Psalms 27:3-4 Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that I will seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.

A United States Army officer who trained pupils at Fort Still for over 20 years once described the different qualities of the students during the two decades of his tenure. During the 1950's, he observed the students' attitude as being so lax that the instructors had trouble keeping their students awake during their lectures. This drastically changed in the mid 1960's. The students began taking meticulous notes and absorbing every word of instruction. So, what changed? The lectures weren't any different. Were mid 60s students somehow more diligent? No… but the circumstances had changed. The pupils of the 1950's weren't expecting to be sent to war, but the men in the 1960's were being prepared to go to Vietnam.

We are already at war and the battle is raging. We cannot afford to be unprepared, as though we were at peace. Each of has a post or a position to occupy, or a battlefront to advance upon. So let us stay awake, alert and in constant preparation, feeding and abiding in the Word of God, continuing instant in prayer and growing mighty in it. There's so much work to be done, and our Commander in Chief is looking for eager volunteers who are well prepared to serve. Honoring Him in the battles ahead will bring great joy through the exploits He will enable us to do.

Momentum is simply the force or speed of movement that carries an object to its final destination. If you want to break through, you need to have a certain amount of momentum. In order for a rocket to blast into space, it needs tremendous momentum to break the gravitational barrier – but with the enormous power of jet engines and rocket fuel the ship is propelled faster and faster till it breaks free of the earth’s gravitational pull.

Often our challenge is gaining the spiritual momentum to break through. It requires real power. Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner once remarked that the Lord requires "muscular Christians". Believers who are serious in their faith-walk are people who stand steadfastly against difficult obstacles, and who pray with great fervency and devotion for the causes of their Lord. This produces spiritual power for significant breakthroughs in the spirit realm.

Sin and self-indulgence will compromise and slow the spiritual momentum required for our break through. But if we nourish the vision and cultivate the habit of pressing on to the higher calling, we'll be inspired to forsake our sins and focus on the glory and joy of the Lord's victory.

And one more thing: it is often true that the most ferocious battle, requiring the greatest momentum and perseverance (just like the rocket blast into outer space), will occur just before the breakthrough to victory.

Regain momentum in your spiritual life through repentance toward God, and steadfast perseverance in that specific vision and call He has given you. There is a great victory waiting for you from His heavenly realm and soon enough you’ll see it manifested right here on Earth!

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions

2 Corinthians 4:17, 18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

As believers, we are all called to transform the little world around us. C.S. Lewis offered a thoughtful perspective on remaining heavenly minded while continuing to make an impact in this present world. In Mere Christianity, he said. "Hope…means…a continual looking forward to the eternal world…it does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next…It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you will get neither."

Being heavenly minded is not natural. It happens when we focus and meditate on the reality and wonderful hope of the world to come. When we do, we can bring a taste of heaven to the little world around us. So let's not become complacent — but stay focused there, so we can be effective here… and soon enough we will hear the Lord saying, "Well, done thou good and faithful servant!"

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Every time I turn on the news it seems the new buzzword is – CHANGE! So how can we just shift gears and change? Let's learn a lesson about basic automotive mechanics. Generally a car has between 4 and 5 gears. The first gear maximizes power in exchange for speed. As you move through the gears, you can continue to go faster, yet without using any more power, and before you know it – you have to look at the speedometer – cause nobody wants a speeding ticket!

So what can we learn from this? Do you want a breakthrough? Do you want a new direction? Then you need to take that first step! You need to put all your focus – all your energy into that first initial gear! Yes, it takes all your strength, and yet it seems like you're moving sooo slow — but be encouraged, because once you start moving, you'll be able to shift gears — and before you know it –- you'll be sailing along, and even need to check to see if you're speeding!

The first step is always the hardest — but it's necessary for change! You can breakthrough with the power of God empowering you, so GO FOR IT! Put everything you've got into that first start. And just like driving, it'll get easier; and before you know it — we might even have to issue you a speeding citation, just to slow you down a bit..! With so much work to be done, let's not stay in neutral — let's get in gear, and start shifting!

