July 28, 2026

Just For Today Day 4 Putting On by SGLY Ministry

Just for Today I will put on…DILIGENCE
“Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,” Deuteronomy 4:9 (NKJV)

Today’s Action:
In today’s verse Moses is telling the children of Israel to be diligent to remember the things they had seen and been taught.

To be diligent means to be constant in an effort to accomplish something; or be attentive and persistent in your doing.
It means choosing to set apart something as important, and then striving to accomplish it.
It means to do something carefully, to preserve something for future generations.

Therefore, Just For Today, let’s choose to put on diligence in what we have seen and learned from the Lord.
Let’s choose to set apart His way and will as more important than the world’s.
Let’s carefully do what He has commanded us to do for Him, and then diligently teach His ways and word to our families.

Just for Today, let us diligently stand together and learn from Paul’s words to Timothy.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

**********

Psalm 46:10 ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’

- In the world in which we live things can become very overwhelming.
- Before we know it, we can give in to worry, fear and doubt.
- That is why we need to pause and remind ourselves that God is still God.
- When we can still our hearts and remember this, we can rest secure.

PRAYER: Lord, I take this moment to become still and to remind myself of Your great love and power. My life is safely in Your hands, and therefore my heart and my soul can be at peace and at rest in You. Amen.

Kind Regards
Pastor Andrew Roebert

**********

Don't Worry

"So my counsel is: Don't worry about things — food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body — and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. Look at the birds! They don't worry about what to eat — they don't need to sow or reap or store up food — for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?
"And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don't worry about theirs. Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you, O men of little faith?
"So, don't worry at all about having food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.
"So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time."
Matthew 6:25-34

Today, I quote from the Recovery Bible's section on the serenity prayer:

"It is easy to slip back into worrying about tomorrow, dwelling on the 'what ifs and the 'if onlys.' Each day brings with it a host of things we cannot change. We face the continual reality of circumstances beyond our control. There is also the reality of who we are — human beings confined within the slice of life we call today. It is tempting to deny the present, but escaping reality is part of the insanity of our addictive way of life.

"Jesus once said, 'Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?'. . .God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.' (Matthew 6:27, 34). The prophet Jeremiah said, 'It is only the Lord's mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day' (Lamentations 3:22-23). Since God's grace comes in daily doses, that's the best way to face life.

"We need to ask at every turn in life. 'Am I accepting this present moment, or am I pretending — trying to escape into the past or the future?' For each day, there is something to find joy in, and there is strength promised for the troubles of that day. The psalmist wrote, 'This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it' (Psalm 118:24). We, too, can choose to find joy, strength, and sanity when we accept today's realities."
--Woes to Wows

**********

If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Imagine yourself as actually looking at all your difficulties like an army lined up against you. Then realize you have a backing that can overcome them all. As you face these enemies of yours—discouragement, frustration, disappointment, hostility, weakness—ask yourself, “What shall I say to these things?” And the answer is, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Now, spend a minute realizing that God is for me, God is for you and say this affirmation: “God is with me. God is for me. God is greater than all these things.” Then visualize these enemies of your peace and happiness as retreating, giving way before God’s power. Personalize the text by saying: “If God be for me, who can be against me?” The repetitive use of this text will give you an enormous sense of God’s presence and a powerful feeling of victory.
Courtesy of PealeCenterforPositiveThinking.com

**********

Make Time with God a Priority by Joyce Meyer

Then Jesus, knowing that they meant to come and seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the hillside by Himself alone. —John 6:15

If the devil can’t convince you to be idle and passive, he will drive you to do too much. As soon as you are out of balance, he can devour you (see 1 Peter 5:8). The word disciple comes from the word discipline. To be a disciple of Jesus, you must discipline yourself to follow His ways.

Jesus spent a great deal of time going about doing good for people, but He balanced His time by getting alone to pray and commune with the Father. Time with God renews your strength to do good things that you want to do for others. Live a balanced life by spending time with Him.

**********

The Prodigal Cat by Liz Curtis Higgs

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (NIV)

We have two cats at our house: twin gray tabbies named Sam and Bo, adopted from an animal shelter. Our early years together were filled with lavish attention on my part and copious purring on theirs. Then, one dark and stormy October morning, the unthinkable happened.

