Daily Growth for 10/18/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





God, I want Your Word to be deeply implanted in me so that I not only know the truth, but also express it in the way I live.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be in my mouth.
My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together. (Psalm 34:1-3)

Take a moment to affirm the truth of these words from Scripture and ask God to make them a growing reality in your life.

DAILY MEDITATION





Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. NIV
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 293-Ephesians 2

Our position in Christ (1-3) lays the foundation for our practice in Christ (4-6). After a prologue, Paul praises the triune God for the work of the Father in choosing us (1:3-6), the Son in redeeming us (1:7-12), and the Spirit for sealing us (1:13-14). This marvelous hymn to God's grace is followed by a prayer for spiritual illumination in the knowledge of our calling, inheritance, and power (1:15-23). Paul contrasts his readers' former spiritual condition without Christ with the life and hope that salvation by grace through faith has given them (2:1-10). This redemption includes Jews, yet also extends to Gentiles who previously were "strangers to the covenants of promise." In Christ, the two for the first time have become "fellow citizens with the saints" and members of one body (2:11-22).

READING OF EPHESIANS 2

Prayer:

Lord, I thank You that it is by grace that we have been saved through faith; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Meditation passage for today: verses 4-10

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

The Lord my God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:17-18)

My soul magnifies the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For the Mighty One has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him,
From generation to generation. (Luke 1:46-47, 49-50)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

God’s eyes are on the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.
There is no darkness or deep shadow
Where the workers of iniquity can hide.
He does not need to examine a man further,
That he should go before God in judgment. (Job 34:21-23)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but the immoral person sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)

May I not set my heart on evil things, or be an idolater, or commit sexual immorality. (1 Corinthians 10:6-8)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

Let me hear Your unfailing love in the morning,
For I have put my trust in You.
Show me the way I should walk,
For to You I lift up my soul. (Psalm 143:8)

Faithfulness as a Steward
Of time
Of talents
Of treasure
Of truth
Of relationships
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

May I honor all people, love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, and honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

Government
Spiritual revival
Local government
State government
National government
Current events and concerns

Affirmation

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

We have the prophetic word made more certain, to which I will do well to pay attention, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in my heart. (2 Peter 1:19)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

The Lord my God is the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

I will tell of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord,
The praises of the Lord,
According to all the Lord has done for us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies,
And according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses. (Isaiah 63:7)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

I know that my Redeemer lives
And that in the end He will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
Yet in my flesh I will see God;
Whom I myself will see
And behold with my own eyes and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27)

God is exalted beyond our understanding;
The number of His years is unsearchable. (Job 36:26)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

You are the living God, and there is no god besides You. You put to death and You bring to life, You have wounded and You will heal, and no one can deliver from Your hand. (Deuteronomy 32:39)

O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven? Are You not the ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one is able to withstand You. (2 Chronicles 20:6)

The Works of God

God promised the gospel beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son—who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, and who was declared with power to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit of holiness, by His resurrection from the dead—Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:2-4)

God set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He passed over the sins committed beforehand; He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:25-28)

My Relationship to God

By God’s grace, I will not despise my birthright for the things of this world. (Genesis 25:33-34)

I will fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all my heart, for I consider what great things He has done for me. (1 Samuel 12:24)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

I will not wear myself out to get rich; I will have the understanding to cease. I will not set my desire on what flies away, for wealth surely sprouts wings and flies into the heavens like an eagle. (Proverbs 23:4-5)

I want to learn to be content in whatever circumstances I am. Whether I am abased or in abundance, whether I am filled or hungry, I want to learn the secret of being content in any and every situation. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

My Relationship to Others

I will not hate my brother in my heart. (Leviticus 19:17) Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions. (Proverbs 10:12)

Daily Growth for 10/20/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





Lord, I give thanks for Your greatness, your goodness, and your love, and I now draw near to enjoy your presence.

The Lord God of hosts-
He who touches the earth and it melts,
And all who live in it mourn;
He who builds His staircase in the heavens
And founded the expanse over the earth;
He who calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out over the face of the earth-
The Lord is His name. (Amos 9:5-6)

Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy dwelling place. (Zechariah 2:13)

Take a moment to consider God's awesome majesty and thank Him that He loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you.

DAILY MEDITATION





1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. NIV
1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 295-Ephesians 4

Paul's theme in Ephesians is captured in the pivotal verse that links the two major sections together: "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" (4:1). This remarkable chapter about the unity and diversity of the body of Christ marks the application of the glorious truths about our true position in Christ in Ephesians 1-3. Paul's passion was that people would not only understand who they are in their vertical relationship with Christ, but also express this new identity in their horizontal relationships with one another. The gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to empower us to serve other members of the body in such a way that we build each other up and grow together in ever-greater maturity and Christlike character. By "speaking the truth in love" we encourage and equip others to "grow up in all aspects into Him."

READING OF EPHESIANS 4

Prayer:

Lord, I want to be renewed in the spirit of my mind and put on the righteousness and true holiness of the new creation I have become in Christ. Please empower me to love and serve others in such a way that they will be built up and encouraged in Him.

Meditation passage for today: verses 4-7, 15, 22-24, 32

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

The Lord my God is God in the heavens above and in the earth below. (Joshua 2:11)

The Lord stretches out the north over empty space;
He suspends the earth on nothing. (Job 26:7)

He who made the Pleiades and Orion
And turns deep darkness into morning
And darkens day into night,
Who calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out over the face of the earth—
The Lord is His name. (Amos 5:8)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

Let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, “The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression.” (Numbers 14:17-18)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May the name of the Lord Jesus be magnified in my life. (Acts 19:17)

In view of God’s mercy, may I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is my reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I do no injustice in judgment, nor show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge my neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:15)

Personal Concerns
Spiritual warfare
The world
The flesh
The devil
Growth in character
Personal disciplines
Physical health and strength
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

O Lord, be gracious to us; we have hoped in You.
Be our strength every morning,
Our salvation in time of distress. (Isaiah 33:2)

World Affairs
The poor and hungry
The oppressed and persecuted
Those in authority
Peace among nations
Current events and concerns

Affirmation

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding,
For its profit is greater than that of silver,
And its gain than fine gold.
She is more precious than jewels,
And nothing I desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her,
And happy are those who hold her fast. (Proverbs 3:13-18)

Wisdom is foremost; therefore I will get wisdom,
And though it costs all I have, I will get understanding.
I will esteem her, and she will exalt me;
I will embrace her, and she will honor me. (Proverbs 4:7-8)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as the children of Israel have, and lived? Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord God did for Israel in Egypt before their very eyes? The Israelites were shown these things so that they might know that the Lord, He is God; there is no other besides Him. Out of heaven You made the children of Israel hear Your voice to discipline them. On earth You showed them Your great fire, and they heard Your words out of the midst of the fire. Because You loved their fathers, You chose their descendants after them, and You brought them out of Egypt by Your presence and Your great power; You drove out from before the Israelites nations greater and mightier than they, to bring them in and to give them their land as an inheritance. (Deuteronomy 4:33-38)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, I have nowhere else to go; You have the words of eternal life. I believe and know that You are the Holy One of God. (John 6:68-69)

You are the resurrection and the life. He who believes in You will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in You will never die. (John 11:25-26)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. I will ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. I will ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name and worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 96:4-8)

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory. (Isaiah 6:3)

The Works of God

The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. (Psalm 145:14-16)

O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago in perfect faithfulness. (Isaiah 25:1)

My Relationship to God

I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; whom I myself will see and behold with my own eyes and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27)

I have hope in God, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. In view of this, I strive always to keep my conscience blameless before God and men. (Acts 24:15-16)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

I will be strong and courageous; I will not be afraid or discouraged because of my adversaries, for there is a greater power with me than with them, for the Lord my God is with me to help me. (2 Chronicles 32:7-8)

I will not be afraid of my adversaries, but I will remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. (Nehemiah 4:14)

My Relationship to Others

Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for others. (1 Samuel 12:23) I will do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility I will esteem others as more important than myself. I will look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Daily Growth for 10/21/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





I am grateful to You, O God, for the blessing of your forgiveness. I thank You that in Christ, You set me free from the guilt of the past and give me hope for the future.

Have mercy on me, O God,
According to Your loyal love;
According to the greatness of Your compassion
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me completely from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge. (Psalm 51:1-4)

Take a moment to ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

DAILY MEDITATION





Colossians 4:5-6
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. NIV
Colossians 4:5-6
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 296-Ephesians 5

In the second half of Ephesians, Paul turns from the privileges of the believer to the responsibilities of the believer. He exhorts his readers to grow in unity and in maturity through the loving exercise of their spiritual gifts (4:1-16). He calls them to walk in the power of the new self and to practice righteousness, truth, self-control, and forgiveness (4:17-32). As God's beloved children, they are to live in the light and avoid the deeds of darkness (5:1-21). Their relationships as wives and husbands (5:22-33), children and parents (6:1-4), and slaves and masters (6:5-9) are to be transformed by the love of Christ. Paul goes on to say that they are to stand firm in the spiritual warfare and use the weapons of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the word of God, and prayer (6:10-20).

READING OF EPHESIANS 5

Prayer:

Lord, I want to imitate You as Your beloved child, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved me and gave Himself up for me, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

Meditation passage for today: verses 1-2, 8-9, 15-21

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

You, the Lord, alone have declared
What is to come from the distant past.
There is no God apart from You,
A righteous God and a Savior;
There is none besides You.
You are God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:21-22)

You are my hope, O Lord God;
You are my trust from my youth.
As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise You more and more. (Psalm 71:5, 14)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
Evil cannot dwell with You. (Psalm 5:4)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

Like Enoch, may I walk with God. (Genesis 5:24)

Like Noah, may I find favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:8)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I consider the members of my earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming, and in them I once walked when I lived in them. (Colossians 3:5-7)

Growth in Christ
Greater desire to know and please Him
Greater love and commitment to Him
Grace to practice His presence
Grace to glorify Him in my life
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

Just as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. And we have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. (Romans 12:4-6)

Churches and Ministries
My local church
Other churches
Evangelism and discipleship ministries
Educational ministries
Special concerns

Affirmation

I believe that it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that I am saved. (Acts 15:11)

I trusted in Christ when I heard the word of truth, the gospel of my salvation. Having believed, I was sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a deposit guaranteeing my inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;
With my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that Your lovingkindness will be built up forever,
That You will establish Your faithfulness in the heavens.
And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord,
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the heavens can be compared with the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the sons of the mighty?
God is greatly feared in the council of the holy ones
And more awesome than all who surround Him.
O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You. (Psalm 89:1-2, 5-8)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

You are the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is Your flesh, which You have given for the life of the world. (John 6:51)

You are the light of the world. He who follows You will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

The Lord will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. It is not by strength that one prevails; those who contend with the Lord will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king and exalt the horn of His anointed. (1 Samuel 2:9-10)

You have sworn by Yourself; the word has gone out of Your mouth in righteousness and will not return. Every knee will bow before You, and every tongue will acknowledge You. (Isaiah 45:23)

The Works of God

The Lord God will swallow up death forever, and He will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth. For the Lord has spoken. And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord, we have trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:8-9)

You will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17)

My Relationship to God

How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You before the sons of men! (Psalm 31:19)

You know how I am formed; You remember that I am dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field. The wind passes over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts. (Psalm 103:14-18)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord is set on high. (Proverbs 29:25)

Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. (Jeremiah 17:5, 7)

My Relationship to Others

A virtuous wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones. (Proverbs 12:4) Who can find a virtuous wife? She is worth far more than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her so that he has no lack of gain. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:10-12)

Daily Growth for 10/22/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





I praise You, Lord, that You are intimately acquainted with my ways and that You always love me and have my best interests at heart.

May I not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man gives me, for God the Father has set His seal on Him. (John 6:27)

Whatever was gain to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider all things loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (Philippians 3:7-9)

Take a moment to offer this day to the Lord and ask Him for the grace to grow in your knowledge and love for Him.

