Daily Devotional for Tuesday September 3, 2019

Change the routine!!!

(Philippians 4:11-13)

***DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOU: Dear Lord, this nation is under Your judgment for our sin, wickedness, and rebellion. Help me to be courageous as I stand for You in these perilous times. Use me as a beacon of Your light in the darkness of our world today. Though our enemies surround us, the world around me curses you, help me to stand for Your Truth that will ultimately defeat the lies of satan. May the evil of this world become so apparent, people will begin to bow their knee to You in repentance knowing YOU are their only hope and only answer! In the name of Jesus…AMEN!!!

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11

Getting out of the rut! Due to the Labor Day holiday yesterday, this is a “short week” for many people. Summer is now officially over, kids are back in school, and for many families it is a busy time of the year as they get back into their normal “routine.”

We start to plug away and in 8 weeks and 2 days it will be Halloween. Exactly 4 weeks later it is Thanksgiving. 3 weeks and 6 days later it is Christmas Day. 1 week later...it is the dawn of 2020!!! YES MY FRIEND, 17 WEEKS FROM TODAY IS NEW YEARS EVE!!!

One of the reasons we tend to struggle and fight what seems like a losing effort at times, is that we get into a rut. Our routine rarely changes. We get up almost every day and either go to work or school. As creatures of habit, we go to the same stores and the same places to play; we become very comfortable in our lives.

When problems come like they do in everyone's life, we tend to handle them the same way. We become very good at "living" each day!!!

On a spiritual level we become very good at avoiding to have to test our faith, putting our faith on the line. We get comfortable in our church, in the areas we serve God. Most people live very defensive lives. To use a football analogy, we play a prevent defense most of the time. That is what teams do late in the game when they have a big lead. They play very cautiously, play it safe and try not to lose the game.

I want to challenge you today on many fronts. First in your day-to-day life. Try buying your groceries at a different supermarket this weekend. Try going to some stores that you have never shopped at before. Go play at a different park this weekend.

For you who are married, take your husband or wife and go spend an afternoon doing something you have never done before. Those who are single, get one of your friends and do something this weekend you have never done before.

Next week when you go to work, take a different route to work. Don't go to the same coffee shop in the morning. At school, get involved in some activities you normally don't participate in. This Sunday, go to your church in the morning, and in the evening go to a different church. If you normally serve God in one area, for the next few weeks try to find a new avenue of service.

Why am I saying this? First of all, I am not trying to meddle in your life. We ALL need change from time to time. We all need to see things from a new perspective. We all need to experience new things. God has blessed us with tremendous abilities. We have an incredible capacity to do so much. Yet most of the time, we get into such a comfort zone we tap into a very small percentage of what we are capable of accomplishing!

Another reason for this is that it gives you confidence in different situations. Life will always throw us curve balls along the way and hit us with things we aren't ready for. The more we experience, the more we are exposed to, the better we are equipped to handle life's problems. We are more capable of looking at all the alternatives, instead of looking at a problem only one way.

Lastly though, change stimulates our senses, energizes us, and gives us a special spark for life we often lose when we are in the same old routines over and over, month after month, year after year!

Let me share with you that this encouragement is relevant to EVERYONE! Nobody is immune to life’s problems. I know some of you are facing financial challenges, others health problems, others issue with a relationship, and still others a plethora of difficulties life throws our way. So matter what your circumstances may be currently, you can still change up your daily routines and breath some freshness into your life!

I love you, and I care about you so very much. I do pray for you each day. I realize that there is much you go through each day. Many things are happening in your life. Be encouraged today that the Lord loves you and wants the best for your life. He has given you so much, yet we often only partake of a fraction of what God has blessed us with.

Be aware this coming weekend and in the weeks ahead that you don't have to turn your life upside down, but that you can do some things differently. You can do new things. You can enjoy new experiences.

One of the byproducts of change is meeting new people, seeing God opening different doors in your life. From time to time we need to reach out, stretch ourselves, and see what else God may be saying to us that we aren’t hearing. That is often hard when we are in the same old routine each and every day.

Life is made up of seasons. Each season of our life is different. Different people, different things that we occupy our time with, different interests. In the midst of our seasons though, we need to be careful not to get so regimented, in such a rut that we lose that spark for life.

More importantly, we lose that spark in our daily relationship with the Lord. We get “comfortable.” Pray at different times about some different things. Read the Word in parts of the Bible you maybe aren’t that enthusiastic about. Try meeting some new Christian friends, serving the Lord in ways you never had before.

The Christian life shouldn’t be one of defense, but one of offense. Seek out new experiences in your Christian life. You will be shocked at how many NEW WAYS the Lord can and will bless you.

MOST OF ALL, HAVE FUN!!! THIS LIFE IS SO SHORT, OVER SO QUICK. THE BIBLE TELLS US TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED TO ANY OF US. MAKE THE MOST OF EACH DAY SINCE IT IS A DAY UNIQUE UNTO ITSELF, A DAY LIKE YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE AND A DAY YOU WILL NEVER HAVE AGAIN!!!

In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller