“Surrendering
ourselves to love God is not giving up things for God so
much as giving ourselves to God.”
---Scott McKnight in The Jesus Creed
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER:
If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of
the Good News, you will find true life.
---Mark 8:35
“Lord, let me remember the vital importance of giving up
myself completely to you in surrender. I know it is only
when I have first given you myself that you can be pleased
with the other things I bring to you.” Amen
October 2, 2006
“When our work
is done unto the Lord, it becomes an act of worship; when
our worship is done unto anything but God, it becomes work.”
---David B. Whitlock, Ph.D.
Dr. David’s Scripture and Prayer:
“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating,
going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before
God as an offering.”
---Romans 12:2, The Message
“O Lord, forgive me for the times when I don’t’ have you on
my heart and mind during a worship service. Turn my heart to
you so that my entire life is an act of worship in praise of
you.” Amen
October 3, 2006
“Every moment
comes to you pregnant with a divine purpose; time being so
precious that God deals it out any second by second. Once it
leaves your hands and your power to do with it as you
please, it plunges into eternity, to remain forever what you
made it.”
---Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979)
Dr. David’s Scripture and Prayer: Lord, I am reminded of
Psalm 2:1, “Why do the people waste their time with futile
plans?” Let my heart be in tune with you so that the moments
you give me will not be wasted but used for you and your
glory. Amen
October 4, 2006
“It’s time to
start to start living the life you’ve imagined.”
---Henry James (1843-1916), American-born writer and author
of 20 novels, 112 stories, and 12 plays
Dr. David’s Scripture and Prayer: As Jesus was going down
the road, he saw Matthew sitting at his tax-collection
booth. “Come, be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew
got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9) I pray that as I get
up and follow you, Lord, I will live the wonderful life
you’ve given me as a gift of your grace. This is the dream:
to follow you on the road of life.
October 5, 2006
“For every
failure, there’s an alternative course of action. You just
have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a
detour.”
Mary Kay Ash, founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics
Dr. David’s Scripture and Prayer: Proverbs 2:9 reminds me
that when I am obedient in trusting you, I “will know how to
find the right course of action every time.” Give
discernment to know when to stay with something and when to
take a detour and find another course of action. Amen
October 6, 2006
“Have the
daring to accept yourself as a bundle of possibilities and
undertake the game of making the most of it.”
---Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969), Minister
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: Anything is possible if a
person believes. (Mark 9:23) “Lord, this day give me the
courage to live the possibilities that you have placed
before me, the greatest one being the possibility of being
all you intend me to be.” Amen
October 7, 2006
“The secret of
success is constancy of purpose.”
---Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: Our purpose is to please
God and not people. (I Thessalonians 2:4) “Let me today be
constantly aware of my purpose: to please you, Lord. May
this pervade my thoughts and actions as I realize the
temptation to place other people and things above my
commitment to you. I know that as I please you, you will
give me the strength to serve others more effectively.” Amen
October 8, 2006
“The greatest
revolution of our generation is the discovery that human
beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can
change the outer aspects of their lives.”
---William James, (1842-1910), American psychologist and
philosopher
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: Don’t copy the behavior
and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a
new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know
what God wants you to do. (Romans 12:2) “What a beautiful
opportunity I have today: to allow you to change the way I
think and in so doing acquire the mind of Christ! As I
meditate on your Word, guide my thoughts as I live the
‘discovery’ of this revolutionary idea.” Amen
October 9, 2006
“Remember this:
the choices you make in life make you.”
---John Wooden, widely regarded as the greatest college
basketball coach in history
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: Choose today whom you will
serve. (Joshua 24:15) “Let my choice today be clear: to
serve you O Lord, with all my heart, mind soul and strength.
I know this choice will shape my life.” Amen
October 10,
2006
“Alone we can
do so little; together we can do so much.”
---Helen Keller, (1880-1968), American author, lecturer, and
advocate for the blind
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: The God of heaven will
help us succeed. We his servants will start rebuilding this
wall. (Nehemiah 2:20) “As I begin this day, I remember the
importance of working with others in building and rebuilding
the walls of life. It’s a life-long process, Lord, and I am
grateful that you are the cornerstone of my life. Be my
guide and my strength today.” Amen
October 11,
2006
“You’re never a
loser until you quit trying.”
---Mike Ditka, football player, coach
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: And so, since God in his
mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give
up. (II Corinthians 4:1) “Today is another day, perhaps for
some it’s a day filled with confident expectations and for
others it’s a day plagued with doubts and fears. Whatever
the case may be for me today, and sometimes I am filled with
both confidence and fears on the same day, let me never give
up but allow me to stay in the fray for the cause of the
Lord.” Amen
October 12,
2006
“Successful
people are always looking for opportunities to help others.
Unsuccessful people are always asking, ‘What’s in it for
me?’”
---Brian Tracy, speaker, author
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: “If I live, that means
more fruitful service for Christ.” (Philippians 1:20) “O,
Lord, let me look for ways to love others by serving them.