DAILY MEDITATION





1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. NIV
1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 297-Ephesians 6

Paul's important expression "in Christ" and its equivalent ("in Him") appears more often in Ephesians (35 times) than in any other New Testament book. The "in Christ" relationship that is available to every believer is rich and multifaceted: we have received every spiritual blessing in Christ (1:3), we were chosen in Christ (1:4, 11), we were adopted as God's children in Christ (1:5), we have redemption in Christ (1:7), our hope is in Christ (1:12), we were sealed in Christ (1:13), we were made alive in Christ (2:5), we were raised up with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly realms (2:6), we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works (2:10), we are joined together in Christ (2:21), we are sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (3:6), we can approach God with freedom and confidence in Christ (3:12), and we are called to strengthen ourselves in Christ's mighty power (6:10).

READING OF EPHESIANS 6

Prayer:

Lord, may I live in dependence upon Your strength and put on the full armor of God, so that I will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Meditation passage for today: verses 10-13

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born
Or You brought forth the earth and the world,
From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
You turn men back into dust,
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by
Or like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:1-4)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

God fashions the hearts of all
And understands all their works. (Psalm 33:15)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

Has a nation changed its gods
Which were not gods?
But my people have exchanged their Glory
For that which is worthless.
By Your grace may I not forsake You,
The fountain of living waters,
To dig my own cisterns,
Broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:11, 13)

As one who shares in the heavenly calling, may I fix my thoughts on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of my confession. (Hebrews 3:1)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I be strong and courageous, being careful to obey Your word; may I not turn from it to the right or to the left, that I may act wisely wherever I go. (Joshua 1:7)

Growth in Wisdom
Developing an eternal perspective
Renewing my mind with truth
Greater skill in each area of life
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

We should bear with one another in love and make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2-3)

Family
My immediate family
My relatives
Spiritual concerns
Emotional and physical concerns
Other concerns

Affirmation

Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I will depart.
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)

Godliness with contentment is great gain. For I brought nothing into the world, and I can take nothing out of it. But if I have food and clothing, with these I will be content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

I called to the Lord in my distress,
And He answered me.
From the depths of the grave, I called for help,
And You heard my voice. (Jonah 2:2)

I will exult in the Lord;
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer
And enables me to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:18-19)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

You are the door; whoever enters through You will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:9-10)

Your sheep hear Your voice, and You know them, and they follow You. You give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of Your hand. The Father, who has given them to You, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. You and the Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

Your lovingkindness, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgments are like a great deep. O Lord, You preserve man and beast. How priceless is Your lovingkindness, O God! The children of men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. (Psalm 36:5-7, 9)

The Lord’s lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:2)

The Works of God

The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong; and the lowly things of this world and the despised things God has chosen, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. (1 Corinthians 1:25, 27-29)

The Lord said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:20-21)

My Relationship to God

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in You my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until destruction passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me. (Psalm 57:1-2)

This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

You desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

My Relationship to Others

I will honor my father and my mother. (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise son will be glad in him. May my father and mother be glad; may she who gave me birth rejoice. (Proverbs 23:24-25)

Daily Growth posting to follow.

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DAILY REFLECTION





As I approach Your throne of grace today, I am grateful that You care about the things that concern me and that You want me to offer them up to You.

No one who waits for You will be ashamed,
But those who are treacherous without cause will be ashamed.
Show me Your ways, O Lord,
Teach me Your paths;
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation,
And my hope is in You all day long. (Psalm 25:3-5)

Take a moment to share your personal needs with God, including your physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual concerns.

DAILY MEDITATION





Ephesians 6:19
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. NIV.
Ephesians 6:19
And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 298-Philippians 1

Philippians is an epistle of joy and encouragement that inspires its readers to focus their thoughts and actions on the pursuit of Christ. When our joy is threatened by adverse circumstances (chapter 1), disunity among people (chapter 2), the quest for accomplishments (chapter 3), or anxiety (chapter 4), this letter is a powerful tool that can help us get our eyes back on Jesus. Only by pursuing Jesus first will we discover the peace and contentment that comes from God.

Paul begins this epistle with a word of thanksgiving for the Philippians and a prayer for their spiritual growth in love and discernment (1:1-11). He then tells him about his imprisonment, the progress of the gospel, and his openness to either outcome (exoneration or execution) in his trial (1:12-26). This chapter concludes with an exhortation to contend for the gospel in the face of persecution (1:27-30).

READING OF PHILIPPIANS 1

Prayer:

Lord, may my love abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that I may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.

Meditation passage for today: verses 6, 9-11, 21

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

I will exalt You, my God and King;
I will bless Your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
His greatness is unsearchable. (Psalm 145:1-3)

Out of the north He comes in golden splendor;
With God is awesome majesty.
The Almighty is beyond our reach;
He is exalted in power
And in His justice and great righteousness,
He does not oppress. (Job 37:22-23)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

God will not always strive with us,
Nor will He harbor His anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
Or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His love for those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. (Psalm 103:9-13)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I let the fear of the Lord be upon me, and be careful in what I do, for with the Lord my God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery. (2 Chronicles 19:7)

May I meditate on Your precepts
And consider Your ways.
May I delight in Your statutes,
And not forget Your word.
Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
Open my eyes that I may see
Wonderful things from Your law. (Psalm 119:15-18)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I not enter the path of the wicked
Or walk in the way of evil men. (Proverbs 4:14)

Spiritual Insight
Understanding and insight into the word
Understanding my identity in Christ
Who I am
Where I came from
Where I am going
Understanding God’s purpose for my life
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

The Spirit helps me in my weakness, for I do not know what I ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for me with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

Believers
Personal friends
Those in ministry
Those who are oppressed and in need
Special concerns

Affirmation

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21-22)

The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong; and the lowly things of this world and the despised things God has chosen, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. (1 Corinthians 1:25, 27-29)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, Your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Humble and riding on a donkey,
On a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He will proclaim peace to the nations;
His dominion will extend from sea to sea
And from the River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:9-10)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The Lord turn His face toward you
And give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens! (Psalm 8:1)

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord, my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. (Psalm 104:1)

The Works of God

In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:11)

You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the heaven of heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all that is in them, and the host of heaven worships You. (Nehemiah 9:6)

My Relationship to God

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters; He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:1-6)

I know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

Lord, make me to know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. (Psalm 39:4)

Teach me to number my days, that I may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

My Relationship to Others

Since we were called into fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, all of us should agree with one another, so that there may be no divisions among us, and that we may be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1 Corinthians 1:9-10) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

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DAILY REFLECTION





Lord, You have invited me to pray for the needs of others, and since You desire what is best for them, I take this opportunity to bring these requests to You.

