Daily Devotional for Tuesday August 18, 2020

Giving my best!!!

(Matthew 6:33)

***DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOU: Dear Lord, I know I have only one life, one life to live for You. This is my moment in human history. Please Lord, let me make the most if it. Use my life to do great things for You as I surrender it afresh to You each morning. When I take my last breath, let there be no regrets, no sadness, that I didn't use my life fully for Your Glory! In the name of Jesus I pray...AMEN!

***THE DAILY LIVEPRAYER TV NUGGET: After Trump, WE are the only ones left to come after!!! Please understand that if God allows Joe Biden to become President on November 3rd, there will only be ONE THING standing in the way of the “religion of social justice”...Biblical Christians! No matter what happens in the world of politics, our job doesn’t change. We are here to bring the lost to faith in Jesus Christ. We have a nation that the better percentage of the last 2 generations have never been to church. We are nation bathed in our sin and rebellion to Almighty God! IT IS OUR SIN AND REBELLION TO GOD THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BRING HIS WRATH AND JUDGMENT UPON OUR LAND AS HE DID NUMEROUS TIME TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND MANY OTHER NATIONS IN THE PAST 6,000 YEARS!!! The choice is simple. We can live under the blessings of God, or we can live under the judgment of God. AT THIS MOMENT THE NATION HAS CHOSEN GOD’S JUDGMENT!!! What these lost souls don’t understand is that God’s judgment will bring an end to life as we know it. What we have experienced over the last 4 months will be a picnic if God unleashes His full wrath and fury upon our land. Please join me in prayer. Now, not tomorrow, God’s people must rise up and do what no politician can ever do, and that is lead the people in ways of righteousness and back to God and HIS Truth! PRAY WITH ME MY FRIEND!!!

*Don’t miss the Liveprayer TV program, airing “LIVE” every Monday thru Friday from 11pm EDT to Midnight! For details on viewing options for the Liveprayer TV program, “LIVE” or “On Demand,” go to: https://liveprayer.com/liveprayer-show-about.cfm

One of the easiest traps to fall into, and one of things I pray about daily, is giving my best effort in every area of my life. For most of us, a big portion of our life is our job or school. We tend to spend the majority of our time and energy either involved in our work or school. How many days do you come home from work or school, and are exhausted? You have literally given everything you have, and your tank is empty.

The problem is, in addition to your work or school, you have a spouse, children, family, friends (maybe only one or possibly all) who are part of your life and need to be nurtured. How often do we come home and we just have nothing left for our wife, husband, or family? Or how many times are we too busy to spend that quality time with our children we need to?

The fact is, while we often give our best efforts, give the best of what we have at work or school, and those who we love most in this life, get the leftovers. Recently, I did a Devotional on working on our job or at school as unto the Lord, doing our best, since we are His representatives on the job site or in the classroom. So I am NOT talking about not giving our best efforts when we are working or in school. What I am talking about is the balance in our life that is so critical.

The order of our priorities is simple. Our relationship with the Lord has to be first, since who we are and what we are in this life flow from that relationship. Then come those people God has given us to share this life with . . our spouse, children, family, and close friends. Next is our job or education. Now, I realize that I may make some people uncomfortable today.

Talk to the Lord about it. Why do we give so much at work or school, give the very best we have, and give very little at home . . . and usually nothing at all to the Lord. That is upside down! When our priorities are upside down, our lives tend to get upside down. Marriages get into trouble because husbands and wives don’t work at it. Marriage is NOT a joint living arrangement, but a bonding, a blending of two lives into one, with Christ as the center. Everyone is so busy with “work” that many marriages are little more than convenient living arrangements.

Is it any wonder then, why, without the intimacy and the daily nurturing, that so many end up in relationships outside the home? The really stupid thing is that if you put the same amount of energy and effort into your spouse that you end up putting into someone else, you would be amazed at how wonderful God can make the marriage experience.

Because of “work”, your children don’t get the best you have, they get little bits and pieces here and there. Other family members and friends also get whatever is left over. The Lord? Maybe a “hello” as you leave in the morning or a “prayer” as your eyes close at night.

Nobody is more guilty of this than I am. I have written this Devotional several times in the last months, but never sent it out. As with all battles, we must have a battle plan. Being a very organized person, as many of you are, here is how I have worked at keeping my priorities straight, making sure that I was giving my best efforts, in all of the areas of my life. First, is my daily walk with Christ. Whether you are a pastor, in full-time ministry, a homemaker, a student, or whatever else you may do in life,

THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST.

Especially for those in ministry, if you don’t have a real, intimate, daily walk with Christ, you have NO ministry. Your ministry flows from that personal relationship. I spend the first 15-20 minutes every morning in prayer, then another 20-30 minutes in the Word. I HAVE to start my day with the Lord for many reasons, but practically, if I don’t do it then, it will never get done.

That is reality. I schedule my day to include time with my wife. It may sound cold, but I operate best under a disciplined schedule. I make sure we eat dinner together, do something out of the house together, and spend time talking every day. Even when I don’t want to, I HAVE to talk to my wife. Husbands and wives HAVE to talk to each other every day, and not just about the daily business. Communication is critical to a relationship. Talk with the Lord and talk with your wife. Sandwiched in between is our work or school.

How is it possible to have the energy to give our best to the Lord, at work or school, to our spouse, kids, family, and friends? My friend, in our own strength it is impossible! We can only do it in the strength the Lord gives us. We have to be aware of how important it is to keep our priorities in line. When we get our priorities out of line, we will get into trouble in one, two, or many areas of our life. It is just a matter of time.

I love, care about you, and will be praying for you today. I realize that this is a very difficult subject for many and will actually involve much conviction from the Holy Spirit, since you are so entrenched in your day-to-day lives. It is not too late to make changes, and God will help you to get your priorities in order: God, our loved ones, work/school. If we keep our priorities straight, the Lord will help us to always give our best effort in EVERY area of our lives.

In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller