​"Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." 
Proverbs 27:2


Have you ever overheard someone complimenting you without the knowledge that you were nearby or within earshot?  Do you remember how you felt? Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington tells a wonderful story of coming home one day, after auditioning for yet another acting job, just in time to overhear his wife and her friend talking about him. The conversation was so intense that neither of them heard when he entered the apartment. In the conversation, his wife Paulette, a former actress, tries to convince her friend of just how talented an actor her husband is; yet, the friend, not really listening, insists instead that he needs to give up his “dream” of becoming an actor "and find a "real" job."

So, after eavesdropping on the conversation and listening to his wife defend his dream, he quietly eased back through the front door and re-entered the apartment, this time, announcing himself. The women immediately changed the topic of their conversation. Paulette's faith in him restored his decision to push the dream even further. One week later he received his pivotal role in,  A Soldier's Play, at the renowned Negro Ensemble Company Theater. The play would later be made into the feature film, A Soldier's Story, launching what has become an Oscar-winning career.

Promoting yourself and boasting of your talents and gifts is truly irrelevant; for the most part, most people will not believe you anyway. Fame and notoriety are so fickle that, today people love you, and tomorrow they don't. We know this was true even in the life of Jesus Christ. Less than one week—only a few days before the Sanhedrin called out to have Jesus crucified, He had been exalted, hailed at the gates of Jerusalem with shouts of “Hosanna in the Highest.” 

It is more honest to stay true to whom you are, using your talent and gifts as if you were using them for God Himself, with the knowledge that God is never fickle; He does not waiver with the whims of the day. Use your talents and gifts without the desire for self-promotion, because the truth is, if you are excellent, using your talents exceedingly well, everyone will notice!  L.

Study Reference: Matthew 21:7-11 & Proverbs 27:2 
From:"To Thine Own Self Be True."  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Aidan Photograffeuse

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shall be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”     Psalm 37:3-5


The Children of Israel learned how to move with God. —But, let’s be real, they really did not have a choice. The presence of God was within their sight as a beautiful cloud, keeping them sheltered from the desert sun by day; and, as a pillar of fire by night, keeping them warm and toasty from the harsh desert wind. They moved when God moved. For them, moving was easily discernible; they could see God’s presence with their eyes. However, given only their faith to go on today, I wonder how they would react. 

Praying and waiting for God to tell you when to leave or not, you have to admit, can be a little frustrating. Suppose it’s a move to a job you need? Or perhaps, moving from an undesirable situation to what appears to be another undesirable situation? —Or, for that matter, staying put? And, this is when you actually have an opportunity to leisurely select between one decision or another. What happens when you feel desperate? What about when your bills are piling up, the cupboards are bare, and you can’t find the resources. -What then? 

The Children of Israel had an amazing visual every day and evening to keep them focused. You do not have God in your sight. -Or, do you?  We see God’s beauty in the earth every day. We have only to look around to see the marvelous works of His hands.  In addition to this, we have His Holy Word as our guide; and, our prayers as our conversations with Him. No matter how much we may lack patience, our Bible says to pray for what we need. So, whether it is an answer to a problem, or help in discerning between several options, like the Children of Israel, we always have God within our midst.  Most of all, remember what our Bible says in Psalm 37:3-5: 

​“Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of your heart. Commit your ways unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”
Continue to trust, pray, and have faith. —​You will know precisely when He needs YOU to move.  L.

Study Reference: Psalm 37:3-5   
From: "Moving With God." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Martin Schoeller featuring Ashrita Furman, Guinness World Record Holder

"Count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith produces patience.”   
James 1:2-3


Patience is one of the hardest things for us as Christians; and, God works with us on a continuous basis to learn the art of patience.  The issue with patience is, our time is limited. We want, what we want, now, not later. It is indicative of our generation. We have learned how to make things faster, streamlining as many things as possible, taking out some of the extraordinary to make room for the mundane and the ordinary. We have become so accustomed to the basic, when we see something just a little above ordinary, we are inspired. 

Take a look around; we have fast food, fast lanes, quick-dry, instant-this, and instant-that.  Gone are the days of slow-brewed, slow-broiled, homemade, and hand-done. The problem is, although we want everything as quickly as possible, God’s timing is still the same.  A day is still 24 hours; and, one year is still 365 days, give or take a leap year.  And although calendar days were originally named by men, “the rising of the sun and the going down of the same,” still represents one day. God’s original clock works on a schedule, both for days and for human beings. This has not changed since the beginning of time.

