Better Days
1. I Am Bringing You To Better Days
Several weeks ago I was having trouble going to sleep one night. I thought, "Maybe there is someone who needs prayer." So, I prayed for everyone that came to my mind. As I prayed, I thought about how so many of my family and friends were going through troubles and needed God's touch. I prayed for our country and leaders, and asked God to help us through these difficult times. I was still awake at 3:30 am and I felt like God was speaking to my heart, in answer to my prayer with these words, "I am bringing you to better days." I am not trying to add to God's written Word, but I can tell you that this message was clear and simple and brought peace to my troubled soul. I have thought on these words often since that night and it still comforts my heart with hope. I want to look at the scriptures and share how this gives me peace.
2. "I AM" - I Am Bringing You To Better Days
The first two words in my message of hope was, "I am". God called to Moses from the burning bush to deliver His people from their bondage in Egypt. "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:14) God is God of the past, like when He called to Abraham, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." (Genesis 17:1) God is God of the present. Jesus said, "... I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20) And God is God of the future! He said to Moses, "... this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." (Exodus 3:15) God is "I AM" and we can put all our trust in Him! "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)
3. Bringing - I Am Bringing You To Better Days
If I receive an invitation that says I can bring a guest, then that means that I can take someone with me. It doesn't mean that I can send someone in my place, without me. If I am bringing potato salad to a dinner, that means I take it with me. When I was young my Mom and Dad didn't send me to church, but they took me to church and they went with me. When I felt like the Lord was giving me the message, "I am bringing you to better days" then it reminded me that He is always with me. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5) In "bringing me", He will be constantly with me. That gives us assurance that He will accompany us all along our earthly journey until He calls us home to heaven, where we will ever be with the Lord.
4. You - I Am Bringing You To Better Days
Every time I start having a hard day, this comes to my mind, "I am bringing you to better days" and my attitude improves and I begin to see the "good" of that day and it takes my focus off the "bad". The good thing about this little word, "you" is that it can also be plural. That means that you can also look to the Lord for better days. You can know the love of God. "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love." (John 15:9) You can experience God's mercy and grace, which can give you better days, "Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." (II John 1:3) You can have the Spirit of God living in you. "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (I John 4:4) And He can keep you from falling. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy," (Jude 24) These verses were written to give me hope and peace, and they were also written for YOU!
5. To - I Am Bringing You To Better Days
"To" is such a little word. But, it can connect some great thoughts, as we saw in our "From Mourning To Morning" devotionals. When we think about getting to better days, I remember Deuteronomy 6:23. God brought the Israelites out of the hardship of bondage in Egypt, but He didn't drown them in the Red Sea. God didn't leave them in the wilderness. He brought them out of bondage to bring them in to The Promised Land. "And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." When God saves us, He brings us out from under the bondage of sin, to bring us to liberty and freedom from sin. Jesus died to bring us to God. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" (I Peter 3:18) Jesus went to prepare a place for us, and that most definitely is a promise of better days.
"1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3)
6. Better - I Am Bringing You To Better Days
All things are better with Christ! The writer of the book of Hebrews gives us many examples of our "better" life with Jesus. We have a better hope, a better covenant, better promises, and a better country, to name a few. The world can't understand and words can't tell how much better our life is with Christ.
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak." (Hebrews 6:9)
"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." (Hebrews 7:19)
"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament." (Hebrews 7:22)
"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6)
"For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." (Hebrews 10:34)
"But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:16)
"God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:40)
7. Days - I Am Bringing You To Better Days
We began our message of hope, "I am bringing you to better days", with "I AM" and now we have come to the last word, "days." Moses prayed, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) The wisdom of the Lord will bring us to better days. Keeping God's Word will also bring us better days. "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee." (Proverbs 3:1-2) Remembering our Creator will also bring better days. "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;" (Ecclesiastes 12:1) Peter tells us that our love and kindness for one another brings us better days.
