A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse February 24, 2018 

Take It Or Leave It Scripture Reading – Philippians 4:6 (NLT) “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." 

Wait just a minute here, are you telling me not to worry about absolutely anything at all, ever??? Well, that's easy for you to say!

Or so we may think, at least when giving a first and honest read to the Apostle Paul's teaching today. That this notion is somehow some kind of a religious platitude that really does not have much at all to do with a real life like yours and mine fraught with real life size problems and pressures.

And as we are thinking such thoughts, we would do ourselves well to remember exactly where the Apostle was when God by the Holy Spirit inspired him to write these words....IN JAIL! And imprisoned simply because he was preaching the good news of Jesus Christ. As we remember this, we also will be able to recall today's truth, that God is with us - right here with us - wherever we are, and His promises and Presence are for each one of us today.

And so we really can, 'Take It Or Leave It' - our worries that is. For the shoulders of our Savior are broad enough to take each and every one of our worries, especially since He is aware of them even before we come to ask Him. So we can come today, right now in fact through prayer and praise, and by faith give it to Jesus, and receive His burden which is light and not motivated by fear, but administered by faith.And now having given Jesus the worry, we can choose to thank Him, that He is working in this area, and in fact in all of the areas of our lives to shape us into His very image for the greater glory of God, our Father Who loves us with an everlasting and unfailing love.

Yes, my sister and brother, this praying and praising applies to everything and anything at all in our lives, even as we are in the first part of 2018. Our part is to receive this precious promise and stand in His grace today. 

Prayer Thank-You Father, that I can bring You everything. I ask You to forgive me for the things that I worry about. Lord Jesus I give them all to You right now, and thank-You that You are working in every area of my life. In Jesus name I receive Your peace and Your promise and Your provision today. 

Memory Verse:  Colossians 4:2 NLT “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”