Wherever He is, we go. In His presence we find the daily grace we need to live. As we serve Him, God honors us; He affirms our dignity and makes us all we were meant to be.
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Jesus, I long to be Your disciple. Give me the grace to follow You, a heart to serve You, and a mind in tune with You every minute of every day. Amen.
By His Grace
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A person is made right with God through faith, not through obeying the law. ROMANS 3:28 NCV
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Human laws can never make us into the people we are meant to be. No matter how scrupulous we try to be, we will always fall short. Our hands and hearts will come up empty. But as we fix our eyes on God, committing our lives and ourselves to Him, we are made right. We are healed and made whole by His grace, exactly as God meant us to be.
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Father, rather than working to become righteous in Your sight, help me instead to focus on increasing my faith and trusting in Your grace. Amen.
"Extended" Family
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God sets the lonely in families. PSALM 68:6 NIV
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God knows that we need others. We need their love and support, their understanding, and their simple physical presence nearby. That is why He gives us families. Families don't need to be related by blood, though. They might be the people you work with, or the people you go to church with, or the group of friends you've known since grade school. Whoever they are, they're the people who make God's grace real to you every day.
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Father, thank You for creating me with a longing for connection. Thank You for those You have placed in my life to make me more of who You created me to be. Amen.
Perception
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"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." DEUTERONOMY 31:8 NIV
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The world we see with our eyes is only a piece of reality, a glimpse into an enormous and mysterious universe. Just as our eyes often deceive us, so do our feelings. We perceive life through our emotions, but they are as limited as our physical vision. Whether we sense God's presence or not, He is always with us. Grace waits to meet us in the future, so we can disregard all our feelings of fear and discouragement.
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Father, even though I sometimes feel alone, You remind me that my feelings are not facts, for You are always with me. Thank You for the peace Your presence provides. Amen.
Daily Miracles
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"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?" MATTHEW 6:25 NLT
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With our eyes fixed on what we don't have, we often overlook the grace we have already received. God has blessed us in many ways. Our bodies function day after day in amazing ways we take for granted, and life is filled with an abundance of daily miracles. Why do we worry so much about the details when we live in such a vast sea of daily grace?
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Father, You are my Provider. You have promised to give me everything I need. Help me to remember this truth and to lose myself in the vast sea of Your amazing grace. Amen.
Lavish and Abundant
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Let them come back to GOD, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness. ISAIAH 55:7 MSG
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God's forgiveness is never stingy or grudging. And He never waits to offer it to us. Instead, it's always there, a lavish, abundant flood of grace, just waiting for us to turn away from our sin and accept it.
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Lord, when I am consumed by sin, my back is turned to You. Thank You for Your mercy and lavish forgiveness that gently turn me toward Your loving arms. Amen.
Satisfied
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Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. PSALM 90:14 NIV
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God wants to fulfill you. He wants you to feel satisfied with life so that you will catch yourself humming or singing His praises all day long. Even when life is hard, He is waiting to comfort you with His unfailing love so that gladness will creep over your heart once more.
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Father, You are the Author of joy. Thank You so much for Your unfailing love that fills me to the brim. Give me grace and gladness every minute of every day. Amen.
Safe
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My life is in your hands. Save me from my enemies and from those who are chasing me. PSALM 31:15 NCV
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Do you ever feel like trouble is chasing you? No matter how fast you run or how you try to hide, it comes relentlessly after you, dogging your footsteps, breathing its hot breath down your neck, robbing you of peace. What's even worse is that it waits for you down the road as well! Maybe you need to stop running and hiding and instead let yourself drop into God's hands, knowing He will hold your future safe.
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Lord, when I am afraid, my instinct is to run. Thank You for this reminder that my life is in Your hands. Keep me safe. Help me to be still. Amen.
Happiness Requirement ...
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I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. ... Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. PHILIPPIANS 4:12 MSG
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When you were younger, what did you think you needed to be happy? Nice clothes? A boyfriend? A husband? A good job? At the point where you are in your life now, what is it you think your happiness requires? Day after day, God blesses us, but our happiness does not depend on those blessings. Our joy depends only on God. When we realize that, we no longer have to worry about losing or gaining life's blessings.
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Jesus, Giver of joy, help me to learn the secret of contentment. Help me to rest in the assurance that whatever life gives or takes away, I can always depend on You. Amen.
Whole and Healthy
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When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor — sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." MARK 2:17 NLT
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With Jesus, we never need to pretend to be something we aren't. We don't need to impress Him with our spiritual maturity and mental acuity. Instead, we can come to Him honestly, with all our neediness, admitting just how weak we are. When we do, we let down the barriers that keep Him out of our hearts. We allow His grace to make us whole and healthy.
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Jesus, help me to resist the temptation to be something I'm not. Instead, give me a spirit of vulnerability so that I can receive Your healing grace. Amen.
Spirit-Oxygen
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Tell me this one thing: How did you receive the Holy Spirit? Did you receive the Spirit by following the law? No, you received the Spirit because you heard the Good News and believed it. GALATIANS 3:2 NCV
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As we share the good news of Christ, we need to take care that we are not preaching the law rather than the love of Christ. The Spirit did not come into your heart through legalism and laws — and He won't reach others through you if that is your focus. Breathe deeply of grace, and let it spread from you to a world that is desperate for the oxygen of the Spirit.
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Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, how grateful I am for the good news of the Gospel. Remind me of the grace I have received, and enable me to share it freely with others. Amen.
Unchanged
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Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! PSALM 42:5 NLT
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Thousands of years ago, the psalmist who wrote these words expressed the same feelings we all have. Some days we just feel blue. The world looks dark, everything seems to be going wrong, and our hearts are sad. Those feelings are part of the human condition. Like the psalmist, we need to remind ourselves that God is unchanged by cloudy skies and gloomy hearts. His grace is always the same, as bright and hopeful as ever.
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Heavenly Father, when I am overcome by sadness, help me to see Your light shimmering just beyond the clouds. Thank You for Your grace, which is a bright promise and a great comfort. Amen.
Grace of Hospitality
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When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. ROMANS 12:13 NLT
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God opens Himself to you, offering you everything He has, and He calls you to do the same for others. Just as He made you welcome, make others welcome in your life. Don't reach out to others grudgingly, with a sense of obligation. Instead, be eager for opportunities to practice the grace of hospitality.
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Father, although I long to help others in need, I can sure find a lot of excuses to avoid practicing hospitality. Please give me an eagerness to share with others. Amen.
Thinking Habits
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And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. PHILIPPIANS 4:8 NLT
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Our brains are gifts from God, intended to serve us well, special gifts of grace we often take for granted. In return, we need to offer our minds back to God. Practice thinking positive thoughts. Focus on what is true rather than on lies; pay attention to beautiful things and stop staring at the ugly things in life. Discipline your minds to take on God's habits of thinking.
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Heavenly Father, thank You for my brain, a gift from You. Help me focus on things that honor You. Open my eyes to beautiful, positive things — and most importantly to Your Truth. Amen.
Into God's Presence
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"That person can pray to God and find favor with him, they will see God's face and shout for joy." JOB 33:26 NIV
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Prayer is the channel through which God's grace flows. We do not pray because God needs us to pray; we pray because we need to pray. When we come into God's presence, we are renewed. Our hearts lift. We look into the face of the One who loves us most, and we are filled with joy.
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Father, thank You for the gift of prayer and the promise that I can talk with You at any time. As I look to You, fill my heart with Your joy. Amen.
What God Shows Us
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The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. PSALM 145:17 NLT
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Did you know that the word kind comes from the same root as kin? Both words originally had to do with intimate shared relationships like the ones that exist between members of the same family. This is what God shows us: the kindness of a good father, the gentleness of a good mother, the understanding of a brother or sister.
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Good Father, thank You for Your kindness and for creating me with a longing to be close to You. May I find rest in Your nearness. Amen.
Laugh Out Loud
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"He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." JOB 8:21 NLT
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Did you know that God wants to make you laugh? He wants to fill you with loud, rowdy joy. Oh, some days His grace will come to you quietly and calmly. But every now and then, you will have days when He makes you laugh out loud.
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Heavenly Father, the gift of laughter is such a blessing. Help me to look for reasons to laugh out loud with Your joy. Amen.
Sing!
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But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. PSALM 42:8 NLT
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Life itself is a gift of grace. The very blood that flows through our veins, the beat of our hearts, and the steady hum of our metabolism — all of that is God's free gift to us, a token of His constant and unconditional love. When we are so richly loved, how can we help but sing, even in the darkness?
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Dear Lord, Giver of blessing, Giver of life, as I experience Your unfailing love each and every day, teach my heart to sing Your joyful song. Amen.
Web of Love
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So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. JOHN 13:34 NLT
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God's grace comes to us through a net of relationships and connections. Because we know we are totally and unconditionally loved, we can in turn love others. The connections between us grow ever wider and stronger, a web of love that unites us all with God.
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Jesus, I am grateful for the relationships You have given me.
Thank You for Your love that enables me to love and be loved by others. Amen.
Thrive!
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Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. PROVERBS 11:28 NIV
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Money seems so important in our world. Many things we want depend on money — that remodeling project we're hoping to do, the Christmas gifts we want to give, the vacation we hope to take, and the new car we want to drive. There's nothing wrong with any of those things, but our enjoyment of them will always be fleeting. Only God's daily grace makes us truly grow and thrive.
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Father, remind me that while caring for my family, making money, and preparing for my future are good things, they are not my identity. Help me to find my purpose, my worth, in You. Amen.
Sharing Life
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But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another. 1 JOHN 1:7 MSG
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Some of us are extroverts, and some of us are introverts. But either way, God asks us to share our lives in some way with others. As we walk in His light, He gives us grace to experience a new kind of a life, a life we have in common with the others who share His kingdom.
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Lord Jesus, I recognize that You have asked me to share my life with others. Help me to look for opportunities to make connections as I walk in Your light. Amen.
Healed Past
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"All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done." EZEKIEL 18:22 NLT
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We have the feeling that we can't do anything about the past. We think all our mistakes are back there behind us, carved in stone. But God's creative power is amazing, and His grace can heal even the past. Yesterday's sins are pulled out like weeds, while the good things we have done are watered so that they grow and flourish into the present. Give your past to God. His grace is big enough to bring healing even to your worst memories.
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Father, how grateful I am that my past is forgiven and that I am free! Help me to continue to trust You to continue to bring righteousness into my life. Amen.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Choose Grace"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Barbour Publishing, Inc..
Excerpted by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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