John 21:14-15, 22 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."

Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."

After Yeshua’s (Jesus) resurrection, He showed himself to the apostles several times. Once, they were fishing, and Yeshua met them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Peter was there, back at his craft, but swirling with inward emotions. The anguish of his recent denial, three times, exactly as Yeshua had predicted, mixed with the amazement and perplexity at the empty tomb, and finally the astounding relief and joy witnessing the risen Lord. Peter was on an emotional roller coaster for days, but the issue of his denial remained unresolved.

The Lord's encounter with Peter on the Sea of Galilee was to fully restore him. Three times Yeshua probes His beloved disciple “Do you love me?” But this is more than just a quantitative restoration. The Lord is penetrating the apostle's heart in this amazing conversation, because He really knows how much Peter loves Him and He wants Peter to know that He trusts him completely even after his awful failure. So Yeshua gives Peter his lifelong commission– “Feed my lambs!”; "Feed my sheep." Yeshua knew that He could entrust Peter with this responsibility, and He told him so. Peter was restored.

Yet Peter still wobbles, even as he receives his restoration, when he asks about his fellow apostle, John. Yeshua's response, “what is that to you, you follow me!” settles the matter. The Lord is saying, "stop the competition, Peter. Those days are over, yet you're still comparing…I have work for you; I have a life for you; live it!"

The enemy would love to dig up your past, thrust it in your face, and leave you comparing yourself with others for the rest of your life – but the Lord has a life for you and He wants you to live it. Your life, not someone else's. He loves you and He trusts you to be who He made you to be. So don't allow your past failures or your present jealousies to prevent you from the life you’re called to live for Him!

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Throughout the world, millions of dollars are spent on priceless works of art. I'm always amazed at how much people will pay for one painting — some are considered virtually priceless. But what makes a masterpiece? It's not a what — it's a "who" — a master makes a masterpiece!

There's a Master at work on you. Your life is a priceless work of art in the Lord’s hand. God's masterful artistry, His perfect "touch", is painting, sculpting your life day by day to create the masterpiece He envisions you to be. Every stroke of the brush, every strike of the chisel, places color, renders shape to your individual identity in Him. You can trust His craftsmanship, rely on His artistry, because not only is He the consummate Master Artist, but He loves His works.

"We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works"….so it seems the Master Artist has created you to be an artist too; to walk in good works which reflect His work in you. You are a beautiful masterpiece in the making, designed to portray a beautiful Master in all you do.

The Lord's work is beautiful, it's the best, highest quality available, three dimensional, living and breathing…and it's truly "priceless" in terms of this world's reckoning– but wait until you see just how He values you and your good works where it really counts — in the World to Come. So realize that you are a work of God — created for good works to be valued, highly valued, in Eternity.

Read more Christian devotions on: Beauty, Change, Encouragement, Guidance

This morning as I woke up, I decided to watch the ball drop in Times Square on YouTube. There were thousands of people bundled up in freezing New York weather to witness a few short seconds during which a descending ball of light announces the arrival of a New Year — 2011. These hardy people endured the freezing air to mark the passage of time, but even more, because they were anticipating a "new beginning!" Saying good bye to a tumultuous 2010, they were looking forward to making a fresh start in 2011!

One thing given equally to every person, rich or poor — is time. In 2010, each of us lived 365 days, 8,760 hours and 525,600 minutes. How did you spend it? Reflecting over 2010, I am astounded how quickly the year seemed to pass — almost like the proverbial blink of an eye. And looking back over it has caused me to ask, am I really carefully managing my time…the one commodity I "spend", that I can never buy back?

The psalmist expresses a timely request on our behalf…"Teach us to number our days", so that every one of them truly counts for the Lord! We can't change the past, but we can always improve our time management in the year to come. With so much work to be done, let's apply our hearts to wisdom, and use our time wisely!

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions