Apr 27 25
Our Desire to Do God’s Will
“I desire to do Your will, my God; Your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8 NIV
The verse above gives us insight into a powerful biblical principle: Keeping God’s Word (law) within our hearts fills us with a DESIRE to do the will of God. It also makes us ABLE to do His will. Psalm 119:11 (ESV) bears this out when it says: “I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Perhaps you have heard it said that the Bible is not just for our information, but for our transformation. The more attention we give to God’s truths and principles, the more we will be empowered to obey Him in every area of our lives.
So how do we go about “storing up” God’s Word in our hearts? We read some of it every day. We say, “Lord, show me where to go in Your Word today. Speak to me, and help me to hear and to heed Your voice.” We also have periods of studying the Bible in-depth, saying, “Lord, grant me revelation from heaven, and help me to apply it to my own life, and to share it with others in life-changing ways.” And we memorize Scriptures that the Lord leads us to, in order to meditate on them “day and night,” so that we can carry out God’s will for us. (Joshua 1:8)
The apostle Paul wrote: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” (Philippians 2:13 NLT) One way we can cooperate with the work that God is doing in us, is to devote ourselves to His Word. When we do, the world, the flesh, and the devil will have a hard time keeping us down and defeated.
My prayer for you today is that you may always be able to declare with confidence and conviction – “I delight to fulfill Your will, my God, for Your living words are written upon the pages of my heart!” (Psalm 40:8 TPT)
Lord, teach me how to store up Your Word in my heart. Help me to spend unhurried, undistracted time in Your Word each day. Speak to me, and help me to hear and to heed Your voice. Thank You for granting me revelation from heaven, and helping me to apply it to my own life, and to share it with others in life-changing ways!
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Apr 24 25
Healed to Serve
“Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to [Jesus] on her behalf. And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.” Luke 4:38-39 ESV
This passage of Scripture is a beautiful picture of why it is important to seek the Lord for our healing. Here, when Jesus arrives at Simon Peter’s house, those present appeal to Him to help Peter’s mother-in-law, who is ill. The Master doesn’t waste any time. He rebukes the woman’s fever, driving it out of her body. “Immediately,” she rises and begins “to serve them.”
This is a powerful example of one reason why God wants us healthy and whole. It’s so that we can better serve others. When you take this principle seriously, and apply it to your own life, it will forever change the way you think about your health and well-being. Peter’s mother-in-law had it in her heart to serve those who came to her house. But with a high fever and illness in her body, she was helpless to do anything for herself or anyone else. Get a hold of this today: You’re not just asking to be healed for your own sake – you’re asking to be healed for the sake of others, too.
For most of my life, it never occurred to me that I could actively resist sickness and disease. I just passively accepted it, because I didn’t know that I had any choice in the matter. But since God has taught me through His Word that I have authority in Jesus’ name to resist illness – through prayer, and commanding it to leave my body – I seek the Lord’s help on the basis of His promises, and I trust Him to come to my rescue.
Today, I urge you to believe with all your heart that God wants you healthy and whole. If you don’t, Satan will do his best to make sure that you never get your healing. Use your faith to believe God for good things. For “impossible” things. For things that will bring Him glory – and that includes you not settling for less than His best in the area of your health and well-being. Dare to believe that God wants you well, and watch what He will do in you and through you so that you can joyfully serve others in His name!
Lord, give me a fresh revelation of how much You want me to be well and whole in my spirit, soul, and body all the rest of my days. Lead me along Your perfect pathway of healing and wholeness, and help me to follow You closely, and to cooperate with You fully all the way. Thank You for Your promise to satisfy me with a long life, and to show me Your salvation, even where my healing needs are concerned! (Psalm 91:16)
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Apr 13 25
Put God’s Interests First
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT
When our electric clothes dryer began making screeching noises every time we used it, my husband, Joe, and I prayed for God’s wisdom to find out if we should invest a considerable amount of money in it, or buy a new one. Once we decided to replace it, we kept praying as we shopped online and in local stores, but we always came up empty. At the time, we were in the midst of a global pandemic, which had caused a worldwide appliance shortage. We discovered that availability could be delayed until well into the following year. I was so frustrated and distracted that I was neglecting my ministry work. As I cried out to God, I heard Him speak to my heart, “You take care of My business, and I’ll take care of yours.” I forced myself to sit at my computer and begin writing a new devotional message, and that’s when my breakthrough came in a big way. The Lord provided us with the perfect new appliance at an extraordinary price, and we were able to bring it home with us the same day.
Years ago, I heard a godly man say, “Putting God’s interests first always results in our needs being met.” Scripture confirms this when it says: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33 NLT) When I was focused on my own needs, I couldn’t hear from God. I was praying and searching constantly, but nothing was happening in my situation. And I was getting more and more frustrated all the time. As soon as I shifted gears and began focusing on God’s interests, and what He wanted me to do, things began falling into place.
