Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Do you have an overinflated opinion of yourself, or are you controlled by self-loathing? Both extremes are common and for a host of reasons understandable. And for a Christian they are both wrong and dangerous. God has gifted each of us with his unique design (Psalm 139) and in our verse today He has given us just the right amount of spiritual strength to accomplish His will. Today let each of us give thanks to God for our unique make-up and gifts. At the same time let us apply ourselves to the life God has given us and not be consumed with the life He has given to others. This Thanksgiving week let’s rejoice not only in all what God is doing around us, but what He is doing in and through us!

Acts 21:14 And when he (Paul) would not be persuaded, we (Paul’s Christian friends) ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. Paul was on his way to Jerusalem and his friends were confident that if he did go he would be placed in bondage. Yet Paul clearly understood that God’s will for his life was to make the journey. When it became clear to Paul’s friends that the will of God was at work, they stopped trying to fight it. While we should be grateful to have friends, and seek to be a godly friend, we must never overstep our boundaries. The truth of God’s will always trumps the thoughts of our friends. If God is leading you down a path that others are not comfortable with then follow Paul’s example. Let your friends know that while you appreciate their concern, the will of God is the safest place for every believer to be at every moment of their lives!

Luke 4:8 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Life is filled with all kinds of responsibilities and obligations. In the midst of the all the motion we can very easily loss focus. While there are many people we are responsible to throughout our daily life, we ultimately play to an audience of ONE! Every action and choice either to do or not to do something should be done as an act of service to God. Today let us live with the confidence and conviction that we are serving God within all our choices and throughout all our choices!

Matthew 19:5-6 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? We live in a time when marriages and the families are constantly being undermined. Yet in the church and among God’s people things should be different. We should be doing all we can to encourage and support the family. This week let us spend some elongated time praying for the families closest to us. At the same time seek for ways to encourage the families we know especially those who might be going through a difficult time.

Matthew 4:22 “And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him” James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were called by Christ in verse 21. Without understanding what the future held the two brothers acted on what they did know. They had been called. This meant leaving what was most important. Understanding the culture at the time, leaving their father was a giant step. Today, let us respond to every call of God in every situation, great or small, with the same pattern of obedience. Immediate and complete.

Zechariah 1:3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. With all the movement in our lives and hearts it is not difficult for a Christian to turn from the Lord. Sometimes when we least expect it we can end up walking completely contrary to God's plan. This sometimes happens with one significant choice, but normally it occurs through a series of smaller choices. Daily choices. At times apparently harmless ones. Today let us take stock of the eyes of our heart. Do we need to turn our hearts back to Christ and away from the world, the devil or our own selfish will? May we each commit to living this and every day with our hearts forced on and in love with Christ.

Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. We never know what might happen when we obey God. The city of Nineveh was wicked almost beyound description. No one would have predicted their response to the message from Jonah. Yet when we simply surrender our steps to God's will there is no telling what might happen. So today let us, "Do the next right thing!". Then get out of God's way and marvel at His power, goodness and grace.