"8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:" (I Peter 3:8-10)
These are a few things which may bring us to better days here on earth. But, most of all we have hope because we are going to our heavenly home, where there will be no night, and we will worship our Lord and Savior for ever and ever. "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 22:5)
8. "Like A Tree Planted By The Rivers Of Water"
I am really enjoying working in my garden. I was a little late getting it started but it is coming along nicely. We had so much rain in the beginning and that gave it a great start. I have worked hard to till, and pull weeds, and replanted in a few places that didn't come up. It has been a while since we had a good rain, so Michael helped me water it early Thursday morning. My Bible reading has now taken me to the book of Psalms and I thought the very first Psalm was a great example of how we can follow the Lord and have better days. I like the third verse, "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." My garden needs water to grow. We can grow in the Lord and be like a tree that is planted by rivers of water. That's how I want to be! "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)
"1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (Psalm 1)
9. Don't Worry
I was working in my garden and I saw a tiny little sparrow hopping down the row of okra. My okra plants are still really short, but just the right height for this little bird. He looked up to one plant and then moved on to the other one. I just stood and watched him, and he didn't seem to mind at all. Later he moved on to the row of beans. I believe that he was looking for bugs and insects in my garden, and I told the Lord, "Thank you". I am happy for the little birds to eat all the insects they want from my garden. Jesus mentioned the sparrows when He was telling His followers how important they were to God. "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7) When so much of my hair fell out after having Covid, God knew all about it. (I now have short, 2 inch, hairs growing all over my head and I am thankful.) Jesus also explained how our heavenly Father feeds the birds, and He will surely take care of us! This little sparrow had a joyful little hop as he went down my rows. I don't think that he ever wonders if he will go hungry. God feeds him. And God feeds us. Every time I go to the grocery store I am surprised by the total bill. But, God has always supplied my needs, and I am sure He will take care of me!
"25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6:25-34)
10. Set Your Eyes On Good Things Ahead
There are some verses in the Bible that tell us to remember... "Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;" (I Chronicles 16:12) and "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me," (Isaiah 46:9) It is always good to remember what God has done for us and where He has brought us from. But, in our theme of "Better Days", we need to also focus on the days ahead. Looking back can bring discouragement if we feel the past was better than our present. I walk down to my garden and I am thankful how God has blessed it and helped it to grow, and then I see memories on facebook of how it was beginning to bear this time three and four years ago. In years past I would plant my garden so early, but this year it was all we could do to get it planted when we did. I must not focus on the past, but look to the future as I pray and ask the Lord to bless the garden we have this year. We can look back and ask, "Why can't I work as hard as I did a few years ago?" "Why can't our family enjoy times together like we did back then?" "Why are times so much harder than they were then?" The verse that speaks to me is Luke 9:62, "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." There may be some who are looking back with regret. "Why didn't I do more for the Lord when I was able?" "Why didn't we take our family to church when they were young?" "Why did I waste my life?" Thoughts like these can also bring discouragement. We need to look ahead. Life may seem dismal. When we look at the direction our country is going we are prone to wonder if it will ever get any better. Look to Jesus! The only way we will see better days is by looking to Jesus. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
11. Better Days For Our Children
I was reading in Psalms and I was drawn to these verses about our children and grandchildren. I believe that the evil in the world today is a big concern for Christian parents and grandparents. We want the world to be a better place for our children. Jesus had love and compassion for children, and He took them in His arms and blessed them. God still has love and compassion for children. The best way we can prepare our little ones for better days is to teach them about the Lord. We need to give them a deep knowledge of the Bible. We need to let them see how we trust God in our own lives. We must use every opportunity to help them be grounded in the Word with a good foundation on Jesus Christ. Look at these truths in Psalm 78. Asaph begins by saying that they know these sayings because their fathers taught them. Then he says that they will not hide them from their children, but will teach them about the Lord. In verse 6 he adds that the generation to come, even the children which should be born, must teach their children. If we want better days for our children and grandchildren, and even children to come, then we must teach them God's Word. Psalm 71:17-18 should be our prayer, "O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come."