Perhaps today, the Lord has something specific that He wants YOU to do. He will show you the way when you stop, ask, and listen for His voice. It could be that He is trying to tell you right now – “You take care of My business, and I’ll take care of yours…”
Lord, teach me how to continually seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness – Your way of doing and being right – so that You can freely and abundantly supply all of my needs, and then some. (Matthew 6:33 AMPC) Thank You that when I take care of Your business, You will take care of mine!
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Apr 6 25
A Father’s Help
“Because of their faith in Him, their daily portion will be a Father’s help and deliverance from evil. This is true for all who turn to hide themselves in Him!” Psalm 37:40 TPT
If you have ever studied Psalm 37 in its entirety, then you know how many extraordinary promises of God it contains. Verse 39 (TPT) says, “The Lord will be the Savior of all who love Him. Even in their time of trouble, God will live in them as strength.” If you have committed your life to Christ, then He is committed to you. If you will look to Him for help when trouble strikes, He will be your strength. Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever.” (John 14:16 AMP) As a follower of Christ, you have heavenly resources at your disposal that this world will never comprehend. Make the most of them. Say, “Lord, please reveal Yourself to me now as my divine Strengthener.”
The next line in Psalm 37 (verse 40 TPT) says: “Because of their faith in Him, their daily portion will be a Father’s help and deliverance from evil. This is true for all who turn to hide themselves in Him!” Because of our faith in Christ, we can go directly to our Heavenly Father for help and deliverance from every evil work. Jesus said, “Here is eternal truth: When that time comes you won’t need to ask Me for anything, but instead you will go directly to the Father and ask Him for anything you desire and He will give it to you, because of your relationship with Me.” (John 16:23 TPT) Hallelujah! The help of an earthly father can often be pretty powerful. But imagine the immeasurable power that is released upon this earth when we say, “Heavenly Father, I need Your help!”
The Bible says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17 NIV) Your Heavenly Father has “good and perfect gifts” in store for you. Trust Him. Cling to Him. Call out to Him. And discover anew the incomparable value of “a Father’s help”!
Lord, remind me often that because of my faith in Christ, I can go directly to You for help and deliverance from every evil work. I ask that You reveal Yourself to me each day as my divine Strengthener. Thank You that as I cry out to You – “Heavenly Father, I need Your help!” – immeasurable power will be released on my behalf!
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Mar 29 25
Recounting the Promises of God
“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…” Psalm 103:1-2 NIV
I heard from a dear lady recently who was going through some difficult times, and who was beginning to question the validity of the promises of God. She began listing her many problems, recounting them one by one, and in the process, she began sounding more and more doubtful, fearful, and bitter. My heart went out to this dear woman, and I spent some time in earnest prayer for her and her family, and I did my best to encourage her.
A few days later, when I was feeling discouraged about my own problems, the Lord brought this lady to mind. He warned me not to recount my problems the way she had, but to begin recounting His blessings and promises, instead. He reminded me of a passage in Psalm 103, where David said: “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits–who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5 NIV) What was David doing here? He was recounting the promises and blessings of God. Notice that David is talking to himself, and he’s telling himself not to forget any of the Lord’s many benefits. And he begins listing them and naming them one by one. That’s what “recount” means. It means to quote, recite, rehearse, or to take inventory of. We know that David had some serious problems, before and after he became Israel’s greatest king. But here, he’s not thinking or talking about them. Instead, he’s reminding himself of the Lord’s promises, and he’s rejoicing in God’s faithfulness to His Word.
The Lord showed me that by employing this strategy, David was getting into agreement with God and His plans for David, instead of with the devil and his plans. The Bible tells us that the Lord has extraordinary plans for our lives, but these plans are not automatic. We have to get into agreement with them by putting our faith and trust in God and His Word, and believing that what He says is true, even when our circumstances say otherwise. That doesn’t mean that we should deny our situation, but that we should look beyond our problems to the promises of God–knowing that He is faithful, and He is committed to causing us to triumph every single time. When the circumstances of our lives paint a negative picture, and we’re tempted to grieve or complain, that’s precisely the time to put our faith in God and His promises. By doing this, we are looking with the eye of faith to the good outcome that God has for us. (Romans 8:28)
In Psalm 9, David declared: “I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds! I will rejoice in You and be in high spirits; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High!” (Psalm 9:1-2 AMP) David is in the midst of intense affliction and persecution when he writes this psalm, yet instead of grieving or complaining, he vows to recount the Lord’s glorious ways and works. He recognizes that as he rejoices in God, instead of fretting about His problems, He will be in “high spirits”. And He knows that His praises will repel the enemy and his attacks, and will invite the presence and power of God on His behalf. (Psalm 8:2; 22:3) Each time you and I are in a trial, we must choose between rehearsing our problems, or the Lord’s promises. Ask yourself what you are recounting today, and decide to choose the better and more victorious way!