We must encourage one another daily, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any of us be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

We should consider how to stir up one another toward love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24)

Take a moment to lift up the needs of your family and friends, and to offer up any other burdens for others that the Lord brings to mind.

DAILY MEDITATION





Romans 12:4-5
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. NIV
Romans 12:4-5
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 299-Philippians 2

Paul exhorts his readers in Philippi to maintain a spirit of love and unity by pursuing the mind of Christ Jesus who served others through His incarnation and death (2:1-11). He calls them to cultivate this attitude (2:12-18), and illustrates it through the sacrificial service of Timothy and Epaphroditus (2:19-30).

While Philippians contains little doctrinal teaching, Paul's use of Christ's self-emptying in 2:5-11 as a model of other-centered humility is one of the most significant passages on the Person and work of Christ in the Bible. This is known as the kenosis passage from the Greek word that speaks of the emptying that was involved in the incarnation; Christ did not empty Himself of His deity, but divested Himself of the full manifestation of His divine rights and attributes during His earthly life.

READING OF PHILIPPIANS 2

Prayer:

Lord, may I do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind may I regard others as more important than myself. May I have the attitude of Christ Jesus and look out for the interests of others.

Meditation passage for today: verses 3-13

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below; You keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their heart. (1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chronicles 6:14)

I know that You alone, whose name is the Lord,
Are the Most High over all the earth. (Psalm 83:18)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

A person’s wickedness will punish him;
His backsliding will reprove him.
I know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter
To forsake the Lord my God
And have no fear of Him. (Jeremiah 2:19)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, may I let my requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

May I prepare my mind for action and be self-controlled, setting my hope fully on the grace to be brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, but join with others in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God. (2 Timothy 1:8)

Relationships with Others
Greater love and compassion for others
Loved ones
Those who do not know Christ
Those in need
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Evangelism
Friends
Relatives
Neighbors
Coworkers
Special opportunities

Affirmation

Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a Man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then the end will come, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:20-26)

The first man is of the dust of the earth; the second Man is from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the Man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly Man. (1 Corinthians 15:47-49)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

I will arise and bless the Lord, my God,
Who is from everlasting to everlasting.
Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise! (Nehemiah 9:5)

As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
When I awake, I will be satisfied with Your likeness. (Psalm 17:15)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

The Lord does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thoughts from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, You know it completely. (Psalm 139:1-4)

The Works of God

A Shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—and He will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears, but with righteousness He will judge the poor and decide with fairness for the meek of the earth. And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His belt, and faithfulness the sash around His waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)

Behold, a virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

My Relationship to God

The Lord my God wants me to fear Him, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul. (Deuteronomy 10:12)

I want to know God and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every motive behind the thoughts. (1 Chronicles 28:9)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity. (1 Chronicles 29:17)

May those who hope in You not be ashamed because of me, O Lord God of hosts; may those who seek You not be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel. (Psalm 69:6)

My Relationship to Others

Whoever acknowledges You before men, You will also acknowledge him before Your Father in heaven. But whoever denies You before men, You will also deny him before Your Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33) I will not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, but I will join with others in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God. (2 Timothy 1:8)

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DAILY REFLECTION





God, I want Your Word to be deeply implanted in me so that I not only know the truth, but also express it in the way I live.

I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
O fear the Lord, you His saints,
For those who fear Him lack nothing. (Psalm 34:8-9)

Take a moment to affirm the truth of these words from Scripture and ask God to make them a growing reality in your life.

DAILY MEDITATION





2 Timothy 2:2
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. NIV
2 Timothy 2:2
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 300-Philippians 3

Turning to the problem of legalistic influences, Paul refutes the attempt to attain righteousness through keeping the law by using his own life as an example of the futility of works-based righteousness (3:1-9). Having found true righteousness through faith in Christ, he presses on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (3:10-16). He warns about those who set their mind on earthly things and contrasts this with his passion for heavenly things (3:17-21).

Because of its informality, Philippians does not follow an outline, but quickly moves through a variety of topics. The words "joy" and "rejoice" appear 16 times, and these words capture the spirit of this epistle; Paul learned the secret of being content in any and every situation (4:12), and his single-minded pursuit of the personal knowledge of Christ (3:10) and understanding that to live is Christ and to die is gain (1:21) are at the core of his being.

READING OF PHILIPPIANS 3

Prayer:

Lord, I lay hold of the righteousness which comes through faith in Christ Jesus. May I know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.

Meditation passage for today: verses 3, 8-14, 20-21

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

God is jealous and the Lord avenges;
The Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath against His enemies.
The Lord is slow to anger and great in power
And will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
And clouds are the dust of His feet. (Nahum 1:2-3)

Are You a God nearby,
And not a God far away?
Can anyone hide in secret places
So that You cannot see him?
Do You not fill heaven and earth? (Jeremiah 23:23-24)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Wisdom hates pride and arrogance
And the evil way and the perverse mouth. (Proverbs 8:13)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I not trust in myself or in my own righteousness, nor view others with contempt. (Luke 18:9)

May I not be like the man who did not make God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his wealth and strengthened himself in his evil desires. (Psalm 52:7)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
Free me from my distresses.
Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins. (Psalm 25:16-18)

Faithfulness as a Steward
Of time
Of talents
Of treasure
Of truth
Of relationships
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

May I remind others to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to slander no one, to be peaceable and gentle, and to show true humility toward all men. (Titus 3:1-2)

Government
Spiritual revival
Local government
State government
National government
Current events and concerns

Affirmation

I am always of good courage and know that as long as I am at home in the body, I am away from the Lord. For I live by faith, not by sight. I am of good courage and would prefer to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6-8)

Now I am a child of God, and what I shall be has not yet been revealed. I know that when He is revealed, I shall be like Him, for I shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
Because He has visited us and has redeemed His people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David
(As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago),
Salvation from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us—
To show mercy to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
The oath He swore to our father Abraham,
To rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
And to enable us to serve Him without fear
In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. (Luke 1:68-75)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.
The judgments of the Lord are true and altogether righteous.
They are more desirable than gold, than much pure gold;
They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
Moreover, by them is Your servant warned;
In keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

God is the Rock; His work is perfect, for all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, upright and just is He. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

The word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord. (Psalm 33:4-5)

The Works of God

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:2-3)

An hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of Man, and will come out—those who have done good to a resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to a resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)

My Relationship to God

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forever. For great is Your love toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of the grave. (Psalm 86:12-13)

I will exult in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and enables me to go on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:18-19)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

I will not spread false reports, nor will I help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. (Exodus 23:1)

Lying lips are hateful to the Lord, but He delights in those who deal faithfully. (Proverbs 12:22)

My Relationship to Others

I will not take vengeance or bear a grudge against others, but I will love my neighbor as myself. (Leviticus 19:18) Whatever I want others to do to me, I will also do to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

Daily Growth for 10/26/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





O Lord, I am deeply grateful for Your wonderful acts, for Your abundant promises, and for the gift of my relationship with You through the merits of Christ.

I will sing of Your strength,
Yes, I will sing of Your mercy in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold,
My refuge in times of trouble.
To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises,
For God is my fortress, my loving God. (Psalm 59:16-17)

Take a moment to express your gratitude for the many blessings that you have received from the Lord.

DAILY MEDITATION





Ephesians 4:11-12
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. NIV
Ephesians 4:11-12
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 301-Philippians 4

In the last chapter, Paul exhorts the believers in Philippi to maintain unity, to enjoy God's peace by offering all anxieties to God in prayer, and to be content in their circumstances (4:1-13). After thanking them for participating in his ministry though their support, he closes with greetings and a benediction (4:14-23).

Paul wrote this letter to thank the Philippians for their gift, to convey his warm affection for them, and to encourage them to "[stand] firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (1:27). He argues that joy springs out of unity, and that unity springs out of humility; the ultimate example of humility is the obedience of Christ Jesus to His Father's will (2:5-11).

READING OF PHILIPPIANS 4

Prayer:

Lord, may I be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, may I make my requests known to You. In this way, Your peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Meditation passage for today: verses 4-9, 13, 19

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

O Lord, You have searched me and You know me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thoughts from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down
And are acquainted with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, You know it completely.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:1-6)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

O Lord, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. (Psalm 41:4)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I not worry about my life, what I will eat or what I will drink; or about my body, what I will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. The birds of the air do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet my heavenly Father feeds them. Am I not much more valuable than they? Who by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do I worry about clothes? I will consider how the lilies of the field grow; they neither labor nor spin, yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe me? So may I not worry, saying, “What shall I eat?” or “What shall I drink?” or “What shall I wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and my heavenly Father knows that I need them. But may I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and all these things will be added to me. (Matthew 6:25-33; Luke 12:22-31)

May I be more concerned about the things of God than the things of men. (Mark 8:33)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I follow Your commands and precepts and be careful to observe them, for this is my wisdom and understanding in the sight of others. (Deuteronomy 4:5-6)

Family and Ministry
Family
Ministry
Sharing Christ with others
Helping others grow in Him
Career
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

But let all who take refuge in You be glad;
Let them ever sing for joy,
Because You defend them.
And let those who love Your name be joyful in You. (Psalm 5:11)

Missions
Local missions
National missions
World missions
The fulfillment of the Great Commission
Special concerns

Affirmation

The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding. (Job 28:28)

Who is the man that fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose. (Psalm 25:12)

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways. (Psalm 128:1)

The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
Who put their hope in His unfailing love. (Psalm 147:11)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

And now therefore you have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. And in that day you will not ask Me any question. I tell you the truth, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:22-24)

The Father Himself loves me because I have loved Jesus and have believed that He came forth from God. (John 16:27)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

You have shown me what is good;
And what does the Lord require of me
But to act justly and to love mercy
And to walk humbly with my God? (Micah 6:8)

We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me,
And every tongue will confess to God.”
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10b-12)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides You; nor is there any Rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)

There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom I live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom I live. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

The Works of God

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17)

The Lord said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not stay in darkness. And if anyone hears My words but does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12:46-47)

My Relationship to God

Lord Jesus, You are in Your Father, and I am in You, and You are in me. (John 14:20)

If I have been united with Christ in the likeness of His death, I will certainly also be united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection. (Romans 6:5)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

The proud looks of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted. (Isaiah 2:11)

My Relationship to Others

Is this not the fast You have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the cords of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to share our food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter; when we see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from our own flesh? Then our light will break forth like the dawn, and our healing will quickly appear, and our righteousness will go before us; the glory of the Lord will be our rear guard. Then we will call, and the Lord will answer; we will cry, and He will say, “Here I am.” If we put away the yoke from our midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk, and if we extend our souls to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then our light will rise in the darkness, and our gloom will become like the noonday. (Isaiah 58:6-10) I must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

Daily Growth for 10/27/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





O Lord, I am deeply grateful for Your wonderful acts, for Your abundant promises, and for the gift of my relationship with You through the merits of Christ.

I will sing of Your strength,
Yes, I will sing of Your mercy in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold,
My refuge in times of trouble.
To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises,
For God is my fortress, my loving God. (Psalm 59:16-17)

Take a moment to express your gratitude for the many blessings that you have received from the Lord.

DAILY MEDITATION





Ephesians 4:11-12
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. NIV
Ephesians 4:11-12
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 301-Philippians 4

In the last chapter, Paul exhorts the believers in Philippi to maintain unity, to enjoy God's peace by offering all anxieties to God in prayer, and to be content in their circumstances (4:1-13). After thanking them for participating in his ministry though their support, he closes with greetings and a benediction (4:14-23).

Paul wrote this letter to thank the Philippians for their gift, to convey his warm affection for them, and to encourage them to "[stand] firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (1:27). He argues that joy springs out of unity, and that unity springs out of humility; the ultimate example of humility is the obedience of Christ Jesus to His Father's will (2:5-11).