For most of us, patience is a problem; I am no different. If I could walk faster without running, type faster without practicing, and learn more without studying, I am certain I would sign up in a minute. But the truth is, everything takes time—everything.  We are the decision makers of what we do with our time.  Even when we seemingly have no choice, we have a choice.  We have the choice to work and be miserable, or to work and be thankful.  We have the choice to wait on line with patience, while doing something that interest us, or wait in line tapping our foot and complaining about the slowness of the process.  We have the choice to spend our time with people we love, or waste it with mundane onlookers who could care less about our life. We have the choice to learn something new every day, expanding the horizon of our knowledge; or to sit back comfortably believing we know everything we need to know in this life, remaining closed-minded and archaic.  

...Learn to have patience. Patience with what you do, with whom you love, with what you learn, and more importantly, with God. God answers all prayers necessary for you to have the best of the life you have chosen for yourself. Respect those things not chosen for you and understand that somehow they are not distributed to you for a reason. Acknowledge those things placed in your life, taking the time to reflect backwards so you can learn how certain decisions made in the past have resulted in the here and now. Have patience. Patience removes fear. Be patient; for God created time, and time always wins whether you are patient or not.  -L. 

Study Reference: James 1:2-3
Excerpt from: "Patience:" In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: unknown: caring for an orphan elephant until she falls asleep.

“Turn you at My reproof; behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My Words unto you.”
 Proverbs 1:23


God can use anyone or anything for His purpose. 

He used a raven to feed a prophet. 
He used a donkey to speak to a disobedient seer. 
He used Moses, a stutterer, to speak to a king.
He used Samuel, a child, to speak to a priest.
He used Samson, a disobedient fornicator, to send a message 
to His enemies.
He used Rahab, a prostitute, to save two soldiers. 
He used a wayward woman at a well, to evangelize to an entire city. 
And, He used Paul, a murdering zealot, to write much of The New Testament.
God can use the disobedient, the lawless, the prisoner, the drunkard, the liar, the blind, the intellect, the religious, the ignorant, the hated, the politician, the lowly, the teacher, the student, an executive, or a king; for His purpose. 
—​He can even use YOU.

There's really nothing that can stop you from being used by the Love of God. –Except maybe, YOU. 
–Just a little something for you to consider the next time, —​before  you decide to say, “No.”  L.

Study Reference: Proverbs 1:22-23, 3:7, 1 Corinthians 2:9-12
From: “Your Thoughts: Anyone or Anything.” In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: shutterstock

​  "And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And ...the Lord Blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake and the Blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.”         Genesis 39:2-5

 
Did you know that by the very nature of being one of God’s chosen that you are blessed?  Not only are you blessed, but everything under your authority is blessed.  It is not only limited to your personal household; it goes wherever you are. The blessing goes with you like an unseen aura that is spiritually visible by all.  It is in your surroundings, job, company, accounts, friends, and yes, even your boss will be blessed simply because you are there.  As you walk in the path of righteousness, under submission to Jesus Christ, your blessing encompasses all you do—your entire existence. 

It is even more important for you to know that your blessing is seen by others. You may not feel it, or even acknowledge it, but it is prevalent all around you.  If you are a physician, your patients and practice will be blessed.  If you are a teacher, your students will be blessed.  If you are an executive, your business will be blessed.  If you are a janitor, the very floors you mop and clean will be blessed simply because you are the one taking care of it.    

You may not like the idea of others around you toggling your blessing; however, it cannot be stopped, it is by nature, the fulfillment of the receipt of the blessing.   It radiates from you to those things that are important to you.  If God has chosen to bless you, then the people or things you put energy towards will also be extraordinarily blessed. 

When Potiphar, the Egyptian, bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites, he was simply purchasing a new slave for his household.  But, everything that Joseph touched became successful. Potiphar noticed that when he placed Joseph in charge of the fields, they began to flourish abundantly. And, when he promoted him to manage the transactions of his household, they too became exceedingly prosperous. By the time he placed Joseph in charge of everything, Potiphar was doing so well, he did not know the extremes of his own wealth.  Imagine, even his wife believed she was more desirable because of Joseph’s attention.  She felt desirable enough to proposition Joseph to her private chambers, in order to tempt him into an illicit affair. -He refused and ran. 

Therein lies the caveat to maintaining your blessing, temptation. Falling prey to temptation is by far a surefire way of corrupting your blessing. We forget that, no matter how hard we appear to be working, or how skilled we are at what we are doing, it is the blessing, and our respect and honor of God fulfilling the blessing that creates success.  

Unfortunately, we have a weakness—our ego.  When we begin to acknowledge our ego or ourselves as the architect of our success, it wanes.  Joseph did not fall for the temptation of Potiphar’s wife, because he understood through whom his life was being blessed.  Joseph could have accepted her advances; after all, his master did place him in charge of everything under his household. Keeping Potiphar’s wife happy could have been part of the plan; she probably would have kept the secret.  However, Joseph understood his sin would be against God, and it would corrupt his destiny and God’s blessings in his life.   

What about you?  Are you thanking God for your success; or, are you prone to believe your success comes from your own self?  Remember, God has granted your blessing as one of His chosen; however, you have not received the blessing for yourself only.  Like Joseph, whether your blessings are words, work, wealth, or wisdom —eventually, it must be shared.  L. 

Study Reference: Genesis 39:1-23
From: "Blessings Upon You." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Jared Erondu

 "Fear thou not; for I Am with thee: be not dismayed; for I Am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the Right Hand of  My  Righteousness.”   Isaiah 41:10 

 
​
Although we are the first to encourage others, occasionally, even Christians wonder if God listens to our  petitions. This is something we do not like to admit to non-Christians, and sometimes, not even to other Christians; yet, it is true.  We really don’t want anyone to know that God may or may not be speaking with us; or, even worse, we may or may not be listening to God.   It is not because our love is in question; it has more to do with our human frailty—our inquisitive nature.  The inquisitive nature that got us into trouble in the first place; those imposing, nagging questions that were created by sin to disrupt our armor of faith. 

We question our certainty that God will come through for us; we wonder whether He will come through in time, and we consume time querying what the outcome will be.  Because of our human frailty, we forget that in God’s economy, the outcome is simply a by-product of the process, even though the process is the part most of us would prefer to skip. 

In this era of our “faster is better” culture, it is difficult to wait for anything.  Yet the slowness of the process is precisely the part that builds our fortitude—it molds and strengthens our character closer to the character of Jesus.  The same goes for your individual circumstance.  Your circumstance is part of the journey, and the journey is part of the process. 

Wherever you are in your journey with God, embrace the process.  Do not bother to try to rush through it; you will only get out of it after you have learned the necessary lesson or lessons to move on.  Learn to strengthen your armor of faith, so like the many characters in the Bible, you get through the process armed with the lessons you have learned for the next leg of the journey. Remember, Jesus has not left you; He is simply leading the way and waiting for you.  L.   

Study Reference: Isaiah 41:10  
From: "Embracing The Process. (I)" In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Caleb Lumingkit

       

"And Abraham was ninety years and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.”   Genesis 17:24


Have you ever thought it was too late for something miraculous to happen to you? Or, it was too late for an extraordinary transformation in your life? Maybe you believe you are too old to go back to school; or, too old to have the children you always wanted; or, too old to get married, or remarried. Maybe you are out of shape, and not as healthy as you may have liked. Maybe you always wanted to see the rest of the world, but you stayed confined to your own backyard. Maybe you wanted to write a book, a play, or a script; produce a show, play an instrument, start a new career, or just change your lifestyle. 

It could be that you think your time has passed; now you have a family, children, and a mortgage. Maybe you are that person who truly hates your job, your home, or your surroundings. Maybe you simply want a change. Where can you start? Well, if you are like the “father of many nations,” Abraham, you could start with faith. 
The Bible says, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…"

Abram was seventy-five years old when God told him he was due for a lifestyle change. God asked him to leave his homeland and his kinsmen to venture into a completely new territory. Armed with only his trust in God, and accompanied by his wife Sarai and his nephew, Lot, he boldly ventured into the unknown... So,...
​
...Don’t be afraid if God asks you to step out of your element. Don’t be ashamed of your age, gender, race, appearance, income, household, background, training, or anything else that can be used as an excuse. Know that whatsoever He has asked you to do will be to your life’s benefit. You will be covered, enriched, provided for, and protected. Simply remember, a heavenly covenant has already been established in your name. Take hold and have faith. L.
​

Study Reference: Genesis Chapters 12 through 17; Matthew 6:30-34
Excerpt from: "Never Too Late."  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Denis Tabler -adobe stock

       
​"And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”   Exodus 17:11-12



There are times in your life when you will have to accept the help of others to accomplish a task God has asked of you. The story of Moses on the mountain, raising his staff against the Amalekites to win the battle, helps us to understand the acceptance of help from others when we need it.

As part of Moses’ covenant with God, he was to use his staff as a means of accomplishing various tasks for God. We have all seen the scene in the movie, The Ten Commandments, where his staff is used to devour the snakes of Pharaoh. Moses’ staff would prove God over and over again. Yet, in the first battle against the Amalekites, as Moses stands on the mountain with his staff raised high, his hands begin to tire; and, like any of us, he eventually has to drop his arms to his side out of fatigue. The problem is, every time he does so, the Amalekites begin winning the battle. Noticing the problem, Aaron and Hur, who were on the mountain with him, sit him down on a rock; and, with each man on either side of him,THEY  hold up his hands for him and Joshua's army goes on to defeat the Amalekites. It is a great example of kinship, friendship, honor, respect, love and teamwork, used to win a battle.

Sometimes there are things we must do alone that God will ask of us for our own growth as individuals.  And, there are times when God will need for us to work with others because, working alone is simply not enough to accomplish the task. The Bible says, Moses’ “hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” 

Remember, true friendships are sacred; true friends will find a way to help, even if they have to use their hands to hold up your  hands as part of the process.  L.

Study Reference: Exodus 17:11-15 
From: "Accepting Help." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: bigstock

     














 
​"Hear My prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications; in Thy faithfulness answer me and in Thy righteousness. Cause me to hear Thy loving kindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust; cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto Thee.”      Psalm 143:1, 8 


Think about this for a moment; why do you pray?  Are you a petitioner? Are you a repenter?  Are you a pleader?  Or, maybe a negotiator?  Or, could you be a complainer? 

Consider this; if you were listening to your own prayers, what would be the overall theme of your prayers?  Would your prayers sound like, “Oh Lord, help me get through this day! I can’t stand those people I work with!” Or, “Lord, forgive me.  I continue to do the things I shouldn’t do.”   Or, possibly more like, “Help me, oh Lord, I need …I need...
​…I need.”  

Do you find yourself praying and asking God for more things in your prayers rather than simply praising God for his overall presence and mercy in your life? Are you thanking Him for the air you breathe? —For the legs you stand on?  
​—The eyes you see through? 

As Christians, God is our cavalry in times of trouble—the ultimate knight in shining armor who destroys our foes and clears our path. However, sometimes we forget that the holistic power of prayer is to maintain the spiritual bond that forms the foundation of our relationship with God. It is less about asking for things, and more about praising God for His goodness, presence, and mercy in our lives.  It is the love within our spirit thanking God for the Glory of His presence in this world, in our land, and in our lives.  

It is honest gratitude, including gratitude for our problems; gratitude, with the understanding that there is an evolutionary process that occurs in discovering the solution and receiving a breakthrough.  It is the profound understanding of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He said, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22:42   It is our keen awareness that there may be something we may want, yet cannot receive, because it is not part of our evolutionary process, or spiritual development to receive it as yet. 

Our prayers are extremely complex. During our prayer time, God communes with us; speaking and guiding us in the divine direction of our daily lives.

Obviously, there will be instances when we earnestly petition God; times when we will plead for forgiveness, ask for direction, beg for mercy, or even complain about a particular circumstance. And, there will be times when we pray for ourselves and intercede on the behalf of others. However, let us not forget that the foundation of our overall prayers should always be to maintain a thankful heart filled wholly and simply with gratitude.   L.   

Study Reference: Psalm 143:1, 8; 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:6
From: "Got Prayer?" In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
​photo: istock

     "Lead me in Thy Truth, and teach me; for Thou art the God of my Salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day.”  
    Psalm 25:5


Ordinarily, when we want to find out how to use something that was created by a manufacturer, we refer to the manual; the more complex the product, the thicker the operating manual. The manual holds all the important operating factors, such as: improper use, product warnings, and any other critical details we need to know in order to operate the product perfectly. It is the designer’s way of making sure that we operate the product at its optimum. We openly accept the manual as the leading authority in making certain the product is used the way it was designed.

And yet, although it would make the most sense to read the manual first, most people believe they can operate the product without thoroughly reading the manual. So, we learn by trial and error, never quite experiencing what it means to use our machine at its ideal.  

It is the same concerning our manual –the Bible. Our Creator gave us an operating manual that leads us into all Truth concerning our lives; a manual that teaches us how to function, what to do when we malfunction, and how to reset our operating standard. It even includes the necessary steps needed for us to personally reconnect to our Main Power Source.  So, if we really want to know the truth about ourselves directly from our Creator, shouldn’t we read The Manual  first?  L.
​
**Now it is your turn to write your thoughts regarding today's verse in your journal.
​
Study Reference: Psalm 25:5
From: “Your Thoughts: Reading The Manual.” In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: istock

​
“…That ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people; sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”  
Joshua 3:4-5

 
The idea behind learning new things is to maintain a given standard, while applying new techniques to update both our skills and our thinking.  It is the difference between rubbing two sticks together to create fire and lighting a match; or, between lighting a match, and clicking a lighter.  All three techniques will create fire, yet, each one is a more efficient tool than the last.

If we are unaware of or afraid to use more efficient tools, we will not be able to function more effectively and efficiently at the same task as someone else. And, we cannot use those tools to our advantage or to advance our heavenly directive. Others will be able to incorporate it into their daily routine, creating a new standard for all within their environment.  They will know, and you will not.  Of course, there are advantages to using the old tried and true methods of our fore-parents.  And, there are times when modern amenities offer a much more advantageous outcome.  In most instances, time is the deciding factor.  —​What does all this have to do with God?  

God created us to evolve; and evolve we have.  He has given us the decision to choose the latter things over the former, or vice versa. —Coupled with the option to remain stagnant or to move forward, He provided a promise that if we remain steadfast in each step of our journey, we will be prompted toward a more excellent way. 

When we read about the Children of Israel moving from the wilderness, through the Jordan River, and into the Promised Land, they were clearly bombarded with the burden of learning new things. They had to release everything they had previously learned from their parents about living life in the wilderness, and accept the new directives from God in order to live in the new land of promise.  The previous standards of their fore-parents had become irrelevant; they now had to adhere to a new directive —and, a new standard, if they were to survive. 

When we read the New Testament, the Sanhedrin represented the former things; the animal sacrifices, isolation of the priests from the people, and worst of all, putrid thinking. With the arrival of Jesus Christ came a more advanced directive —an evolution of thought; a new and more efficient way to God—a new breed of Judaism; a new religion called, Christianity.    

No more did we have to go through a priest to talk to God.  No more did we have to offer a blood sacrifice to atone for our sins.  The veil of the tabernacle that separated us from God was destroyed.   And, a new, more efficient and excellent way, was created for us to access God directly. 

Some of us prefer the old ways, there's nostalgia in it. Our parents did it that way; our grandparents and great-grandparents did it that way.  Why should we change the process?    

There are many reasons, but consider this; we change the process to access more time.  More time to be with those we love.  More time to do the things we love.  More time to learn and create. And, most of all, more time to grow closer to God.   L. 

Study Reference: Joshua 3:4-5
From: "Learning New Things."   In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Joel Robison

        "My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”   John 10:27
​

There are thought patterns governing our lives on a continuous basis. Although some inner thoughts are placed there by society, friends, foes, and family; the majority of them are primarily governed and manufactured by us. These thoughts can be more powerful than our spoken words, and can cause more damage to us than our most lethal enemy. The kind of thoughts we have can literally mean the difference between success and failure; happiness and depression; righteousness and wickedness; even life or death. 

Working on a project in the psychiatric unit for an out of town hospital, I saw patients that routinely heard voices urging them to commit suicide.  Voices that were so outspoken and unrelenting, some patients would routinely sit for hours at a time speaking out loud—responding to an unseen person.  Most of us would consider them nuts. However, the thing to remember is, we all have those voices; those nagging little inner thoughts that can bombard our lives telling us how bad we are, or how incompetent we are at something. It is the classic image of the little angel and the devil’s imp sitting on your shoulder urging you to opt between good and evil. For some people, the imp has taken possession over their lives. They have allowed those negative thoughts to gain full access so often, there is no room for the thoughts of goodness released by God.  Still, there are some people reading this today that somehow think they cannot relate to the people who hear voices urging them to harm themselves or others.  Yet the truth is, we hear the same thoughts all the time: 

“You are no good!” “You’re too fat” “You’re too skinny!” “You’re so unattractive no one will love you!” “Ugly!” “Stupid!” “You never get anything right!” “You can’t do that!” “You’re an idiot!” “Who told you—you could do that!” “You’ll never amount to anything!” “You are better off dead!” “No one loves you! —No one ever will!”