"1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:" (Psalm 78:1-6)
12. A Place Of Peace
Do you have a place where you can get alone with the Lord? When life brings you to a bump in the road, completely unexpected, and you don't know which way to turn, do you know where to find peace? My garden is my happy place. I can sit and pull weeds, and talk to the Lord. I thank Him for the dragonflies that fly by, eating the mosquitoes, and the honeybees buzzing in the clover along the garden edge. I can take my cares to the Lord in prayer, and I can shut out the troubles of life and enjoy the peace only God can bring. My Dad loved the Lord, and he loved his garden. His favorite song was, "In The Garden", written by Charles Austin Miles in 1913. There's going to be a marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven, so we will have food to eat. I can imagine my Dad in heaven, walking and talking with His Lord and Savior in that amazing wonderful garden above. "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God." (Revelation 19:9)
"In The Garden"
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain:
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
13. Being Thankful
... I saw the car coming towards my door and I leaned as far as I could in the other direction. I felt the car hit, but I didn't feel any pain. Michael had swerved ahead of the car so that it rammed the very back of our car. He gained control of the car and stopped. After making sure I was okay, he got out to check the other driver. She was alright, too. I think I was almost in shock, and I sat there a few minutes praising God. There was no need to call an ambulance. No wrecker. I give God all the glory for keeping that car from coming through my door! We often say that God doesn't always keep us from the storms, but He keeps us through the storms. I really believe that God moved our car in the place that would cause the least damage... to us, and to the cars. And I am so very, very thankful. As I read through the book of Psalms I see so many verses about giving God praise and thanksgiving. Even in a hard day, giving thanks and praise to God makes it a better day! Thank you Lord!!!
"Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." (Psalm 50:14-15)
"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving." (Psalm 69:30)
"Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms." (Psalm 95:2)
"1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." (Psalm 100)
14. Words Of Wisdom
Most of the devotionals for the past two weeks have been thoughts that the Lord gave to me each day. At the beginning of this theme, I had made a list of scriptures that I thought would be encouraging and helpful to look at as we talked about "Better Days". Since the Lord was leading me in different directions, I didn't use these verses. I want to share them with you today, and maybe some of these verses will speak to your heart and help you have a better day!
Meditate On God's Word
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (Joshua 1:8)
Sow The Seed
"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." (II Corinthians 9:6)
Give To The Lord
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)
Trust In The Lord
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Seek The Lord
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)
15. The First Step Towards Better Days
I was driving down a road Friday morning that I have not been down in a long time. As I came to the bottom of the hill, I noticed a little brick building and a gravel drive. The memory came back so clearly, and I realized that's where my "Better Days" began. I tell it often through these devotions, but someone may be reading today who has not heard. Do you want better days? I was in a little church and my Grandpa Beasley was preaching on the rich man and Lazarus. I realized that I was lost and I started crying. I was sitting with my Grandma and she took me out to the parking lot and asked me what was wrong. I told her that I did not want to die and go to hell. She explained to me how Jesus could save me. We went back inside and I went down to the altar. I asked Jesus to forgive me and save me and that was the beginning of my better days! I saw the gravel in front of that old building and I thought, "Right there! In a graveled parking lot, was where I decided to trust in Jesus to save me and He has been with me all these 50 plus years. I told Michael that I may have gotten saved in the parking lot, before I ever got to the altar. You don't have to be at church to get saved. You can believe in Jesus right where you are, and ask Him to save you. If you want better days, the first step is to put your trust in Jesus. He is the only way to a better life on earth and the only way to heaven.
Accept that you are a lost sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
Believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sin and to give you everlasting life. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
Confess to Jesus and trust in Him to save you. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)
