September 12 – 19, 2025

THIS IS MY GOD

Matthew 12:34 “‘Whatever is in your heart determines what you say.’” (NLT)

We can become saturated with negative thoughts from the world that turn us away from the truth of God. We begin to brood over wrongs. We live in our hurts. We hold onto the negative. We become resentful and unforgiving. The negativity in our hearts becomes our compass. We think we are on course. But instead we are misaligned, misguided, misdirected, unaware that our compass needle has become rusted and stuck in the negative things and thoughts.

How do we reset our compass to GOD? By reading the Bible, dwelling on His awesomeness, remembering how BIG HE IS! Maybe you learned about Noah’s Ark when you were young, David and Goliath, Samson, Elisha and the floating ax head. Have you forgotten the old stories? How about the NEW stories? Things that happened last week? Yesterday? Do you let God update your thinking? About yourself? About others? Do you let God change your thinking about HIS ability to change your circumstances?

Nehemiah 8:10 says the JOY of the Lord is our strength. Unless we are continuously strengthened by His joy, we will become weak, weary, worldly. Joy is happiness. Happiness is contentment. Contentment is peace. Peace is Jesus. How do we get His joy? By proclaiming the character of God as Travis Cottrelldoes in the song What Child is This, one of our favorites: Courageous! Relentless! Brave! A God of scandalous mercy! Loving! Reaching! Mighty to save! Does that stir your joy and move your soul? God lives and breathes and cares! Proclaim it daily! The depth of His mercy and the depth of His love arebeyond our comprehension, and absolutely, totally astounding!

When you get that into your heart, every bit of negativity will go. Why? Because it cannot live in the presence of what God has done and still IS doing for you! HIS joy becomes YOUR joy. 

What is in your heart? You will know by what comes out of your mouth!

This is an excerpt from a 90-day devotional written by Emil and Karen. To order the full devotional, click on the TO ORDER DEVOTIONAL page.