June 6, 2026 – Emptied
Power – Matthew 12:34-35 – “…For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things.” Joyce asks, “Have you ever said something and thought, Where did that come from? The truth is it came from down inside you somewhere. You had to think it at some time, or it wouldn’t have come out…. We can find out the true condition of our hearts by listening to ourselves…. ask God to help you think as He thinks. And pray this prayer from Psalm 51:10: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.’”
JC – “You had a darkened mind before you sought Me wholeheartedly. I chose to pour My Light into you, so that you can be a beacon to others. There is no room for pride in this position. Your part is to reflect My Glory. I am the Lord!”
Days – “He emptied Himself” (Phil. ii. 8, R.V.). Simpson adds, “The first step to the righteousness of the kingdom is ‘poor in spirit.’ Then the next is a little deeper, ‘they that mourn.’ Because now you must get plastic, you must get broken, you must get like the metal in the fire, which the Master can mould; and so, it is not enough to see your unrighteousness, but deeply to feel it, deeply to regret it, deeply to mourn over it, to own it…. And so God leads a soul unto His righteousness. He usually leads it through some testings and trials. This generally comes after conversion. I do not think it necessary for a soul to have deep and great suffering before it is saved. I think He will put it into the fire when He knows it is saved; when it realizes it is accepted; when it is not afraid of the discipline; when it is not the hand of wrath, but the hand of love.”
Prevail #157 – Ecclesiastes 4:4 – “Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless – like chasing the wind.” Larson encourages, “If God has gifted you, embrace those gifts. But enjoy them too. Consider everything you do as an offering back to God. Ask Him to multiply every offering. Believe Him for great things. Know that His will for you in one area of life won’t contradict His will for you in another. God is all about harmony, health, wholeness, and flourishing. Deal with even the smallest hint of envy so it won’t destroy you or your offering.”
I was on the edge of destroying or at least somewhat discounting my life offerings as I read an article this morning in my sorority magazine lauding the accomplishments of many women in different areas – one even had a building named after her which is something that will likely never happen for me (not really on my bucket list anyway) because “all I’ve ever done” is be there for my family and friends (or at least it seems that way in comparison to all that they’ve done). Envy whispers that, in addition to their contributions to society, those busy, accomplished women were probably there for their families as well.
Fortunately, though, I was able to stop my mind from spiraling in the wrong direction on this because I realized that I would be doubting God’s guidance and His plan for my life. My life, not theirs. He has something for each of us to do in all of the seasons of our lives. We should applaud others and be content with, and even proud of, what God gives us to do that we carry out to the best of our abilities as we trust His ways and His provisions.
JA – “NURTURE WELL YOUR THANKFULNESS, for it is the royal road to Joy! In fact, no pleasure is really complete without expressing gratitude for it. It’s good to thank the people through whom you receive blessings, but remember that I am God from whom all blessings flow.” See Psalm 95:2 and 2 Corinthians 9:15.
JL – “My great God, On days when my primary goal is pleasing myself, my life is filled with frustration. The attitude that things should go my way is based on a faulty premise: that I am the center of my world. The trust is, You are the Center – and everything revolves around You. So I need to make my plans tentatively, seeking Your Face and Your will in all that I do…. Please help me remember that I am not my own: I belong to You…. my primary goal becomes pleasing You…. Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Moreover, knowing that I belong to You provides deep, satisfying rest for my soul. In Your refreshing Name, Jesus, Amen.” See 1 Corinthians 6:19 and Matthew 11:29-30.