My husband Bill and I were headed to the airport for a predawn flight to New England. Rain was coming down in sheets as we dragged our luggage to the back door and fumbled with our umbrellas.

When I flung open the door, Bo — the smaller, faster, more rebellious brother — appeared out of nowhere, slipped through my legs and plunged into the darkness without a backward glance.

Suitcases forgotten, we tore after him, but Bo remained maddeningly out of reach — bounding forward, doubling back, then taking off again. Finally, we had to leave for the airport. Had to.

I was soaking wet and inconsolable. How could I abandon poor Bo to the elements? Yes, our daughter-in-law would arrive at our doorstep in a couple of hours. Yes, Bo would no doubt take shelter in the nearby bushes and be safely back inside the house before our plane landed in Boston.

But what if he got lost? Got hurt by another animal? Got hit by a car? My stomach was tied in knots, thinking of the terrible possibilities.

Phone calls and text messages flew back and forth. Our grown children put a rescue operation in motion. Sympathetic friends on Facebook offered suggestions: “Put his food bowl outside.” “Put his litter box outside.” “Put your pajamas outside.” Apparently the familiar scents were meant to woo him home.

Nothing worked. When we returned from our trip and still no Bo, my heart grew heavier. Was anyone feeding him, caring for him? Or was Bo starving to death, alone and shivering, far from home? Meanwhile, Sam wandered from room to room, searching for his lost brother, his mournful meow adding to my guilt.

After 12 long days, I stood on our back steps, prepared to try one last suggestion: “Go outside at midnight when the air is still and call out his name.” So I did, as loudly as I could, not caring if our neighbors thought I was daft. “Bo!”

Then I heard it. The faintest meow.

“Bo!” I cried out. Another plaintive meow. Like a mother who knows her baby’s cry, I knew this was my cat. Knew it.

I hurried across our backyard, calling his name, so agitated that I forgot about our back fence until I nearly fell over it. “Bo!” I shrieked, thinking he might come to me. But, no. The same sad meow was still a hundred feet away.

Minutes later, armed with a cat carrier and a bowl of food, I opened the back gate and tiptoed across the grass toward a dark shape beneath our neighbor’s deck. When Bo meowed again, but didn’t budge, I shook his bowl, hoping the sound and scent would coax him out. He extended one tentative paw. Then another.

The second he got close enough, I threw my arms around him, stuffed him in the cat carrier, and ran back to the house, my heart in my throat. My dear boy wasn’t dead; he was alive! He wasn’t lost; he was found!

I watched him dart around our brightly lit kitchen, tears of joy and relief pouring down my face, and thought about our heavenly Father, who’d once watched my own escape into darkness. He, too, had waited. Called my name. Came looking for me, knowing I was too scared to come to Him. Wrapped His arms around me and carried me home.

It’s the same with the story Jesus told of the prodigal son in Luke 15:20, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

Just as Bo is a changed cat — he comes whenever I call and lets me scratch his head for hours — I am definitely a changed woman. When God calls, I come running, knowing His love alone has tamed my rebel heart.

Lord, Your love for us is endless, Your patience with us is boundless, and Your willingness to save us is beyond understanding. Thank You for pursuing us, rescuing us and welcoming us home. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY: Luke 15:10, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (NIV)

REFLECT AND RESPOND:
God never gives up on His own. How have you experienced His loving patience in your life? And how has it changed you?The Prodigal Cat by Liz Curtis Higgs

**********

A Bible Devotion

Keep On Keeping On

GALATIANS 6:9 NLT 9 So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

The best advice for being a growing and successful Christian believer is just to stick with it. Just keep on doing what you know to do.

More than anything, keep feeding on God's Word. The Word is what has the power to change things in your life. It is the power that drives the whole Kingdom of God.

MARK 4:26-28 NLT 26 Jesus also said, "The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.

Jesus explained in Mark 4:14 that God's Word is the seed. So God's Word will bring forth God's will in your life if you will just plant it in your heart and protect it until it produces a harvest.

Don't worry if it seems like your progress is slow. Just keep on the right road and you will reach your proper destination. You can't feel a tree growing by putting your arms around it either, but day by day it surely grows stronger and stronger.

And don't quit just because you messed up and made some mistakes. Receive your forgiveness and go forward. Just because the devil tripped you up does not mean you should stay down.