READING OF PHILIPPIANS 4

Prayer:

Lord, may I be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, may I make my requests known to You. In this way, Your peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Meditation passage for today: verses 4-9, 13, 19

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

O Lord, You have searched me and You know me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thoughts from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down
And are acquainted with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, You know it completely.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:1-6)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

O Lord, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. (Psalm 41:4)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I not worry about my life, what I will eat or what I will drink; or about my body, what I will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. The birds of the air do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet my heavenly Father feeds them. Am I not much more valuable than they? Who by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do I worry about clothes? I will consider how the lilies of the field grow; they neither labor nor spin, yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe me? So may I not worry, saying, “What shall I eat?” or “What shall I drink?” or “What shall I wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and my heavenly Father knows that I need them. But may I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and all these things will be added to me. (Matthew 6:25-33; Luke 12:22-31)

May I be more concerned about the things of God than the things of men. (Mark 8:33)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I follow Your commands and precepts and be careful to observe them, for this is my wisdom and understanding in the sight of others. (Deuteronomy 4:5-6)

Family and Ministry
Family
Ministry
Sharing Christ with others
Helping others grow in Him
Career
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

But let all who take refuge in You be glad;
Let them ever sing for joy,
Because You defend them.
And let those who love Your name be joyful in You. (Psalm 5:11)

Missions
Local missions
National missions
World missions
The fulfillment of the Great Commission
Special concerns

Affirmation

The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding. (Job 28:28)

Who is the man that fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose. (Psalm 25:12)

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways. (Psalm 128:1)

The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
Who put their hope in His unfailing love. (Psalm 147:11)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

And now therefore you have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. And in that day you will not ask Me any question. I tell you the truth, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:22-24)

The Father Himself loves me because I have loved Jesus and have believed that He came forth from God. (John 16:27)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

You have shown me what is good;
And what does the Lord require of me
But to act justly and to love mercy
And to walk humbly with my God? (Micah 6:8)

We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me,
And every tongue will confess to God.”
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10b-12)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides You; nor is there any Rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)

There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom I live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom I live. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

The Works of God

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17)

The Lord said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not stay in darkness. And if anyone hears My words but does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12:46-47)

My Relationship to God

Lord Jesus, You are in Your Father, and I am in You, and You are in me. (John 14:20)

If I have been united with Christ in the likeness of His death, I will certainly also be united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection. (Romans 6:5)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

The proud looks of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted. (Isaiah 2:11)

My Relationship to Others

Is this not the fast You have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the cords of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to share our food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter; when we see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from our own flesh? Then our light will break forth like the dawn, and our healing will quickly appear, and our righteousness will go before us; the glory of the Lord will be our rear guard. Then we will call, and the Lord will answer; we will cry, and He will say, “Here I am.” If we put away the yoke from our midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk, and if we extend our souls to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then our light will rise in the darkness, and our gloom will become like the noonday. (Isaiah 58:6-10) I must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

Daily Growth for 10/28/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





Lord, I give thanks for Your greatness, your goodness, and your love, and I now draw near to enjoy your presence.

The Lord reigns; He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.
Indeed, the world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.
Your testimonies stand firm;
Holiness adorns Your house,
O Lord, forever. (Psalm 93:1-2, 5)

Bless the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord, my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty. (Psalm 104:1)

Take a moment to consider God's awesome majesty and thank Him that He loves you and wants an intimate relationship with you.

DAILY MEDITATION





1 Peter 4:10
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. NIV
1 Peter 4:10
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 302-Colossians 1

Colossians may be the most Christ-centered book in Scripture-everything in it lifts the mind and heart to "the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God" (3:1). This epistle edifies the mind as it portrays the supremacy and Person of Christ, and it edifies the heart as it encourages us to pursue Him in our conduct and character.

After a brief greeting, Paul thanks God for the Colossians (1:3-8) and prays that they would come to a deeper knowledge and growth in Christ (1:9-14). He develops his theme of the supremacy of Jesus Christ by demonstrating Christ's preeminence in the realms of creation (1:15-18) and of redemption (1:19-2:3).

READING OF COLOSSIANS 1

Prayer:

Lord, I ask that I may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that I will walk in a manner worthy of You, to please You in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Meditation passage for today: verses 9-20

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the furthest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me;
Your right hand will lay hold of me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me,”
Even the night will be light around me.
The darkness is not dark to You,
And the night shines as the day;
Darkness and light are alike to You. (Psalm 139:7-12)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

Those whom You love You rebuke and discipline. Therefore may I be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I act in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart. (2 Chronicles 19:9)

Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name. (Psalm 86:11)

The foremost commandment is this: “Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these. To love God with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself are more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. (Mark 12:29-31, 33)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I be strong and courageous, and act. May I not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God is with me. He will not fail me or forsake me. (1 Chronicles 28:20)

Personal Concerns
Spiritual warfare
The world
The flesh
The devil
Growth in character
Personal disciplines
Physical health and strength
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted
And justice for the poor. (Psalm 140:12)

World Affairs
The poor and hungry
The oppressed and persecuted
Those in authority
Peace among nations
Current events and concerns

Affirmation

Those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)

If I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved. For it is with my heart that I believe unto righteousness, and it is with my mouth that I confess unto salvation. As the Scripture says, “Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:9-11)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

When we were helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

Since I have been justified by Christ’s blood, much more shall I be saved from God’s wrath through Him. For if, when I was God’s enemy, I was reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall I be saved through His life. And not only this, but I also rejoice in God through my Lord Jesus Christ, through whom I have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty, You will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and You will be his God and he will be Your son. (Revelation 21:6-7)

Lord Jesus, You are coming quickly. Your reward is with You, and You will give to everyone according to what he has done. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Yes, You are coming quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:12-13, 20)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

The Lord will be gracious to whom He will be gracious, and He will have compassion on whom He will have compassion. (Exodus 33:19)

The Lord Jesus, who is holy and true, holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. (Revelation 3:7)

The Works of God

God is the maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the south. He does great things that cannot be fathomed and wonderful works that cannot be counted. (Job 9:9-10)

The day is Yours; the night also is Yours; You established the sun and moon. It was You who set all the boundaries of the earth; You made both summer and winter. (Psalm 74:16-17)

My Relationship to God

I will not depend on human strength, but on the Lord my God for help and deliverance. (2 Chronicles 16:7-8, 12)

I will trust in the Lord and do good; I will dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. I will delight myself in the Lord, and He will give me the desires of my heart. I will commit my way to the Lord and trust in Him, and He will bring it to pass. I will rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; I will not fret because of him who prospers in his way, with the man who practices evil schemes. (Psalm 37:3-5, 7)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word. It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn Your statutes. (Psalm 119:67, 71)

I will not forget the exhortation that addresses me as a son: “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, nor lose heart when you are rebuked by Him, for whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He chastises every son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)

My Relationship to Others

We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:1-2) No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:24)

Daily Growth for 10/30/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





I praise You, Lord, that You are intimately acquainted with my ways and that You always love me and have my best interests at heart.

Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. (Psalm 143:10)

May I listen to counsel and accept instruction,
That I may be wise in my latter days. (Proverbs 19:20)

Take a moment to offer this day to the Lord and ask Him for the grace to grow in your knowledge and love for Him.

DAILY MEDITATION





1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. NIV
1 Peter 5:8
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 304-Colossians 3

The first half of Colossians presents the Person, character, and supremacy of Christ, and the second half turns to the believer's pursuit of Christ through submission to Him and godly conduct in each area of life. Because of our union with Christ (3:1-4), we are to put the sinful manifestations of the old self to death (3:5-11) and demonstrate the life of the new self in Christ (3:12-17). This inward transformation should be expressed in the transformation of outward relationships in the family, in the marketplace, and in proclamation to unbelievers (3:18-4:6).

Paul urged his readers to keep their hope fixed on Christ alone. As they grow in this hope, it will be manifested in a quality of holiness in their relationships with others that is not based on rules and regulations, but on a growing personal relationship with Christ Jesus.

READING OF COLOSSIANS 3

Prayer:

Lord, when Christ, who is my life, is revealed, then I also will be revealed with Him in glory. Whatever I do in word or deed, may I do in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to You.

Meditation passage for today: verses 1-4, 9-17

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with You. (Psalm 139:17-18)

To whom can I liken You or count You equal?
To whom can I compare You that You may be alike? (Isaiah 46:5)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

My trespasses are multiplied before You,
And my sins testify against me.
For my transgressions are with me,
And I know my iniquities:
Transgressing and lying against the Lord,
And departing from my God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Uttering lies my heart has conceived. (Isaiah 59:12-13)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

May I fear the Lord and serve You in truth with all my heart, for I consider what great things You have done for me. (1 Samuel 12:24)

May I not transgress the commandments of the Lord, for I cannot prosper in disobedience. May I not forsake the Lord. (2 Chronicles 24:20)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I be worthy of respect, not double-tongued, not addicted to wine, not fond of dishonest gain, but holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (1 Timothy 3:8-9)

Growth in Wisdom
Developing an eternal perspective
Renewing my mind with truth
Greater skill in each area of life
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, even as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

Family
My immediate family
My relatives
Spiritual concerns
Emotional and physical concerns
Other concerns

Affirmation

Christ has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for man to die once and after that to face judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for Him. (Hebrews 9:26-28)

Christ was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for our sake. Through Him I believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, so that my faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:20-21)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

My heart rejoices in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
For I delight in Your salvation. (1 Samuel 2:1)

You reached down from on high and took hold of me;
You drew me out of deep waters.
You delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were stronger than me. (2 Samuel 22:17-18)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

Who is like You, O Lord?
Who is like You—majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

There is no one holy like the Lord;
There is no one besides You;
Nor is there any Rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

The Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth! God is the King of all the earth, and I will sing His praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. (Psalm 47:2, 7-8)

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He cleansed our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (Hebrews 1:3-4)

The Works of God

Behold, the Lord God will come with power, and His arm will rule for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms and carry them close to His heart; He will gently lead those that have young. (Isaiah 40:10-11)

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:31-34)

My Relationship to God

Like Josiah, I want to do what is right in the sight of the Lord and walk in all the ways of David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. (2 Kings 22:1-2)

I do not want to be like those rocky places on whom seed was thrown, who hear the word and at once receive it with joy, but since they have no root, last only a short time; when affliction or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Nor do I want to be like those among the thorns on whom seed was sown, who hear the word, but the worries of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and pleasures, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it immature and unfruitful. Instead, I want to be like the good soil on whom seed was sown, who with a noble and good heart hear the word, understand and accept it, and with perseverance bear fruit, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was sown. (Matthew 13:20-23; Mark 4:16-20; Luke 8:13-15)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of scorners. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither; and whatever he does will prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)

I will be diligent to present myself approved to God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

My Relationship to Others

He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. (Proverbs 13:24) Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22:15)

Daily Growth for 10/31/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





As I approach Your throne of grace today, I am grateful that You care about the things that concern me and that You want me to offer them up to You.

May I be worthy of respect, not double-tongued, not addicted to wine, not fond of dishonest gain, but holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (1 Timothy 3:8-9)

May I be above reproach, blameless as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not fond of dishonest gain, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sensible, just, holy, and self-controlled. (Titus 1:6-8)

Take a moment to share your personal needs with God, including your physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual concerns.

DAILY MEDITATION





Ephesians 6:13-15
Therefore put on the full armor God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. NIV
Ephesians 6:13-15
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 305-Colossians 4

Christ is the image of the invisible God by whom and for whom all things were created (1:15-16). In Him, all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form (1:15, 19; 2:9), and He sustains the entire cosmos (1:16-17). Paul redefines the terms used by the Colossian heretics by arguing that only in Christ can one discover the true gnosis (knowledge) and pleroma (fullness); in Him are hidden "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (2:3). He is the source of redemption and reconciliation to God (1:14, 20-22; 2:11-15), and He is the all-sufficient Savior of those who know Him (1:28; 2:10; 3:1-4). Christ is the "head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything" (1:18).

READING OF COLOSSIANS 4

Prayer:

Lord, may I conduct myself with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. May my speech always be with grace, so that I will know how I should respond to each person.

Meditation passage for today: verses 2-6

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

You are the high and lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy.
You live in a high and holy place
But also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
To revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15)

The multitudes who went before Jesus and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

We have sinned with our fathers;
We have committed iniquity and acted wickedly. (Psalm 106:6)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

As an obedient child, may I not conform myself to the former lusts I had when I lived in ignorance, but as He who called me is holy, so may I be holy in all my conduct, because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16)

You are the Lord my God; may I consecrate myself and be holy, because You are holy. You are the Lord who brought Your people up out of Egypt to be their God; therefore may I be holy, because You are holy. (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

O Lord, I pray, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to the prayer of Your servants who delight in revering Your name. (Nehemiah 1:11)

Spiritual Insight
Understanding and insight into the word
Understanding my identity in Christ
Who I am
Where I came from
Where I am going
Understanding God’s purpose for my life
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

The Lord Jesus prayed these words for the unity of all who would believe in Him: “I ask that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You, that they also may be in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me, that they may be perfected in one, that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them, even as You have loved Me.” (John 17:21-23)

Believers
Personal friends
Those in ministry
Those who are oppressed and in need
Special concerns

Affirmation

A Shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse;
From his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—
The Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and of power,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes,
Or decide by what He hears with His ears,
But with righteousness He will judge the poor
And decide with fairness for the meek of the earth.
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth;
With the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be His belt,
And faithfulness the sash around His waist. (Isaiah 11:1-5)

Behold, a virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And delivers them. (Psalm 34:6-7)

I waited patiently for the Lord,
And He turned to me and heard my cry.
God lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
And put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:1-3)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of all things. In Your hand is power and might to exalt and to give strength to all. Therefore, my God, I give You thanks and praise Your glorious name. All things come from You, and I can only give You what comes from Your hand. (1 Chronicles 29:11-14)

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. (Psalm 45:6)

The Works of God

Apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24)

When we were helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

My Relationship to God

No one who waits for You will be ashamed, but those who are treacherous without cause will be ashamed. Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation, and my hope is in You all day long. (Psalm 25:3-5)

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

I will be strong and courageous, being careful to obey Your word; I will not turn from it to the right or to the left, that I may act wisely wherever I go. (Joshua 1:7)

I will take courage and not be afraid, for the Lord Jesus is with me. (Mark 6:50)

My Relationship to Others

Just as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. And we have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. (Romans 12:4-6) There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. And there are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all people. But to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

Daily Growth for 11/1/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





Lord, You have invited me to pray for the needs of others, and since You desire what is best for them, I take this opportunity to bring these requests to You.

May the God of peace Himself sanctify us completely, and may our whole spirit, soul, and body will be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls us is faithful, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Take a moment to lift up the needs of your family and friends, and to offer up any other burdens for others that the Lord brings to mind.

DAILY MEDITATION





Ephesians 6:16-17
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. NIV
Ephesians 6:16-17
In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. NASB

DAILY SCRIPTURE





Day 306-1 Thessalonians 1

This warm and personal epistle encourages us to remain steadfast in our faith and to grow in sanctification. It gives us a model for relational ministry as Paul describes the way he worked with and nurtured the Thessalonians, and it exemplifies the kind of personal concern we should adopt for those we have been privileged to serve. This letter also contains critical insights on the coming of the Lord for His saints and the nature of "the day of the Lord."

Paul begins this epistle of personal reflection, exhortation, encouragement, and instruction by giving thanks in light of the report he had received from Timothy about their work produced by faith, their labor prompted by love, and their endurance inspired by hope in Christ (1:1-3). He rejoices that their faith has inspired all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (1:4-10).

READING OF 1 THESSALONIANS 1

Prayer:

Lord, You have called me to serve You, the living and true God, and to wait for Your Son from heaven, whom You raised from the dead, and who rescues us from the wrath to come.

Meditation passage for today: verses 3-5, 9-10

DAILY PRAYER





Adoration

Blessed are You, O Lord, God of Israel, our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of all things. In Your hand is power and might to exalt and to give strength to all. Therefore, my God, I give You thanks and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

I will proclaim the name of the Lord and praise the greatness of my God. (Deuteronomy 32:3)

Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession

O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath,
And do not chasten me in Your anger.
For Your arrows have pierced me deeply,
And Your hand has pressed down upon me.
There is no health in my body because of Your wrath,
Nor peace in my bones because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
As a heavy burden, they weigh too much for me. (Psalm 38:1-4)

Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Renewal

As a servant of Christ and a steward of His possessions, it is required that I be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But let me flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:9-11)

Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.

Petition

May I put away all of these things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from my mouth. (Colossians 3:8)

Relationships with Others
Greater love and compassion for others
Loved ones
Those who do not know Christ
Those in need
My activities for this day
Special concerns

Intercession

Grant that I may be used to open the eyes of others and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Jesus. (Acts 26:18)

Evangelism
Friends
Relatives
Neighbors
Coworkers
Special opportunities

Affirmation

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

Those who suffer according to the will of God should commit themselves to their faithful Creator in doing good. (1 Peter 4:19)

I am from God and am an overcomer, because He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.

Thanksgiving

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits;
Who forgives all your iniquities
And heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit
And crowns you with love and compassion;
Who satisfies your desires with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1-5)

Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God is my rock; I will take refuge in Him,
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge—
My Savior, You save me from violence.
I call on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
And I am saved from my enemies. (2 Samuel 22:2-4)

DAILY RENEWAL





The Attributes of God

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? (2 Samuel 22:31-32)

The Lord longs to be gracious and rises to show compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him! (Isaiah 30:18)

The Works of God

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. (Psalm 19:1-2)

The Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the summits of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. He is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep under His care. (Psalm 95:3-5, 7)

My Relationship to God

You have loved me with an everlasting love; You have drawn me with lovingkindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

Who shall separate me from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Yet in all these things I am are more than a conqueror through Him who loved me. (Romans 8:35-37)

The Character I Want to Cultivate

I am not trying to win the approval of men, but of God. If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

Since I have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, I speak not as pleasing men but God, who tests my heart. I will not seek glory from men. (1 Thessalonians 2:4, 6)

My Relationship to Others

You have called me to go and proclaim the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:60) Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)

Daily Growth for 11/2/2004 from Dr. Kenneth Boa

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DAILY REFLECTION





God, I want Your Word to be deeply implanted in me so that I not only know