April 30 Heavenly Father, The first thing Noah did was build an altar to You. Even with the many days in the ark, with so much togetherness, and probably quite a bit of frustration at being cooped up so long, the first thing he wanted to do was honor You. How much I can learn from Noah with his obedience, patience, diligence to carry out Your plan exactly as You directed, and then his desire to praise You. Help me be more like Noah in my temperament and faith. How much we take You for granted God, as a kind and loving Father, which You are, but we forget that You demand us to remember You are holy, You are God, the Creator. You aren’t just a wish giver. You are above all things and to be praised above everything else. How often we as a people praise celebrities, athletes, even ourselves, but You alone are to be praised. How out of balance we have gotten things. How often have You wanted to scrap this world and start over again much like you did with Noah and his family? You are such a ...

April 29 Oh Father, I read the first verse in this chapter today and that one verse says everything about You.   “But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark”   Genesis 8:1a   It actually only takes the first three words.   “But God remembered.”   You always remember us.   Even when it seems like we are alone, and no one cares, You remember.   Even when we are disobedient, You remember.   Even when we are hiding from You, You remember. You always have a plan, and You always love us and remember us.   You don’t go back to what You were doing and forget about us.   You don’t turn Your back and decide we aren’t worth Your time.   You are always there.   Sometimes You want us to work a little bit to hear Your voice, but You are always there.     Thank You Father for always being there and loving me so.   In Jesus’ name. Amen! I think of us re...

April 28 Heavenly Father, I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for Noah and his family.  Not just the time locked away without fresh air and all those animals, but I think about how they had to grieve when they heard their friends and family banging on the doors of the ark to get in once the rain started to fall.  They had never experienced rain before, and it had to be scary to them.  Then as the water rose and the banging on the doors became screams for help and sounds of clawing to try to climb up the side of the ark to get in.  I can’t imagine the emotional turmoil they suffered listening as the sound became faint and then disappeared completely.  Did they get angry with Noah?  Did they blame You?  Did they try to open the doors at first but found God had it shut tight?  We never really talk about what they went through, but I can’t imagine how difficult it was, but like all the difficult days, it was necessary for Your plan to ...

April 27 Heavenly Father, I think about how this world must make You so sad. How we forget to praise You and share what You have done, and just tell others about You. But the saddest thing of all for me is to see how many people don’t even think about You and all You have done for them. How did we come so far from the Garden of Eden? When I read Genesis 6, I know it isn’t the first time, it’s one of many times the world has come to a place of disregarding its Creator. I can’t imagine how it must make You grieve. It makes me grieve and I don’t know everything that goes on and I didn’t send my son to die for them. All You have done, and everything that You do for us daily, even minute by minute and so much of the world either worships a false god or thinks of themselves as their own god. I know it had to be difficult to make the decision to bring the flood, I know You have a plan and I know Your plan is perfect. Help me to look to You for that plan and not try to create my own plan. That...

April 26 Father God, I read about my ancestors in this holy book You wrote, and I have to admit, the older I get the more the previous generations mean to me. I realize they had something to say and a mission You had for them. Of course, I know many of them didn’t follow You, or if they did, they weren’t thinking about what You had for them to do. Just like I am today, I think more of what I think I need to do rather than what You have for me to do. I do know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my heritage of Christian parents and grandparents. I am so thankful I had people praying for me from the time I was very young. I know I began praying for my grandkids before they were even born. I prayed for them to come to know You, love You, and represent You well. I continue to pray that, and I pray that they would marry Christians and raise their children to love You. I know one of the legacies Doug’s grandmother left her family was praying for her children and grandchildren up...

 This Video is amazing. Lisa Harper at Elevation Church on Humility

A pril 25, 2023 Heavenly Father, I read about Lamech and how prideful he was, and I feel convicted every time. Pride is such a problem not just for me, I know, but I can only account for me. Please forgive me when my pride causes me to not love in the way I should. I know it causes me to not love others and do serve others the way I should, but the biggest thing my pride does is keep me from serving You the way I should. When I think about sin, I believe pride is what causes most of the sin we commit. Whether it is lying to make ourselves look better or stay out of trouble, or stealing because we want something we can’t afford and believe we should have, when I look at the list of the Ten Commandments, they all seem to have roots in pride. Help me not be prideful Father. Help me think of what attitude You would want me to have and act in a way that honors You and not me. Help me be rooted in love of You and not love of myself. Help me love myself in a way that honors You, but for that ...

Heavenly Father, I remember a time we looked at the murder of Abel by his brother Cain with horror as family didn’t typically treat each other with such hate, but our world has changed so much that it is becoming commonplace. I can’t imagine how bad Sodom and Gomorrah had become that You saw the need to destroy them and almost all their population. I guess it was worse than it is now, but it is so hard to believe. Please help us share love for one another in this world. The best way we can do that is to teach love for You. I know I don’t always share love the way I wish I did, or the way I’m sure You would like because of the rush and hustle of life. Help me slow down and treat others with love. The hardest time is when we aren’t treated with love and respect and I know that is when I tend to be short with people, and I need to show love even when that isn’t what is shared with me. Help me to love in all situations and not react in kind. Help me react as Jesus would, with love, respect...

Why did Cain feel he was being driven away? Why did God put a mark on Cain? Why did He want Cain to live, rather than someone kill him for what he had done? April 24 Verses: 8  Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.  9  Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?”  10  And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.  11  And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.  12  When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”  13  Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.[ e ]  14  Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall ...

Father God, help me not worry about the relationship anyone else has with You as long as they have a relationship with You. I am reading these verses how Cain was so jealous of the relationship Abel had with God and was focused more on Abel and God’s acceptance of him than what he was doing with and for God. I know that I have seen and felt that in the past and I ask that You help me keep my mind focused on You and how I can praise You, love You, worship You and share You with others, rather than comparing my relationship with You to how others are rewarded. I know there are times I have seen people who claim to love You yet treat people with hatred, and I wonder why they end up being rewarded in earthly ways. I have to admit I don’t understand it, and I have even had the thought that it wasn’t fair, but I don’t have to worry about them. You are in charge of the relationship with them and all I need to focus on is what I am doing in Your name and how I show love to You and my obedience...