The Forever Notebook: Daily Quiet Time Devotions for Christians, Book 1, January - March

By Richard Weirich

In his dynamic devotional series, The Forever Notebook, Richard Weirich provides daily inspirational and instructional counsel to help you grow in your forever relationship with God.

Each book in the quarterly series is grounded in God's word, and written to help you face life's greatest challenges, strengthen your faith, and provide you with hope, comfort, and encouragement.

In the Forever Notebook, Book I (January - March), you'll be challenged to start a daily quiet time, set meaningful spiritual goals, and take a disciplined approach to applying godly principles to daily living.

Among the 90 Meditations in this book:
• How to Get the Most Out of Your Quiet Time
• How to Respond to Conflict in the Church
• How to Avoid Temptation
• How to Win Spiritual Battles
• How to Get Into Worship
• The Behavior of Christian Love
• What God Wants You to Know
• God has a Plan for Your Life
• Why You Must Wait On the Lord
• When You Lose Control of Your Emotions
• How to Respond When God Tests You
• When Life is Too Hard to Handle
• When Things Fail to Turn Out the Way You Pray
• Where to Find Comfort for All Your Troubles
• The Flawless Forever Faithfulness of God
• Guilt Can Be a Good Thing When Used Wisely
• Your Daily Spiritual Maturity Test
• When Life is a Struggle
• How to Get the Spring Back in Your Spiritual Step

• Language: English
• Publisher: Richard Weirich
• Release date: Jan 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370245390

Richard Weirich

Christian author Richard Weirich writes entertaining and inspirational fiction novels, daily devotionals, and nonfiction books that motivate, challenge, and help believers grow in the faith. Richard’s unique perspective on life is rooted in his many experiences as musician, radio personality, minister, and voiceover talent. Richard grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and after high school played trombone in the U.S. Navy Band. While in the Navy, he became interested in radio, enrolled in the Tidewater School of Broadcasting and quickly landed his first radio job in Norfolk, Virginia. For 30+ years Richard was the Burt half of the popular morning radio duo of Burt and Kurt, entertaining listeners in Jackson, Mississippi; Tampa, Florida; Houston, Texas; and Birmingham, Alabama. In Birmingham, Richard prepared for the ministry at Southeastern Bible College and Samford University, which led to a fifteen-year ministerial career serving as pastor of several Alabama churches.

Book preview

January 1

New Year Resolutions from God

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Out with the old and in with the new. Today begins a brand new year with new opportunities and challenges. At least, for today, the emphasis is on new as thoughts turn to making resolutions to change something about yourself or your life.

Not everybody makes New Year’s resolutions but many people do. Some of us have broken so many resolutions we no longer see the point in trying. In reality, each of us knows something personal that needs changing. If you’re clueless about what needs to be changed, there’s usually somebody close to you ready and willing to make suggestions.

Now, let’s bring God into the picture. What would God want you to change about your life? After all, you are His new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! When you gave your life to Christ you were given all that you need to become the new creation that God intended. However, it doesn’t come instantaneously. You must nurture the seed that was planted in you to bring it to maturity.

When a baby is born it doesn’t come into the world as a mature adult. The child requires nurturing and guidance to reach his or her potential. If you’re a parent, you understand the enormous difficulty of that task.

Growing into the Christian God wants you to be is also a daunting task. There is far more to it than just occasionally showing up for church or memorizing a bible verse. Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey. Until you take up residence in your heavenly home, there will always be something to work on.

My wife gave me my Christmas gift early this year. I couldn’t wait to get my new cell phone home so I could get it up and running. This was a replacement phone… just more bells and whistles. It did so much more than my old phone. I could go online, text, take pictures, make and receive phone calls, and find my away around with GPS.

As soon as I got home, I began the process of opening the box. Soon I realized that a devious individual had designed a packaging device that was impossible to open. I was unable tear it open. Scissors didn’t work. Even a box cutter was no match for the strength of the plastic surrounding my new phone. Although considered, dynamite was not an option. Finally, after about 30 minutes of slicing, chiseling, and bending, I removed the packaging.