Lord, forgive me for the times that I thought about and spoke about my problems, more than Your promises. When difficulties come my way, help me to look with the eye of faith at the glorious outcome You have for me. Help me to fully cooperate with You, so that I won’t have to miss out on Your best. Thank You that as I recount Your promises and faithfulness, You will pour on the blessings!
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Mar 23 25
Don’t Settle for Your “Condition”
“Don’t forsake me now, Lord! Don’t leave me in this condition. God, hurry to help me, run to my rescue! For You’re my Savior and my only hope!” Psalm 38:21-22 TPT
The other morning, I woke up feeling anxious and depressed, and I instinctively got alone with the Lord, and sought Him with an open Bible. He led me to Psalm 38, where David the shepherd-king is pouring his heart out to the Lord, and petitioning God for His mighty intervention. I started out reading the NIV translation, and then the Holy Spirit led me to The Passion Translation. “Don’t forsake me now, Lord! Don’t leave me in this condition. God, hurry to help me, run to my rescue! For You’re my Savior and my only hope!” (Psalm 38:21-22 TPT)
As I read the verses aloud with great emotion, the phrase, “Don’t leave me in this condition,” resonated with my soul. I kept repeating the plea over and over throughout that day, until the anxiety and depression lifted. Since then, each time these dark feelings have tried to return, I have immediately turned to the Lord with the same plea, expecting Him to rescue me.
Sometimes, we settle for a “condition” that is not God’s best for us, and He is just waiting for us to aggressively resist it through prayer and petition. There are all kinds of “conditions” that may not be God’s will for us – including debt and lack, disease and pain, mental and emotional disorders, or addictive and compulsive behaviors. We have to remember that we have a formidable enemy, Satan, who has made it his personal mission to destroy our witness and harm us any way he can. The last thing he wants is for us to turn to our God in prayer, expecting Him to deliver us. He would much rather have us passively accept whatever misery he sends our way.
I don’t know what your “condition” is today, but I implore you not to spend another moment settling for something that is not God’s best for you. Do as I have been doing, and cry out to the Lord – expecting His rescue – saying, “Don’t leave me in this condition!”
Lord, please help me not to ever passively accept anything that is not from You. Remind me often that it’s Your will for me to live the abundant life, and it’s the devil’s will to harm me. (John 10:10) Teach me how to aggressively resist every evil work, and every evil attack. Thank You for making me an overcomer through Christ!
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Mar 15 25
The Blessings of Gratitude
“I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of His glories and grace. I will boast of all His kindness to me.” Psalm 34:1-2 TLB
David’s words in the passage above have inspired and challenged me for decades. Perhaps you feel the same way. It’s easy for God’s people to praise Him in the good times. But it’s in the dark times when it can be more difficult for us to give Him thanks.
I did a brief study on some scientific research on the benefits of gratitude, and I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Harvard University says, “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” Research overwhelmingly supports a definite connection between our level of gratitude and our overall well-being.
The University of California says, “Gratitude can make people happier, improve their relationships, and potentially even counteract depression and suicidal thoughts. Some studies have associated gratitude with a whole slew of benefits – from fewer aches and pains to improved sleep to better cardiovascular health.” Science backs up God’s truth – that we are wired for gratitude, and we are at our best when we “thank the Lord at all times.” (Psalm 34:1 GW)
How do we maintain an attitude of gratitude? We continually thank God for the relationships He has blessed us with, including our spouse, our children, our parents, our siblings, and our friends – even our pets. We give thanks every day for His peace, His joy, His wisdom, His strength, His favor, His grace, and His provision – for the fact that we have a roof over our heads, and that we have hot water to bathe in, and clean water to drink. We express our gratitude for all of the conveniences that we are blessed with – our appliances and our devices, as well as our utilities and services. And we don’t forget to give thanks for our health, our finances, our vehicles, our work, our job, and our ministry. In other words, we continually count our blessings.
God does not expect us to give thanks for the bad things that happen to us or to others. But no matter what comes our way, we can rejoice in the Lord’s promise to work ALL things together for our good, because of our love for Him. (Romans 8:28) Better health and wholeness are waiting for you if you will determine to “praise the Lord no matter what happens.” (Psalm 34:1 TLB) Today, I say – “Join me, everyone! Let’s praise the Lord together. Let’s make Him famous! Let’s make His name glorious to all!” (Psalm 34:3 TPT)
Lord, make me the praiser and worshiper that You want me to be. Teach me how to count my blessings every day, no matter what is going on in my life. Fill me with an attitude of gratitude in ways that please You most. Thank You that as I live a life of praise and thanksgiving, I will be happier, healthier, and closer to You than ever before!
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*Join the J. M. Farro Devotionals group on Facebook, and connect with J. M. Farro — with mid-week devotionals in addition to the standard weekly devotionals. You can access this group by clicking here!
Mar 9 25
Scriptural Self-Talk
“O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise Him for all that He will do. He is my help! He is my God!” Psalm 42:11 TLB
I didn’t become fully aware of the power of self-talk for good or for evil until I became a student of the Scriptures, especially the Psalms. Why did the Holy Spirit lead these men to practice so much self-talk? There can be many reasons, but one that stands out for me is that when we engage in holy self-talk, we silence the voice of the enemy.
The Lord led me to memorize Psalm 42:11 (TLB) many years ago, so that as soon as ungodly, negative thoughts came into my mind, I could declare: “O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise Him for all that He will do. He is my help! He is my God!” Here, I am reminding myself that if I will just keep my trust in the Lord, and expect Him to act on my behalf, He will prove Himself to be my Helper and my God. And He will give me more reasons to thank and praise Him.
Jesus said that we would have trials and tribulations in this life, but He also said that we should be of good cheer, just the same. (John 16:33 NKJV) He never meant for us to go through this life joyless, hopeless, or filled with anxiety and despair. He died for us so that we could have the Holy Spirit dwelling on the inside of us to guide us, strengthen us, and lead us into all truth. When we are facing a disturbing situation, we can ask the Spirit of God to help us to see it from His perspective, and to enable us to respond to it in a godly way. An important part of our path to victory is to practice Scripture-based self-talk. Psalm 43:5 (TLB) says: “O my soul, why be so gloomy and discouraged? Trust in God! I shall again praise Him for His wondrous help; He will make me smile again, for He is my God!” Every time I declare this verse with conviction, I sense a strengthening in my soul. It is the Holy Spirit’s way of reminding me to put my trust in God because He will not disappoint me. On the contrary, His “wondrous help” will enable me to smile again, and will give me even more reasons to praise Him.
King David wrote: “Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget the good things He does for me.” (Psalm 103:1 NLT) Keep reminding yourself of the goodness of God, and watch what He will do for you, in you, and through you!
Lord, when I am faced with a disturbing situation, help me to view it from Your perspective, and enable me to respond in a godly way. Teach me how to speak words of victory and success over every challenge that comes my way. Thank You that as I practice Scriptural self-talk daily, I will always have the upper hand over the enemy!
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Mar 2 25
We All Make Mistakes
“Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” James 3:2 NLT
I was listening to a powerful teaching about our speech, when the verse above was highlighted. The Holy Spirit brought conviction to my heart, saying that I had become so afraid of saying something wrong, that I was not following His leadership when He directed me to confront others about their sin. Then I saw the Message Bible translation of this verse: “We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths.” (James 3:2 MSG) I have to tell you that hearing this truth brought me a new sense of freedom in the area of my words. Why? Because God doesn’t expect me to be “perfect,” as the verse above says. If I were, I wouldn’t need a Savior.
I am sharing this message with you because I believe that most Christians today are so afraid of saying something wrong – and ruining their witness – that we are remaining silent when we should be opening our mouths and speaking up for God. And we are losing more and more ground to Satan and his evil cohorts.
If you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are equipped with the Spirit of God to speak for Him. There are promises in Scripture to back you up in every situation that you will encounter in this life. Jesus said: “Don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking – it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:19-20 NLT) If you will step out on the basis of this promise when the Lord leads you to, He will use you to touch and change lives in an eternal way.
When you walk in close fellowship with God throughout each day, He will prompt you when He wants to use your mouth to speak to someone on His behalf. You will sense a stirring in your spirit, and that’s your cue to pray, “Lord, do You want me to say something to this person now? If so, please give me the right words at the right time. And please prepare their heart in advance to be receptive to my words.” Sometimes, the Holy Spirit will tell you to wait until a more opportune time.
I will be honest and tell you that there have been times when I confronted people about their sin, and I lost my temper and said all the wrong things. Thankfully, the end result was still positive because God saw my heart, and He intervened on my behalf because He knew that I was just trying to obey Him. Is there someone in your life who the Lord might want YOU to confront today?
Lord, help me to not be so afraid of saying the wrong thing in a situation that I remain silent when You want me to speak. Remind me often that Your Spirit dwells in me, and that You are always available to give me the right words at the right time. Thank You that as I walk in close fellowship with You each day, the proper answer of my tongue will come from You! (Proverbs 16:1 NIV)
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*Join the J. M. Farro Devotionals group on Facebook, and connect with J. M. Farro — with mid-week devotionals in addition to the standard weekly devotionals. You can access this group by clicking here!
Feb 23 25
