Daily Reflection - July
 

July 1

A Time to Think: Faith means being sure of what we hope for now. It means knowing something is real, this moment, all around you, even when you don’t see it. –Joni Eareckson Tada, author

To Act: Pray God's Word and see your prayer life flourish.

To Pray: God just for one day let me see only the good. Give me the eyes of faith, the heart of hope.

July 2

A Time to Think: If we knew how to listen to God, if we knew how to look around us, our whole life would become prayer. –Michael Quoist, priest, theologian and writer

To Act: Contemplate new ways to extend your voice and bring beauty to the world.

To Pray: Lord, thank You for renewing me and giving me a life that has purpose and meaning.

July 3

A Time to Think: The Lord promises to bind up the brokenhearted, to give relief and full deliverance to those whose spirits have been weighed down. –Charles R. Swindoll, pastor, author and radio preacher

To Act: Form a picture in your mind of health, prosperity and abundance.

To Pray: Lord, help me to remember that I can't always fix things, help me to always put my trust in You.

July 4

A Time to Think: Freedom comes by filling your mind with God's thoughts. –Erwin Lutzer, pastor and author

To Act: Pray for our nation on this special day.

To Pray: O God, on this Independence Day, bless us and our nation with Your unfailing love and mercy.

July 5

A Time to Think: Trials...may come in abundance. But they cannot penetrate into the sanctuary of the soul when it is settled in God, and we may dwell in perfect peace. –Hannah Whitall Smith, author

To Act: Rely on your faith during challenging times; be strong and courageous.

To Pray: Assure us, Lord, in darkest distress that trials don’t mean You love us less.

July 6

A Time to Think: Always maintain hopefulness, especially when the going is hard. –Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, best-selling author and minister

To Act: Keep hope in your life.

To Pray: Lord, thank You for knowing my heart’s deepest needs and desires even better than I do. Today let me put all my hope in You and wait patiently for Your answers.

July 7

A Time to Think: Forgiveness is love in its most noble form. –Anonymous

To Act: Let go of old wounds and enjoy today.

To Pray: Before I judge another, Father, let me remember that I too need Your forgiveness.

July 8

A Time to Think: Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation. –Andrew Murray, writer and pastor

To Act: Continue to expand your goals.

To Pray: Dear God, may Your will be done in my life today.

July 9

A Time to Think: Be with someone who brings out the best in you, not the stress in you. –Anonymous

To Act: Grasp every opportunity to offer encouragement to others.

To Pray: Mistakes are never the end of the line with You, God. Thank You for Your forgiveness, the ultimate eraser.

July 10

A Time to Think: A man who is intimate with God will never be intimidated by men.–Leonard Ravenhill, author

To Act: Be patient, have faith and work towards what you desire.

To Pray: Lord, thank You for the grace that strengthens me for tasks large and small.

July 11

A Time to Think: Prayer is not asking for what you think you want, but asking to be changed in ways you can't imagine. –Kathleen Norris, poet

To Act: Always look to your heart for the true answer.

To Pray: Lord, You are the answer to all of my questions.

July 12

A Time to Think: Worship is a way of gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of His worth. –John Piper, preacher and author

To Act: Give thought and thanks for the light of day and the comfort of night.

To Pray: Lord, show me new ways to bring comfort and healing in Your name.

July 13

A Time to Think: You can tell the size of your God by looking at the size of your worry list. The longer your list, the smaller your God. –Author Unknown

To Act: When you pray, release your worry and rest in God.

To Pray: Remind me, Lord, to give my worries to You and to trust You when I do.

July 14

A Time to Think: Darkness cannot put out the Light. It can only make God brighter. –Author Unknown

To Act: View your problems with a spiritual perspective.

To Pray: Thank you, Lord, for the tremendous difference You make in our lives.

July 15

A Time to Think: Often God has to shut a door in our face so that He can subsequently open the door through which He wants us to go. –Catherine Wood Marshall

To Act: Learn to find comfort in the fact that life is unpredictable.

To Pray: Dear God, help me to trust You wherever I wander.

July 16

A Time to Think: Sometimes the Lord rides out the storm with us and other times He calms the restless sea around us. Most of all, He calms the storm inside us in our deepest inner soul. –Lloyd John Ogilvie, minister

To Act: When fear comes, counter it with an affirmation of faith.

To Pray: Lord when I am full of fear and worry help me to take my eyes off of myself and to focus on You.

July 17

A Time to Think: Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. –Henry Van Dyke, author, educator, and clergyman

To Act: Use today, for it is a gift, to extend your love.

To Pray: Lord, open my eyes to the love around me, and help me see how much You love me through others.

July 18

A Time to Think: God expects to hear from you, before you can expect to hear from Him. –William Gurnall, author and clergyman

To Act: Pray God's Word and see your prayer life flourish.

To Pray: Dear Lord, I am grateful for the love You have given me.

July 19

A Time to Think: Make no mistake about it, responsibilities toward other human beings are the greatest blessings God can send us. –Dorothy Dix, journalist

To Act: Cherish your purpose in life.

To Pray: Lord, keep me alert for opportunities to ease another's suffering.

July 20

A Time to Think: I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking God to do His work through me. –Hudson Taylor, Christian missionary

To Act: Be the subtle voice that helps another in need.

To Pray: Dear Lord, help me to remember that the brightness of Your loving presence is always with me.

July 21

A Time to Think: You can't have a better tomorrow if you're thinking about yesterday. –Charles Kettering, inventor

To Act: Waste no tears over yesterday's grief.

To Pray: Dear Lord, You are my foundation, yesterday, today and forever.

July 22

A Time to Think: If you begin to live life looking for the God that is all around you, every moment becomes a prayer. –Frank Bianco, U.S. journalist and photographer

To Act: Be patient, have faith and work towards what you desire.

To Pray: Lord, show me how I might live up to Your expectations.

July 23

A Time to Think: Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God. –Oswald Chambers, author and evangelist

To Act: Become more aware of the blessings that surround you.

To Pray: Heavenly Father, please help me face each day with grace and appreciation for the blessings of Your love.

July 24

A Time to Think: Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good. –Maya Angelou, author and poet

To Act: Pray and release your worries.

To Pray: Oh, Lord, teach me to remember You in all things, every day of my life.

July 25

A Time to Think: Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ; we do not even know ourselves except through Jesus Christ. –Blaise Pascal, mathematician, inventor and philosopher

To Act: Allow yourself to be loved and to love all that you meet.

To Pray: Dear Lord, I am grateful for the love You have given me.

July 26

A Time to Think: Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. –Corrie ten Boom, author

To Act: Rejoice, the future is full of promise.

To Pray: Father I hold tight to Your truth and trust You to work in my life.

July 27

A Time to Think: Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality. –William Painter, inventor

To Act: Approach today with a grateful heart.

To Pray: Lord, thank You for the many ways in which I may lift my heart and spirit through prayer.

July 28

A Time to Think: Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop. –Wanda E. Brunstetter, author

To Act: Open your heart and eyes to see that opportunities to help and serve are everywhere.

To Pray: Father, help me to do what I can, and in the doing help me to find new confidence for larger responsibilities.

July 29

A Time to Think: Many are so preoccupied with work that they allow little time for prayer. –Watchman Nee, Christian teacher and author

To Act: Pray and release your worries.

To Pray: Father, may my prayers for others be as constant and natural as breathing.

July 30

A Time to Think: Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message. –Malcolm Muggeridge, journalist

To Act: Put your problems in God's hands.

To Pray: Lord, help us to trust You as we walk through our lives.

July 31

A Time to Think: I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light. –Mary Gardiner Brainard, author and poet

To Act: Fill your mind with Christ.

To Pray: Lord, hold onto me as I go forward with faith in You.