May I find a way to do that today.” Amen
October 13,
2006
“If you’re not
grateful, you’re not rich---no matter how much you have.”
---Sir John Templeton, billionaire investor and
philanthropist
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: Let us be thankful and
please God by worshipping him. (Hebrews 12:28) “You have
been so generous, O Lord. How grateful I am today for your
love and faithfulness and provision.” Amen
October 14,
2006
“One of the
most common mistakes people make is trying to lead others
before developing relationships with them.”
---John Maxwell, author and speaker
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: He (Jesus) took his twelve
disciples with him. (Luke 8:1) “Lord, let me remember the
importance of relationships. Relationships take time. I am
reminded of how you took time, even though you had only
three years of public ministry, to be with people. How else
could you have led them?” Amen
October 15,
2006
“My motto was
always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling
badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do
was keep swinging.”
---Hank Aaron, baseball great
DR. DAVID’S SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER: Always pray and don’t give
up. (Luke 18:1) “Lord, in the good times and the not so good
times, give me the courage to keep swinging.” Amen
October 16,
2006
“A child’s life
is like a piece of paper on which every passerby leaves a
mark.”
---Chinese proverb
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them!
For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
---Matthew 19:14
October 17,
2006
“Worry is as
useless as a handle on a snowball.”
Mitzi Chandler, writer and speaker
Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own
worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
---Matthew 6:34
October 18,
2006
“There are two
primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist,
or accept the responsibility for changing them.”
---Denis Waitley, author and speaker
After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron
went to see Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the Lord,
the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go.’”
---Exodus 5:1
October 19,
2006
“Never
discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter
how slow.”
---Plato (c. 428 B.C.--c.348 B.C.)
Don’t get tired of doing good. Don’t get discouraged and
give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the
appropriate time.
---Galatians 6:9
October 20,
2006
“Nothing I say
this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I
must do the listening.”
---Larry King
Listen to me! For I have excellent things to tell you.
---Proverbs 8:6
October 21,
2006
“The process of
living is the process of reacting to stress.”
---Stanley Sarnoff (1917-1990), Physiologist
If you fail under pressure, your strength is not very great.
---Proverbs 24:10
October 22,
2006
“You are going
to let the fear of poverty govern your life and your reward
will be that you will eat, but you will not live.”
---George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), playwright
You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ
was. Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became
poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
---II Corinthians 8:9
October 23,
2006
“People who
soar are those who refuse to sit back and wish things would
change.”
---Charles R. Swindoll, minister and author
Put into action God’s saving work in your lives.
---Philippians 2:12
October 24,
2006
“Never had
control! Don’t want control!”
---Herb Kelleher, Chairman of Southwest Airlines
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work
and build up the church, the body of Christ.
---Ephesians 4:11
October 25,
2006
“The work of
Jesus was not a new set of ideals or principles for
reforming or even revolutionizing society, but the
establishment of a new community, a people that embodied
forgiveness, sharing and self-sacrificing love in its
rituals and discipline. In that sense, the visible church is
not to be the bearer of Christ’s message, but to be the
message.”
---Stanley Hauerwas
You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy
nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show
others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the
darkness into his wonderful light.
---I Peter 2:9
October 26,
2006
“Pride is
contrary to God’s justice because it places trust in one’s
works and not grace.”
---Augustine (340-430), early church theologian and leader
“Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but
the righteous shall live by his faith.”
---Habakkuk 2:4
October 27,
2006
“A teacher has
two jobs; fill young minds with knowledge, yes, but more
important, give those minds a compass so that that knowledge
doesn’t go to waste.”
---Olympia Dukakis as Principal Jacobs in Mr. Holland’s Opus
Wisdom will enter you heart, and knowledge will fill you
with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding
will keep you safe.
---Proverbs 2:10-11
October 28,
2006
“Refusing to
obey stagnates God’s blessing.”
---David B. Whitlock, Ph.D.
Each family had just what it needed. Then Moses told them,
“Do not keep any of it (manna) till morning.” But some of
them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by
then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell.
---Exodus 16:18-20
October 29,
2006
“If a man is
going to do anything worth while, there are times when he
has to risk everything on his leap, and in the spiritual
domain Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you
hold by common sense and leap into what he says and
immediately you do, you find that what He says fits on as
solidly as common sense.”
---Oswald Chambers (1874-1917), minister, teacher
“Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first...”
---Luke 9:61
October 30,
2006
“Job’s lament
throughout his painful experience was that God seemed to be
impervious to his suffering, that the heavenly father seemed
not to care. Only at the very end of the story, after what
could have been months of suffering, did God finally break
his silence.”
---Gerald R. McDermott, Ph.D., in Dear God, It’s Cancer
“O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
---Psalm 13:1
“But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because
you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is
good to me.”
---Psalm 13:5-6
October 31,
2006
“The moment you
have to wear a mask is the moment you are no longer true to
yourself.”
---David B. Whitlock, Ph.D.
Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your
hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
---Matthew 23:28
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