Daily Reflection - May
 

May 1

A Time to Think: I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to men. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book. –Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States

To Act: Remember that faith will lead you through unsteady times.

To Pray: Let me never be too old to hear Your word, God, and store it in my heart.

May 2

A Time to Think: Heaven is full of answers to prayer for which no one ever bothered to ask.–Reverend Billy Graham, author and evangelist

To Act: Have great hopes and dare to go all out for them.

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

May 3

A Time to Think: Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. –Saint Francis de Sales

To Act: Forgive yourself when you fail.

To Pray: Father, grant me patience when I stumble and courage to continue on.

May 4

A Time to Think: Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. –Victor Hugo, poet and novelist

To Act: Don't focus on your fears or weaknesses. Keep Jesus in mind.

To Pray: Father, grant me patience when I stumble and courage to continue on.

May 5

A Time to Think: I choose love. No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness, I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves. –Max Lucado, best-selling author and preacher at Oak Hills Church

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

To Pray: My Lord, I know that You really do love me. Help me to share my love with others.

May 6

A Time to Think: Our prayers lay the track down on which God’s power can come.–Watchman Nee, church leader and Christian teacher

To Act: Remember that prayer can work miracles.

To Pray: Creator God, thank You for the works of Your hand that cry out the awesome truth of Your care for me.

May 7

A Time to Think: Faith is the root of all blessings. Believe, and you shall be saved. –Jeremy Taylor, 17th century author

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

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

May 8

A Time to Think: Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.–Albert Schweitzer, theologian, philosopher and physician

To Act: Forgive those who have crossed you. Your forgiveness is your most important contribution to the healing of the world.

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

May 9

A Time to Think: You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. –C.S. Lewis, author

To Act: Focus on your goals and chase away excuses.

To Pray: Lord, help me to look to tomorrow with hope.

May 10

A Time to Think: To try to pray is to pray. You can't fail at it. It's the only human endeavor I can think of where trying is doing. –Rick Hamlin, author

To Act: Concentrate on serving God in whatever way He directs.

To Pray: Father, let me seek You as eagerly as I seek those here on earth who love me.

May 12

A Time to Think: Often a healing takes place in ourselves as we pray for the healing of others. –Michael E. DeBakey, surgeon

To Act: Concentrate on helping others and grasp every opportunity to offer encouragement.

To Pray: You fill me with concern for others, Lord, and You give me strength to help them.

May 13

A Time to Think: Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be. —John Ortberg, author and pastor

To Act: Place your hope and purpose completely in God's hands.

To Pray: Father, grant me patience when I stumble and courage to continue on.

May 14

A Time to Think: Prayer is a means of bringing you to a point where you will accept what God wants. –Norman Vincent Peale, best-selling author and minister

To Act: Take comfort knowing God is with you.

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

May 15

A Time to Think: Every person’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers. –Hans Christian Andersen, author and poet

To Act: Surrender your life to God and every experience will grow increasingly more wonderful.

To Pray: Open my eyes, Father, to Your world filled with surprises.

May 16

A Time to Think: The hardest test God will ever give you is to love someone even when they don't deserve it. –Anonymous

To Act: Forgive those who have hurt you.

To Pray: Lord, help me to realize the healing power of forgiveness.

May 17

A Time to Think: God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, or sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way. –Anonymous

To Act: Build your life on the foundation of faith.

To Pray: Lord, Your love and protection is the one true thing that I can always count on.

May 18

A Time to Think: Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude is going to determine how you're going to live your life. –Joel Osteen, pastor and author

To Act: Approach the day with a joyful attitude.

To Pray: Father, a positive attitude is one of the greatest spiritual gifts. Help me to remember: Praise! Praise! Praise!

May 19

A Time to Think: Faith is the most powerful of all forces operating in humanity and when you have it in depth nothing can get you down. –Norman Vincent Peale, best-selling author and minister

To Act: Remember that faith will lead you through unsteady times.

To Pray: Lord, peace is knowing that Your comfort is only a prayer away.

May 20

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: Learn to think calmly and confidently, no matter what comes your way.

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

May 21

A Time to Think: We can't always withdraw to quiet hillsides to pray, but Christ will meet with us in the quiet places of our hearts. –Sheila Walsh, author

To Act: Take comfort knowing God is with you.

To Pray: Heavenly Father, help me to hear Your voice deep in my heart, guiding me.

May 22

A Time to Think: The opposite of joy is not sorrow. It is unbelief. –Leslie Weatherhead, Christian theologian

To Act: Relax and accept God's grace in times of stress.

To Pray: Father, thank You for the opportunities of renewal You grant me each and every day.

May 23

A Time to Think: Faith will lead you where you cannot walk. Reason has never been a mountain climber. –E. W. Kenyon, pastor

To Act: Face every situation with faith in your heart.

To Pray: Lord God, help me carry the blessings of prayer into my family's future.

May 24

A Time to Think: God is looking for people to use, and if you can get usable, he will wear you out. The most dangerous prayer you can pray is this: "Use me." –Rick Warren, pastor and author

To Act: Concentrate on helping others and grasp every opportunity to offer encouragement.

To Pray: Lord, help me to listen to Your voice in all times and all places. Help me to answer Your call.

May 25

A Time to Think: God is the best listener. You don’t need to shout nor cry out loud because he hears even the very silent prayer of a sincere heart. –Anonymous

To Act: Hold onto God's promises–they will protect you from fear and lead you to joy.

To Pray: Heavenly Father, today and every day I put my faith in You.

May 26

A Time to Think: Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. –Reverend Billy Graham, author and evangelist

To Act: Remember all those who bravely gave their lives for their country.

To Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for the dedicated men and women who serve in our armed forces. We pause in remembrance of these who have gone before them, often serving in harm's way to protect the liberties we enjoy today.

May 27

A Time to Think: Sometimes God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn't become their future. –Jon Acuff, author

To Act: Reach out and help someone by sharing your love and time.

To Pray: Father, may my gifts to others reflect Your timeless love.

May 28

A Time to Think: Keep praying, but be thankful that God's answers are wiser than your prayers. –William Culbertson, pastor

To Act: Be assured that God is working in your life to bring about good things by His glorious power.

To Pray: Lord, help me to understand that I can be joyful at all times and in all situations because I am Your child and You are my God.

May 29

A Time to Think: You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving. –Amy Carmichael, author and missionary

To Act: Today, be kind in all that you do and say.

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

May 30

A Time to Think: Prayer is putting oneself under God's influence. –Harry Emerson Fosdick, pastor

To Act: Pray for your faith to grow deeper and your hope in Christ to overshadow any doubts you may have.

To Pray: Dear Lord, help me to begin today with hope, to feel Your love and know I am never alone.

May 31

A Time to Think: Go where your best prayers take you. –Frederick Buechner, writer

To Act: Remember that remarkable achievements begin as thoughts.

To Pray: My heavenly Father, from Whom I have received every good and perfect gift, Thank You.