Then came the easy to use instructions. At least, that’s what it said in the manual. It takes about 15 minutes to activate your service. Wrong! Try 2 days.

48 hours after making the purchase, I made my first phone call. Then a client called and left me a voice message. It took another day to find out how to retrieve it.

Change takes considerable effort, commitment, and persistence. Change that is necessary for becoming the new creation for which you have been designed takes continual and consistent prayer, study, discipline, and hard work. The benefits far outweigh the effort. As you become more like Christ you will change, not only you, but the world around you. You will be a better person — better parent — better spouse, better friend, better servant, better employee, better everything.

Back to the question I asked earlier: What does God want you to change about your life? What, in your heart of hearts, do you know about yourself that God wants changed or improved? What is it that He has placed upon your heart He wants you to accomplish?

Prayerfully, ask Him to help you establish your resolutions for change in this New Year. Trust Him to help you make it happen.

January 2

Your Best Teacher

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

Who was your best teacher? Is there one that stands out in your mind above all the rest? What made that teacher special?

In the eighth grade I signed up for band. One of the unfortunate realities of playing in a small band is that you are stuck with the instrument the band director needs and not the one you want. Consequently, I was assigned to play the tuba. I loved music but the tuba just wasn’t for me.

Fortunately, by the next year our band was short a trombone player, so I volunteered to switch instruments. After auditions I ended up last chair and didn’t have a clue what was going on. I must have been bad because the first chair player made fun of me all year.

Early in the summer I received a call from Steve Strickler, the new band director assigned to our school. He wanted each band member to audition for him so he could get an idea of what he had to work with.

What I remember most about that audition was that it was awful, and I didn’t want to spend another year at the bottom of the trombone section. I braced myself for the verdict. Then came words that would change my life. You have something special. If you will practice hard, I believe you can become a great player.

His words gave me the hope and encouragement I needed. For the rest of the summer I practiced four hours every day without fail.

Once again we were required to audition for chair placement. I’ll never forget looking on the bulletin board to see the seating arrangement. I had been assigned first chair, and the guy who had made fun of me throughout the previous year was dropped to second chair. He was so humiliated by the experience he quit the band.

Steve Strickler’s influence on my life was enormous. By my senior year I made first chair in the district, first chair in the state, and was accepted into the Navy Band. More than just teach me the basics of how to play my instrument he gave me encouragement and a reason for living. He saw potential in me when no one else did.

A great teacher can alter the direction of your life by planting the seeds of a dream based on your potential. In today’s selected text the psalmist is appealing to the greatest of all teachers, God. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. He wants God to teach him how to make the most of the days of his life. He wants to get his life right in a world gone wrong and desires a heart of wisdom.

Nobody knows more about you than God. He knows your potential because He is the one who designed you. When you surrender to His instruction, you will find meaning and passion for living. Your eyes will be opened to opportunities you never dreamed possible.

Extract the most good from each day by following God’s instruction. Strive for the vision He places in your heart and grow in His wisdom. Get your instruction and inspiration from — the greatest teacher of all time.

January 3

Use His Gift Wisely

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…"

Titus 2:11-12

Do you remember what it was like to be a teenager? That’s when the opposite sex became something other than — Yuck, she’s a girl/boy! Not only was dating in the picture — so was the prospect of driving a car. That vehicle was your ticket to freedom from the watchful eye of your parents.

Before you started dating and driving you received many lectures and instruction about how important it was to act responsibly. Your future would be affected by the choices you made. So, how did you handle those responsibilities? Did you make the right choices?

There is a place near my hometown called Hupp’s Hill. Highway 11 descends from the hill into my hometown of Strasburg, Virginia. Many years ago there was a severe accident at the base of the hill involving a carload of teenagers. They had been drinking.