They are all lies, lies, and more lies. There are tons of these negative, self-deprecating, non-affirming mantras we say to ourselves every day —words that come directly from the pits of hell that should have no life in the mind of a Christian.  Jesus gave us the WORD to live by when we find ourselves lost and struggling to maintain a positive attitude and outlook. These words have truth and the power to enforce us with the knowledge that He alone speaks to us. He alone has conquered all other voices; and, if we allow His Voice to take precedence in our lives, it will negate any negative power over us. He will never leave us or forsake us, and most of all, He loves us more than we could possibly ever imagine. 

We are called by His Name, and hear His Voice.  It is not that we cannot fall prey to the voice of the imps around us; it is that we should never allow any other voice to take precedence in our lives, even if that voice, with all its negative overtones, clearly sounds like our own.  L.

Study Reference: John 10:11-14, 10:27
Excerpt from: "Thinking Out Loud." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: istock

“Who is a God like unto Thee that pardons iniquity and passes by the transgressions of the remnant of His heritage? He retains not His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”      Micah 7:18-19


For many Christians, including myself, forgiveness is a big issue. It's not simply forgiving others, although that may be just as big an issue, but forgiving ourselves. We consider our deeds or misdeeds, and think to ourselves, God cannot forgive us for whatever act /sin we believe we have committed.  We make this statement so true in our own minds that forgiving ourselves seem completely outrageous. So, we wallow in the arms of self-pity, doubt, and fear, languishing in darkness, instead of what should be the Light of forgiveness and the Grace of God.

In Isaiah 55:8-9, God reminds us that His thoughts are far beyond our level of thinking.  In it He says; 
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways…  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

God travels on the ultimate high road, offering compassion and granting forgiveness to all those who ask. If this is so, how can we ever believe that God will not forgive us for past or even future misdeeds?  We cannot think like God; our understanding of His forgiveness is often misguided and limited.  And yet, no one else can tell you to forgive yourself for something you have done, if you do not believe you deserve forgiveness. Your quest is to ask God for His forgiveness, repenting of your sins cloaked under the blood of Jesus Christ. 

Once you have done so, you must believe that His forgiveness has occurred; and, fully accept that the thoughts of your Father in Heaven are far beyond both your expectations and your understanding. -Now there are times when you will have to ask for forgiveness from those whom you have hurt, however, forgiving yourself can only start with God. L.

Study Reference: Micah 7:18-19  
From: "Forgiving Yourself."  In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.  
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo credit: tapyaps

​  "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth its fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper.”    Psalm 1:3

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Consider writing out exactly what today's verse means to you. -Not simply a translation of the text; but, as God's personal promise to you.  For instance, for me it means that:  

“When I remain resolute concerning God's promise of replenishment in my life, my endeavors will continue to blossom; and, whatever I plan, build, believe, or create within the will of God, will prosper. And, when I stand in faith, resolute on the Word of God, I will be like a tree planted by the water, continuously replenished, nourished, and blessed for overwhelming growth.”

I figure, if God can be massive, my hopes and dreams can be massive too!

Your affirmation can be more specific in regards to your family, career, talents, gifts, health, goals, and yes, even finances. Try making the text so personal to you that, when you feel as if you are failing, or overwhelmed by life, your personal verse will completely replenish you. For example, to see how powerful this verse is in its simplicity, insert your name in the original text below.  You will feel the difference immediately.  Say it out loud.

I, _____________ (insert your first name), shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bring forth fruit in my season. My goals, health, wealth, love, and forgiveness shall not wither and whatsoever I do shall prosper. -Amen. 

Repeat it again.

This verse, taken from the very first song/Psalm of David, is an absolute prophetic affirmation in the life of Believers; why not embrace it and make it one of God’s wonderful promises to YOU!  L.

Study Reference: Psalm 1
From: "Your Thoughts: Affirmation, Planted by The River."
​In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions for Everyday Living. 
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Daniela Duncan