48/365: Take Back Your Peace

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ~ God Exodus 20:8

God knows us pretty well. We can become so self-involved that we skip the down time, or worse... skip time with Him.

God made a day of rest for you and me. It's our time to slow down, find renewal, and reflect on everything God is to us and all He has done for us.

Don't forget to take the day God gave you to rest, relax, and remember God's grace. It's a gift of joy and happiness - be grateful.

GO DEEPER: Matthew 11: 25-30

NEXT STEP: How are you re-charging your batteries and taking time to re-focus on God's grace?

Daniyel kristian

on 03/06/2023 at 11:14 AM

student

Robert McFaddin

on 02/18/2023 at 04:35 AM

Lord please help me to be holy bc You are holy. Help me pursue holiness. You’ve called us to be holy, not to live impure lives (1Thess. 4:7). I love You almighty God.

on 02/18/2023 at 12:38 AM

Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you renew myself to be a better individual, let your grace flow within me so that I can display that grace of yours to others. Forgive me for my sinful nature, my sexual desires as I walk on this journey with you. Relieve me from all temptations so that I can be a better individual and better husband to my wife. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

Nick W

on 02/17/2023 at 06:51 PM

I came from an upbringing in poverty, neglect, and abuse. I've worked hard to climb out of that life into relative comfort and prosperity. Though I've worked hard, none of what has happened in my life - none of what has been accomplished would have been without God's blessing. As I learn more just how (completely) dependent I am (and always have been) on God, I come to realize how completely I am missing the mark. I've never felt like a great father, but thought I was at least a good one. I now realize that as I've neglected myself in favor of pouring myself into my work and education. Driven to succeed to provide for my family what I could never experience as a child - security and comfort - I've denied them the security and comfort of truly placing their trust in God, by watching me do it. My chief struggle is trusting God to care for me, probably largely because my father was not trustworthy to care for me. Though I am wearing my body it with work and stress to provide for them in love, I am establishing the same mistrust, because I'm not there: I'm always working. As I grow as a Christian, I find something new each day that I need to give up to God, and today it is this: that I must give Him my time, and trust that He knows better than I. Rest in Him and time spent with Him is key to building my relationship with Him, and will help to demonstrate for my children where my (and their) priorities should be. Thank you, God, for patiently teaching me this today.

Ethan Rogers

on 02/17/2023 at 05:40 PM

God is...Love. My time should be all day for Him. I remain grateful as I forget so easily that He is with me and watching. Though my gratitude is always there, I think of myself selfishly when I should always act as God would want me to. I love God but ignore Him when I shouldn't be. Lord, please lead my thoughts and decisions so I may behave as Jesus has taught us and show the world your love.

Old Dude

on 02/17/2023 at 05:33 PM

"If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day." ~ E. M. Bounds

Daryl Trowbridge

on 02/17/2023 at 05:12 PM

Just as the manufacturer of a vehicle understands the importance of routine maintenance for optimal performance, our Creator knows that we need time off to reconnect with Him. Daily connection is invaluable, but God prescribes a full day in addition, a day to refrain from work, secular entertainment and activities, etc. and to focus on Him. The Sabbath was given to us so that we might remember that it is God who sanctifies us. As we rest in Him each week, we are reminded that we need to cease from our own efforts to save ourselves and takes break from the things that occupy our minds and time during our week, things that tend to distract from Him. God bless, brothers! May we each find rest for our souls in Christ!

Delray

on 02/17/2023 at 04:08 PM

Amen to today's devotional and reminder on GODS intent. During my 1st ever fast, I asked God what he wanted from me this year? I acknowledged there is much to work on but I wanted to know God's priority. And it was simple, he revealed to me that I needed to observe the Sabbath and make it Holy. I have never done this, my family grew up with no examples of God, Nobody acknowledged him. Casting aside my uneasiness, I asked him. And thru an man with strong anointing, God revealed the basics to observing Sabbath. I love reading in the mornings too but I literally caste the world away and set aside tht day for him. In his infinite wisdom, God already has been bringing forth spiritual fruit. I'm still learning but I know he's faithful and his promises are great. Amen brothers, love your testimonies, I learn so much from you all.

Tim Debronsky

on 02/17/2023 at 03:21 PM

Amen. Spending some time in this devotional and in the Word every morning is so important to starting my day off right. I just feel off if I don’t. We’re finally getting back to live church on Sundays. I do not work on Sundays. However our kid’s sports/music make it hard to make it an entire day of rest.

Ashley Jarvis

on 02/17/2023 at 03:19 PM

“No one gets any peace of me, until God has all of me…” that is my daily motto, and why my mornings have started off like so many of you. I just looked, and this morning marks 467 consecutive mornings of surrendering my will and life over to the Holy Spirit before anyone else in my home is up. As the man of my home, the responsibility falls on me to set my families course each day. If I fail to seek Gods guidance each day, it would be foolish of me to think that only my day would be effected poorly. My kids are at the ages where life long resentments are formed (or not), and where their impressions of who God is and how much God loves them is set in stone. How I respond to their mistakes, their flaws, their emotional reactions to situations, will set them on a path of how they understand God responds. We, are our children’s first example of GOD. I have been entrusted with showing and explaining to them how God is their true Father, showing them the same grace that’s extended to me, firm yet gently loving them, making sure the voice they hear inside is kind and uplifting. If I focus on this, how I respond with others around me each day will be equally kind and loving. God, help me to align my will with only Yours today and every day, amen 🙏🏻

Brandon Pembleton

on 02/17/2023 at 02:20 PM

I think about being intentional with my time and minutes in the day (I try to anyways, of course I miss the mark someday and have to be accountable to that when I go to bed and do my daily inventory). I love Sunday. Starting it off with some good readings, followed by coffee and conversation with my girlfriend Brooke about God, then church or a youtube sermon from Elevation Church. Then staying in a state of reflection and gratitude about how amazing and loving God was the past week and how amazing and loving He is in every moment. That He does indeed deliver us out of the pruning seasons ready for some serious growth! It's like a day to deep clean and polish my spiritual armor. To make sure I get in all the hard to reach places I may have missed in my daily readings and prayer. Plus a time to gather with brothers and sisters in Christ. What a beautiful day Sunday is. I love you God amen 🙏

Boyce Moses

on 02/17/2023 at 01:50 PM

Daily time with Jesus is required every morning for me. Time to think, meditate, praise and thank God for all my blessings. Starts my day right every day. Love you Jesus! 🤎❤️💙💚

Rick K

on 02/17/2023 at 01:31 PM

don't know why, but I never connected Jesus easing my burden and making it light, with Sabbath rest. maybe it's the artificial chapter break between Matthew 11 and 12. but regardless, thank you for that. since even Jesus took that quiet time with his father so frequently, how do I think I can possibly do without it some days? daily kickstart, is a good name for these devotionals. thank you!

steve dedea

on 02/17/2023 at 01:19 PM

….. “it doesn’t really ever stop unless you make it! “ Well said Mr. Vinning. I do believe that’s one of the reasons we so enjoy this morning down time with God. It gives us some time to focus on the thing that is really important in our life. This time brings rest and peace to heart and mind. It keeps our minds off the busyness and the guilt we feel when we’re not doing the many “tasks” that need done. Jesus always seemed to go off by himself to get that rest and peace with the Father! It’s probably the only way He could with 12 disciples around. Hmmmmm, another lesson from Jesus!

Robert McFaddin

on 02/17/2023 at 12:45 PM

Agree with y’all. If I miss my time with God it is like missing oxygen. I’m not going to have a good day. Even when I don’t miss that time, I might have a bad day, but it’s not the same. Scripture time at home before anything else. Prayer time is usually on my 45 minute drive to work. The downside to praying while driving to work is that sometimes I struggle to pray on my days off.

michael f vinning

on 02/17/2023 at 12:44 PM

Same guys. Coffee and the Word! The whole world is silent, the sun still asleep, just me and my savior!! Outside of that I barely get any rest, never been a good sleeper, at the end (hopefully) of an extremely busy season of life, praying for some rest this Mardi Gras break, have a couple days off of work but always seems there’s something pressing around the house when off from work…it doesn’t really ever stop unless you make it! Praying for the strength to just say no to busyness this weekend and next week!

Adam C.Morales

on 02/17/2023 at 12:30 PM

I wake up my coffee and spend time in God’s word and prayer. No one else in the house is up, it is my time with God before I start my day. I have been selfish with this time in the morning. If some reason that people are up I feel I can’t enjoy it. If I know someone is getting up earlier I set my alarm for an earlier time.

Barry Percival

on 02/17/2023 at 12:24 PM

Unfortunately, society doesn’t care about rest anymore. Companies opening 7 days a week 365 days a year. Too many times the days off are catchup days for family life. God gives us 24 hours each day, we need to make an effort to find time for Him. I pray that I continue to seek Him first and not the world!

Mike J

on 02/17/2023 at 12:08 PM

Amen Elliott. If I don’t start my day, reading my devotions and praying it feels like the day is starting off on the wrong foot.

Elliott

on 02/17/2023 at 09:35 AM

When I wake up, I spend an hour focused on Jesus. That's how I wake up in the morning. If I do not have one on one time with Jesus my day does not start out very good. It's like when you wake up in the morning and you don't go to the bathroom or wash your face you just walk out of the house in the morning, rushed forget to close your front door to the house. if I do not have my one on one time. my day is rushed I don't have time to focus on the day ahead I am just focused on me and that's not good. if I start my day off with Jesus (the only way to start the day) I am focusing on the truth and not the lie's I tell myself.

48/365: Take Back Your Peace

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