Hello Friends,

My ebook, "Ancient Songs for Today: Discovering LIfe-Changing Truths from the Psalms" will be released on July 30th, 2020. It can be pre-ordered now through Kindle and it will be forwarded to your device on July 30th. You can also order it after it has been released. This devotional consists of 150 daily devotions from the Psalms - one for each chapter in the Psalms.

You will find it encouraging, honest and uplifting. It will enrich your devotional life by providing you with life-changing truths from the Scriptures to chew on. I am excited to offer this to you and believe it will prove to be a blessing.

You can go here to read more about it or to order it : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C27FLQ3…

God Bless and Thank You,

Tom Toya

Ministering with a Pure Heart

Here is a post from the past. I hope it blesses you...

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

While praying the other day, a thought came to my mind.  It went something like this, “Success in Christian service is measured not by the largeness of your ministry but by the depth of your heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7 says that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at our hearts.  If we have pure hearts, our ministry to others will be untainted and effective.  But if our hearts are not in tune with God’s Spirit and God’s word our ministry to others – no matter how “successful” – will not please our Master. 

The Scripture says that David was a man after God’s heart.  He had a big heart for God.  The Lord told Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel among Jesse’s sons.  The Lord had Samuel pass by all seven of David’s brothers.  The young lad was not even invited to the event – he was watching over his family’s heard of sheep.  Samuel asked for David and anointed him to be king.  Though David had many failures in his life, his tender heart for God made him the greatest king Israel ever had. 

Acts 13:36 says, “For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers….”  David served his own generation by the will of God.  This tells me that David’s life ultimately pleased God. 

I also want to live a life that pleases God and I am sure you do too.  I know that the Lord desires that we bear much fruit.  It is, of course, better that we reach many people rather than a few, but is the quality of our ministry that matters most to the Father. 

 

Let’s be diligent to guard our hearts while we believe the Lord for a greater impact in ministry.  Let’s keep our relationship with Jesus sweet and intimate.  When we keep this as the first thing in our lives, God will see fit to trust us with greater influence in ministry.   If the root is good, the branches will flourish.

Dear Father God, 

Help me to guard my heart with all diligence.  Teach me to worship, pray, and feed on your word daily.  Shine your light on anything in my heart that is not right.  Let me minister to others with a pure heart.  Thank you for using me in a mighty way for your glory.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

For Men

My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. Proverbs 1:10

Young men without a father figure are vulnerable in this day and age. If they become exposed to the wrong crowd, peer pressure can motivate them to compromise. One small addiction can balloon into a grotesque giant. A boy who practices petty crimes can soon become an experienced thief, and an acquaintance with a gang member can pull a boy into a life of violence.  

Like the newborn antelope who plays near a lion, young men without the protection of a godly father are vulnerable to the attack of the enemy. This is why it is good for single mothers to seek out an older man to mentor her son or sons.

Another vital ingredient to raise young men is a relationship with God the Father. A close relationship with Him can fill the void inside a young boy’s heart. He is the ultimate Father figure.

If you’re a man in pursuit of God, why not tell God you’re available for Him to use you to touch a young boy’s life? If you are a boy or a man in need of the love of a father, why don’t you ask God to fill the whole inside your heart? Only He will satisfy.

Dear Father God,

I invite you into my life. I ask you to forgive me of my every sin. I ask you, through Jesus, to be the Lord of my life. I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose again. I surrender all to You. And Father God I ask you to help me find another man to mentor me in the things of God. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

Today You answered my prayer

You broke through the storm clouds

And brought a much-awaited blessing

I know You are my Provider

But I knew it before

Although I could not see Your provision

Thank you for the Red Sea parting in my life

Your hand on our lives was evident today

Thank you Lord!

I will tell of your wonders

I could not earn your promise

Your miracles are gifts from Your generous hand

All I can say, all I can declare is that I am blessed

Because of you and not because of me

Thank You Lord, amen.

Overcoming Faith

But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. Numbers 14:24

Twelve men were appointed by Moses to spy out a particular region. The Israelites had been promised by God a certain territory. Although it was theirs, they would need to conquer its inhabitants. When the twelve men returned from their mission to the Promised Land, ten of them gave a bad report. Although the land was rich in vegetation and resources, they feared the giants that lived there and believed they could not overtake them. 

Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, had a different spirit. Their faith in God dominated their vision. They believed God could give the land into their hands, but the Israelite people sided with the naysayers.  They decided not to overtake the land. This greatly displeased the Lord. After all without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). 

God judged the people. He told Moses that all the Israelites except Caleb and Joshua would die in the wilderness in a forty-year span. They would never enter the Promised Land. Later, Caleb and Joshua did possess the Promised Land. God said of Caleb that he followed him wholeheartedly. His faith was preeminent, it had full dominance. 

During this time when the threat of a virus is spoken, when financial lack may seem present, we have a choice. We can either cave in to fear or we can stand in faith. Let’s be like Caleb and Joshua. Let’s believe God for great things. Let’s allow our faith to cause us to overcome. 

This is not to downplay the suffering of some during this time whether from illness or financial difficulty.  But we can trust God to bring us through. He will deliver us from our circumstances. He is faithful and he will help us to overcome in His way and His time. 

During this unprecedented season, we should practice safety, but let’s not forget to walk in faith. Only then will God be pleased, and only then will we see God move on our behalf.