One of the first men on the scene was the father of one of the boys. He joined with other rescue workers in attempting to pull them from the wreckage. Their efforts were to no avail. What that man did not know until later was the driver of the car was his son. And the car that had been destroyed was the one he had given his son. The vehicle and the bodies were burned beyond recognition.

Later, the car was put on display in Strasburg as a reminder to future drivers, me included, of the importance of responsible driving.

The young driver of the car had received a special gift from his father. His son used what he had been given irresponsibly.

The greatest gift you will ever receive is the grace of God through Jesus Christ. In today’s selected scripture we read, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age… God is telling us that with grace comes responsibility.

We should never take God’s grace for granted. Grace means God has given us far more than we deserve. It is His unmerited favor.

The choices we make in this life should be in line with God’s instruction. We will be confronted with ungodliness and worldly passions. God teaches that our response in such times is to say No! We must learn to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives.

Notice too, God teaches that such godly behavior is our responsibility in this present age. And… our present age presents more opportunities for sin than at any time in the history of mankind. Worldly passions are increasingly accessible in a growing number of ways and forms.

No, God isn’t trying to take away all your fun. Your Father knows the dangers that await you when you choose the path of ungodliness. He wants to keep you out of harm’s way. Save yourself a lot of pain and heartache. Use God’s gift wisely.

January 4

When Right Doesn’t Feel Right

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

How often do your children come to you with questions to which they already know the answer? Can I watch TV? To which you respond, Have you finished your homework? Then they answer, No. You reply, Finish your homework! They unhappily stomp off as if there was some new revelation when in fact they heard the answer they already knew.

Many of us spend a lot of time asking God questions even though we already know the answers. I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t ask God questions because you definitely should. But I do believe that in many situations we already know what God expects. Notice the opening words in today’s selected scripture, He has showed you, O man, what is good.

Doing the right thing requires discipline and often requires extra effort. The right thing can seemingly take away some of our perceived pleasures or relationships. The right thing can make us appear cowardly or as a pushover. Doing the right thing can expose us to unwanted punishment or discipline. Do we really believe all the excuses given by people who are habitually late for work, or kids who seldom turn in their homework? They are lying to avoid the consequences of their behavior.

When someone has wronged us we want to retaliate and return hurt for hurt, even though we know our resultant behavior is unacceptable to God. Then there are times when we find ourselves in an embarrassing or compromising situation in which lying is easier than telling the truth.

When you are in a difficult situation with a co-worker, relative, or friend — how should you respond? When you are facing temptation — how should you respond? When you are in an unfortunate situation — how should you respond? Again from today’s scripture, And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

God has already shown you what He expects. He expects your behavior to be good, just, merciful, and humble. Even when right doesn’t feel right… God expects right behavior.

He wants you to act justly. Treat everyone fairly and within the confines of God’s directives and man’s law.

God wants you to love mercy. When you feel like getting even — apply mercy. Don’t give them what you think they deserve. Remember, God is merciful, and He desires that we be merciful.

Walk humbly with your God. That means that there will be times when you have to swallow your pride or deny yourself a pleasure. As you live your life before Him, you surrender your wants and desires to that which is right, pleasing, and acceptable in the eyes of God.

When you make the effort to do what is right, even when it is painfully difficult, God will bless you. Serve God with integrity. Do the good that God has already shown you. Do right even when it doesn’t feel right!

January 5

The Game Plan

…wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Isaiah 1:16-17

During the closing weeks of the previous year and the first week of the New Year we are inundated with football bowl games. That’s obviously good for those of us who love football and not such a good thing for those who could care less.

The biggest of all the bowl games is the BCS National Championship game where the supposed best two teams in the nation square off to see who is number one. Long before the big game the coaches and players bought into a vision that has carried them through every challenge and obstacle along the way. They have persevered through discipline, hard work, and faithful execution of a winning game plan.

Did you know that God has a game plan for your life? In today’s selected scripture God lays out His vision for what He wants us to be and what He wants us to accomplish. Of course, the first step toward accomplishing this plan is to give your life to Christ. Then comes the hard part. You have to buy into God’s plan. Make it your own. Unfortunately, that’s where we frequently fall short. We’re unwilling to commit ourselves to the discipline and hard work that will make it happen.

God’s game plan can be summed up in two directives:

(1) Get your spiritual act together (wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!) and

(2) help others who can’t return the favor (Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.).

Even though all of us want to live right before God and make a difference in our world for Christ these essentials are frequently not the realities. We’re too busy doing our own thing and too self-absorbed to devote ourselves to God’s mission in this world.

Many of us are guilty of an attitude that basically says, Just give me the abundant life but I really don’t have time for all that other stuff. I just want the part of Christianity that makes me feel good.

Ask all those young men who are about to play in the National Championship game if all the discipline and hard work was worth it. Their lives are considerably more abundant today than a year ago. And they are feeling really good — probably better than any other time in their lives.

If you will make a commitment to God’s game plan, your life will take on new excitement, richness, and meaning. Life will take on an abundance the likes of which you’ve never seen. And you will experience those good feelings you desire.

Start today. Get to work on those things in your life that are displeasing to God. Get your spiritual house in order. And begin to look for ways that you can help others who can’t return the favor. Who do you know that could use some words of comfort? Who do you know that needs a helping hand? Who needs defending? Whose life could be radically changed if you shared the good news of Jesus Christ?

As you prepare for work each day — prepare yourself for God’s work. Be the light in somebody’s life today. Take ownership of God’s game plan and make a difference in your world.

January 6

Time for Quiet Time

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:13

How have you prepared yourself for the challenges of this day? What have you done to prepare for the unexpected obstacles that you will encounter this year? What are you doing right now to prepare for the future?

In today’s selected scripture the Apostle Peter instructs, prepare your minds for action. The context of the passage reveals that Peter is talking about our need to live holy lives. When our minds are sufficiently prepared we can respond to all of life’s changing circumstances in a way that honors God.

In recent days here in The Forever Notebook I have been talking about Christian behavior. We are God’s representatives on this earth and we have a responsibility to behave in a manner that rightly reflects our relationship to Him and His mission for us on this earth.

Our behavior is affected by the situations and people we encounter each day. How will you respond when a co-worker sets you up to make you look bad? What will be your response when you are passed over for a promotion you deserved? What will be your response to the driver who cuts you off in traffic or the person at the grocery store who breaks in line in front of you? Will your response to negative, hurtful, and provoking stimuli honor God? Will your choices and decisions be pleasing to God?

Every moment of every day there is something before you that requires a response. When your mind is prepared for action then you will be self-controlled in every situation and thus honor God.

Holiness is not just a theory but it is a state of being. It is the way that we should desire to be found when Jesus returns. …set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

So then, how do you prepare your mind for action? I believe that the greatest way to accomplish that is to have a daily quiet time with God. Find a place where you can be alone with God without interruption. And then make a daily appointment with God.

Prepare yourself physically just as you do prior to going to work. Bathe, dress, and have a cup of coffee if that is part of your routine. Be alert and ready for your meeting with God. Give Him your undivided attention.

Pray, read from His word, and meditate on what He is saying to you and how you can apply it to your life. Then pray His word back to Him affirming your desire to incorporate what you have learned into your life. Keep a journal of your thoughts and how you are using God’s instruction in your life.

I know of no other activity or discipline that can produce more positive benefit for the Christian. In your daily quite time with God, He will prepare your mind for action.

The Forever Notebook comes from my daily quiet time with God. It is my hope that as God speaks to me that He will also speak to you. He has done and continues to do so much in my life. I pray that you can experience His incomparable presence in your life.

I am convinced that the Lord can transform, renew, change, revitalize, encourage, give hope, and help for any and all of life’s challenges. Let Him prepare you — for action. Make time for quiet time with God.

January 7

Love Naturally

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

My father died when I was eleven years old. A year later, my mother suffered a debilitating stroke that left her unable to care for herself. Soon after, I moved in with my grandparents and they took care of me as