So, keep reading the Bible. Keep on talking to God about everything. Keep on being thankful. Keep on praising God. Keep on walking in love. Keep on trusting God even when you don't understand what is going on.

God understands -- even when you don't. And you can be certain of His never-failing love for you. So, trust God and keep on walking in faith and love. Keep on doing what you know is right.

SAY THIS: I will not quit but will keep on walking with God.

**********

Exchange Your “I Can’ts” for “I Cans”

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. —1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

Have you ever walked into a store before with something to exchange? Maybe it was an article of clothing that you decided you didn’t like, a pair of shoes that were uncomfortable, or a gadget that didn’t do what you’d expected. You entered the store with something that didn’t work for you, exchanged it, and left with something that did work for you. You had to trade what was not effective for something that was.

The same principle applies to your thinking. If you exchange your “I can’t” thoughts for “I can” thoughts, you will see remarkable changes begin to happen. If you build into your character the thought that, with God’s help, you can do whatever you need to do in life, you will have more zeal and enthusiasm about facing every day. I have found that I even have more physical energy when I think “I can” thoughts. It helps me to not dread anything, because dread is an energy drainer.

It’s never too late to begin saying, “I can.” Say things like: “My marriage has problems, but it can work”; “My house is a mess, but I can clean it so it will bring me joy and relaxation when I come home from work”; “I can get out of debt”; “I will own a home or have a new car”; or, “I have some problems right now, but I can still enjoy my life.”

Some of the challenges you face may be very difficult ones; however, God never allows more to come on us than we can bear. With every temptation, He always provides a way out. I challenge and encourage you right now to consistently believe you are able to do anything that comes your way, with God’s help.

Trust in Him Which “I can’t” belief in your life do you need to exchange for an “I can”? Trust God to not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability and to always provide a way out.

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

**********

And now, Lord, for what do I expectantly wait? My hope [my confident expectation] is in You. — Psalm 39:7 (AMP)

There Is Always Hope by Joyce Meyer

It’s easy to look at your struggles in life and get discouraged. If you look only at your obstacles, it’s easy to lose hope. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with a serious illness and feel you won’t recover. You might look at your bank account and feel hopeless. You may drive to work and think, There’s no hope for a promotion. And that is exactly what the devil wants you to do. He knows that if he can keep you hopeless, you cannot move on with bold faith, and you’ll miss God’s great plan for your life.

Resist the temptation to look at what you have lost or don’t have—choose to look at all that God has done, is doing, and will do. When you do, hope will come alive, joy will increase, and your faith will grow. When you live in the garden of hope, something is always blooming. Instead of believing the lie that things are hopeless, choose to declare, “With God, there is always hope!”

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to resist the temptation to look at what I’ve lost or don’t have but instead, keep focused on what You have already done in my life, amen.

******************************

Bible Verses

There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2

*****

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. — 1 Peter 5:8

*****

Psalms 30:2 2 LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.

*****

O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for Your help. Psalm 86:5

******************************

Prayers

Dear Lord, help me to seek You early in the morning that my heart may get its bearings by reading Your Word, and then praying for our country's leaders and interceding for those in need. ... Help me to discover Your direction for my day, lest You get crowded out of my life's difficulties and pleasures, and I am left adrift in a sea of my own choosing.

In Your holy name I pray.

Amen.

© 2000 by D. L. Hammond, Permission to copy granted for noncommercial use.

*****

Dear Father in heaven, I am grateful for all of Your promises in the Bible. Since You are not a man that would lie, then I know I can confidently trust You to keep Your Word. Help me to obey Your Word, for in obeying it, I know that I shall receive Your promises. I do desire to be righteous and holy like You. I know that I cannot attain this without You, but with the Holy Spirit I am able to do all things through Christ Jesus. I am asking in faith that You help me to follow You in everything so that I bring honor to You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

*****

Presentations

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Dear Father, all honor to you,

I present my body to you, O Lord. Give it health, energy and stamina. Give it healing, as needed.

I present my soul, my personality to you, my God. Impress on it the characteristics that honor you and are pleasing to other people, for their good.

I present my spirit to you, dear God. May I be wholly joined to you, one spirit with the Lord.

In Jesus' precious and glorious name. Amen.

*****

Dear Lord, our time on earth is short. Please help me realize that it is not the amount of time, but the quality of the time I spend that counts.