Your Daily Dose of Inspiration
Welcome to Keep Him First, where my hope is to deliver daily inspirational messages and images. Our mission is to uplift your spirit and provide moments of reflection throughout your day. Join our community and let's grow together in faith and purpose.
August 31 2026 • Greetings, Saints. We are blessed with the Holy Spirit for help and direction in times we may be unaware how important that help will be. Those times when we're feeling that inner prompting to be good to someone: that’s God talking to us. Those times when there is an uneasiness about what's ahead: that’s God protecting us. The Bible tells us, "Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit as an Advocate or Helper. He teaches believers everything and reminds them of Jesus' words." As believers, it's in our best interest not to ignore or overanalyze these moments of inspired insight. The Holy Spirit is in us to guide us and it's up to us to obey. Scripture talks about the necessity of being sensitive to our inner ear and listening to His still small voice. Believers like us must be thankful knowing God is using these moments to guide us along the best path for us to live. Too often we feel the promptings and suggestions and yes, sometimes the alarms of these inner impressions, so we debate them and dismiss them. As believers these should not be ignored and we must obey knowing when God is asking us to do something, a blessing will always follow. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 30 2026 • It is important for us as believers to remember that God is pleased with us because of who we are not because of anything we have done. Greetings, Saints. Before Jesus performed any miracles, God was "well pleased" with Him. It's a good thing when we work on changing and eliminating bad habits by finding ways to improve ourselves, but God doesn't stop loving and caring for us while this is happening. The Bible tells us not to, "lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." Let's learn to accept ourselves while we're in the process of growing and changing. None of us is perfect and we all have areas we need to improve, but God is not basing our value on our performance—He looks at our heart. We must stop listening to the accusing voices of the enemy that attempts to get us to be against ourselves. "Nothing in all creation—not even your mistakes—can separate you from the love of God in Christ." Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 29 2026 • When life is good, we can enjoy the blessings. During hard times is when we are reminded how we are not in control of tomorrow. Greetings, Saints. The Easy-to-Read Bible translation of Romans 5:3-4 tells us, "And we are also happy with the troubles we have. Why are we happy with troubles? Because we know that these troubles make us more patient. And this patience is proof that we are strong. And this proof gives us hope." God is showing us that suffering and hard days produce perseverance, proven character, and hope. We learn as believers how we draw closer to Him during difficult moments as they moments teach us to rely on His strength rather than our own resources or wealth. With God we will experience a future without pain. Each struggle we encounter point forward to a future eternity where God will wipe away every tear and remove all pain. Father God is where we as believers should always turn to for the power and patience to keep going through hard tests. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 28 2026 •Many times we must make more than one attempt to accomplish our goals and must depend on God to show us the better and best way to get it done. Greetings, Saints. The Bible tells us how David was troubled when God punished one of the men David had assembled to move the Arc of God on an ox driven cart. During this mission, the man, "Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled". To touch the Arc was forbidden and the man died. David troubled by this tragedy waited before continuing his task and prayed on how best to move ahead in a better way according to God. David was blessed with divine direction and eventually succeeded in moving the Arc to the desired location. The Bible tells us how God, "teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." When we attempt to do anything and may not reach the success we imagined, it may not mean we did anything wrong. It points us to how we should prayerfully ask God for another way to finish our task in a better way more pleasing to Him. Even when it seems the first time that we may have done everything right, to be successful in completing our goals, believers like us need God's direction, something He is more than willing to give. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 27 2026 • The Bible tells us how God appeared to Jacob in a midnight dream, assuring Jacob among other things that He would “watch over him wherever he would go”. When he awoke, Jacob said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it”. Greetings, Saints. Let us remember that Jacob did not give much thought to God up to this point, yet God had clearly chosen him to hear this message. As believers, we should urgently seek time to be able to recognize God's voice and follow His direction. We can do this by knowing His written word, spending quiet time in prayer, and testing what we have "heard" against Scripture. God will never lead us to do something that contradicts the Bible. We must practice stillness and look for peace which allows time to turn off distractions and quiets our own thoughts and worries. God's direction brings a deep, inner peace often being confirmed through counsel from mature, godly people in your community. Social interaction may be important to us all but let us not forget stillness and quite help us hear His steady and loving voice and direction. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 26 2026 • Scripture tells us that by keeping our minds fixed on God, we will remain in perfect peace. When our thoughts are stayed on Him, we are better able to avoid the distractions and worries of life. Greetings, Saints!
Focusing on God brings a steady mind and inner quiet. It is up to each of us to choose quiet time with Jesus daily and make it a consistent part of our lives. As Scripture reminds us, "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray." God did not create us to live in constant stress and anxiety. Instead, He invites us to bring every anxious thought to Him through honest and heartfelt prayer.
With God, we find a deep and calming sense of wholeness that settles the difficult moments that may clutter our minds. Our Heavenly Father offers a profound peace that goes beyond our own understanding and logical explanation. This peace guards our hearts and minds, protecting our emotions and thoughts from fear, chaos, and panic. When we choose to bring our concerns to God in prayer, we can release our worries and rest in His care, knowing that He is faithful and in control. May we each make time today to seek Him, trust Him, and experience the perfect peace that only He can provide. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 25 2026 • The Bible tells us how, "The Lord gives sight to the blind". In this, God is sending the message to those of us blessed with sight of His physical and spiritual healing that is with us at all times. Greetings, Saints. The Bible continues by telling believes like us how our God "Lifts up those who are bowed down" which highlights His loving comfort and strength bestowed to us who are weighed down by life's heavy trials. Oh yes, God is good. We as believers are also told how the Lord "Loves the righteous". God favors and has enduring affection for us who trust in Him, and who live according to His will. Let us remember these things during our trials, during our times we feel burdened, and during those moments when we feel we have no where else to turn. We must celebrate the greatness of our faithful God, the powerful Creator, the loving Deliverer, and the everlasting King—His power reveals truth as His love blesses us all. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 24 2026 • "Good enough" is not our destiny and as believers we should never allow it to be our expectation. Greetings, Saints. God puts greatness in us, but just as important, He wants us to expect greatness in everything we do. The Bible tells us that God satisfies the thirsty soul with good things. He doesn’t satisfy the doubting soul, the negative soul, the passive soul. Each of us as believers must continually live our lives with passion and expectations. In everything we do, we must do our very best, and then get thirsty for more. Start dreaming again, start believing again, start hoping again. God is still on the throne and when we’re thirsty, miracles are set in motion. He will make things happen that we can’t make happen ourselves. God wants us to live our lives with active zeal, purposeful intent, and a confident hope in His promises. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 23 2026 • God acts as a personal guide and our personal teacher. He will not leave us alone for us to figure out life alone. His voice speaks to us even when we turn "to the right hand or turn to the left". Even in times of struggle or confusion, God's instruction remains active and close. Greetings, Saints. There are moments when we're in a situation and wish God would clearly tell us what path to take. We must remember that what we have as believers is His Holy Spirit living within us and His Word. By drawing nearer to Him, we begin to recognize the ways He speaks to us and grow better at distinguishing His voice. Jesus knows His people deeply and knows us personally, caring for each of our needs. As believers, knowing the Good Shepherd naturally leads to action as we show our faith by walking the path He sets. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 22 2026 • There will be times when God is asking us to do a hard thing. Greetings, Saints. The Bible tells us how Peter admits his failure and fatigue after a long, unsuccessful night of work but his reluctant obedience to Jesus' was based on his own professional expertise. For believers like us, true faith moves forward not of our own understanding, but based simply on "because you say so" obedience to God that paves the way to miraculous outcomes. We won't reach the fullness of our destiny without that "because you say so" obedience. If we take that step when it’s hard, we’ll see God show His greatness in our life. If we could see the joy, the favor, the victory that’s on the other side of that obedience, we wouldn’t put it off. Even when it seems most challenging, we must obey His word and live according to His will, especially when it involves "because you say so" obedience. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 21 2026 • When we focus on good things, good things may happen. When we fix our eyes on positive goals, we'll get there even sooner. Whatever we fix our eyes on, that's where we’re headed. The Bible calls on us to keep “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Greetings, Saints. Life’s responsibilities as well as normal routines may draw our attention away from our spiritual walk. Sinful habits and obsessions will also pull our attention away from our spiritual guiding light. When we as believers keep our eyes on Jesus and when we ask Him to help us put Him first in our thoughts, to put Him first in our decisions and actions, He’ll guide us in everything we do and say. This enables us to stay close to Him in our day to day routine. The task may sound challenging, but God desires to help us fulfill the roles He’s given us. He will give us strength to endure and overcome anything that opposes our walk so we won’t “grow weary and lose heart”. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 20 2026 • As believers, we naturally set goals, have dreams, and map out our future. But having a plan is only half the battle; God provides the breath, God provides the strength, and God allows the actual execution to make it happen. Greetings, Saints. Believers like us must remember to hold our plans loosely but rely on God for daily guidance. God is in control. It is wise to plan for the future, but we should find comfort in that, ultimately, He directs our steps. His plan leads us in a good path—one we should all rejoice in. The Bible says, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'” This does not mean planning is wrong—but what we plan needs to be prepared in a spirit of humility and obedience. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 19 2026 • I read about a photograph who found that the wings, like those of a hummingbird, create a prism-like rainbow of colors when they fly between the bright sun and the camera lens. Greetings, Saints. Finding rainbows of colors in birds’ wings is an example of some of the hidden treasures God has placed in His creation. These treasure of beauty and magnificence often have believers like us curious of how Jesus will look when we see Him sitting on His throne. When John saw the heavenly throne in Revelation 4, he describes Christ on the throne with “a rainbow that shone like an emerald” encircling it. As we find hidden treasures in God’s creation, may we enjoy each one, knowing there’s so much more awaiting us in heaven. In Heaven, we will worship our Creator and praise Him forever: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created...” Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 18 2026 • God can do anything—good friends, we all know that. Greetings, Saints. As believers we know God will do far more than what we could ever imagine. His capabilities even exceed anything we would ask in prayer. He does these things for us by changing us from the inside. The Holy spirit operates deeply and quietly inside each of us. God has no boundaries and we as believers are encouraged to dream big and pray big because God answers and will exceed all expectations. Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ", and wrote this while chained in prison. What we should take from this message is how we can prosper wherever we are. We must use our gifts, and stretch our faith. Believers like us don’t have to wait until everything is perfect. We will flourish in the trouble and see favor in the famine. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 17 2026 • As believers in God’s kingdom, the inclusion of newcomers is always a blessing. Greetings, Saints. The Bible tells us His love and protection are communicated in the context of a family, as He’s “a father to the fatherless”. His heart is to welcome those who are isolated, ashamed, or accused. As believers, we’ve been adopted into God’s family, and we’re expected to share His open invitation with others. The more people who accept the invitation into God’s family, the more beautiful it becomes. There’s room enough for everyone, and He delights in new additions. God understood humanity’s need for companionship from the very beginning. After creating Adam, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone...". God has given us a spiritual family consisting of a community of believers in Jesus to deal with our loneliness and encourage us in our walk with Christ. As believers, we are here to share the gospel and invite others into the family of God. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 15-16 2026 • We all know the properties of water. Water (Hâ‚‚O) is a clear liquid made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Most of us know the properties and what water will do. Water when heated will boil and at a certain temperature water becomes ice when it freezes. These two properties are consistent and never change. Greetings, Saints. There is a prayer I read that contained these words: “But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy.” This speaks about the quality or trait belonging to God—to have mercy not just once in a while but always. The Bible tells us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." As believers, we know we depend on God to always be there to comfort, protect and love us. God is completely dependable, never changing, and always keeping His promises. He is there in times of trouble and times of joy. With Him, we are neve alone. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 14 2026 • When we feel we don't have enough energy, God will provide. When we feel we don't have enough knowledge, God will provide. When we feel we don't have enough courage, God will provide. Greetings, Saints. Supplied only with our own energy and our own understanding, it's good when we eventually realize we need more. When we face the reality that how we're doing things may not be the best way, Jesus is the answer. God is always around and has promised to be there especially those time when we feel there is no way out. God has the energy we need, the wisdom we want, and the strength to finish if only we believe. After Elijah asked a widow for water and a piece of bread, she explained she only had a handful of flour and a little oil left to share with her son before they died. But Elijah ensured the woman that her “jar of flour . . . and the jug of oil would not run dry” until God sent rain again. Through God's miraculous provision promised by Elijah, her supplies did not run out, and she, her son, and Elijah ate from it for many days. We too will find what we need by trusting in God. Let’s live generously and rest in God’s provision, He never fails. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 13 2026 • Even with cleansing produced with a daily warm bath or shower, God gives us that feeling of cleanliness which is the active power to live by His commands making it easier to walk in His ways. Greetings, Saints. God transforms believers like us by taking away our hardened, rebellious "heart of stone" and replacing it with a responsive "heart of flesh." This puts His own Spirit inside each of us and enables us to follow His ways. The inner transformation shifts our stubborn and self-willed human nature to seeking ways to live according to His will. God places His actual Spirit inside believers like us where our human obedience comes as a result of His internal work, rather than our own human willpower alone. When times challenge even the strongest of us, we should never hesitate to call on Him to help us do and accomplish what we cannot do on our own. We are equipped and empowered with the Holy Spirit within, just another of God's wonderful gifts. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer!
August 12 2026 • When we encounter situations with no logical solution, with no solution we see in our foreseeable future, we often start to worry. Greetings, Saints. When our minds are consumed with worry, we've lost our connection to our source of strength. No better time than now to reconnect with God: our eternal source of strength. Things important to us may not happen in our own time or through our own strength, "Thy will be done." By giving God praise, we place Him on the throne as our source of strength. The Bible tells us, "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." When we focus on God's strength, our worries gradually dissipate, allowing God to handle the problems only He can manage. Let's keep our spiritual ears and eyes open and witness God making changes in our lives. Keep praising God and recognizing Him as our source of strength. Live according to His will and we can let go of our worries. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 11 2026 • Friends, we need to open our eyes and see Jesus in our daily lives. We must intentionally look to Him through prayer and reading and following Scripture. We need to quiet our distractions, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His presence in ordinary moments. Greetings, Saints. Even when Jesus Himself walked with two disciples, they didn’t recognize Him. Then Christ broke bread with them, something He’d done many times before, and at that moment, “Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight”. Believers like you and me must recognize our need to open our eyes and see our need for Jesus to be in our lives and come to Him. Let us ask God to open the eyes of our hearts so we can know Him more deeply than we did the day before. Let us fix our gaze on Christ over and over instead of just working hard for Him. Believers like us must keep our eyes open to see Jesus on the pages of the Bible and in our lives. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 10 2026 • As believers, we are called to mirror God's character by showing deep compassion, forgiveness, and kindness to others. The Bible tells us, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you...the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Greetings, Saints. When we encounter one another, what we receive is a mirror-image of what we ourselves have sincerely given. When we smile and act in a friendly manner, those same tactics are likely to be reciprocated. If we are sincere and lively in our demeanor, we may well receive something of the same. God wants us to extend to others the sort of positive life-giving energy that we would very much like to receive ourselves. Let go of the negative feelings if someone has caused us to hurt. Give that person room to be human. Show them the mercy that God shows us. It may not be easy, but don’t hold grudges—forgive others and move forward. Be kind and encouraging to others. As believers, let us be generous, and help others reach their dreams as much as we can. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 9 2026 • Peter and John were among the 12 men Jesus chose to be disciples. Greetings, Saints. These were ordinary men—hard working, unqualified, uneducated men—none with any special gifts. After spending time with Christ, Peter and John became filled with the Holy Spirit and tasked to do wonderful things. After healing a crippled beggar and then preaching about the goodness of God, they were arrested by religious leaders and the two were not afraid. At the trial, the Bible tells us, "When they saw the courage of Peter and John . . . , they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." The rulers, elders, and high priests asked, "By what power or what name did you do this?" Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter boldly stated that the man was healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Peter and John as did all the disciples had the promise of God that He'd be with them always. We share that promise as well and can be assured that, in His presence and with His grace, no task set before us will be too great for Him. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 8 2026 • As we grow closer to God, He places His own dreams and desires inside our hearts. Our Father has put a dream, a vision, a desire in our hearts to do a good thing. All that is asked of us is to be bold enough, strong enough and courageous enough to have faith and reach for it. Greetings, Saints. Even when we consider ourselves quiet and reserved, God will suddenly plant a boldness in our spirit to do something we've never done before. Yesterday we talked about fear, but In order to be wise or righteous, a person must begin with the fear of the Lord. When we fear the Lord, our life is generally prolonged while we find strong confidence and refuge in Him. Fearing the Lord allows believers like us to be blessed and guided away from evil. The Bible tells us, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Let us look forward to the moments when God gives us a dream and the courage to release our fears, trusting in His favor and strength to achieve what once seemed impossible. By His will, it shall be accomplished. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 7 2026 • Fear isn’t something new we are dealing with in our lifetime. We can trace fear all the way back to the very beginning. The hope we have is that God’s Word gives us everything we need to fight against the fears that seem to come at us at the most inconvenient times. Greetings, Saints. We do not have to live consumed with anxious thoughts, doubts, and mind-racing negative possibilities. We can live at peace with ourselves and with God, but we have to practice using our faith muscle. It means we turn to God’s Word over and over again and we receive the truth and the promises He gives us when fear threatens to take us down. We don’t have to deal with unfounded fears on our own. God has given us the safety of His promises in Scripture. Let’s allow His loving truths to illuminate our steps and give us peace. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 6 2026 • The weight of our burdens may be heavy, but while we're carrying them, God will not take the burden away. We have to release the worry, the frustrations, the difficulty and trouble and return to a place of peace. Greetings, Saints. Our burdens are transportation and God may not work it out the way we planned, but where He’s taking us is better. As believers, we have to be committed to trusting Him and trusting His ways. When we do, the burdens will be lifted and peace and new opportunities will be on our path. The road sometimes may seem bumpy, full of potholes and cracks, but God will make sure we get there, burdens made light. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 5 2026 • "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all." As we feel the joy after reading this verse let us all shout, "Praise God". Greetings, Saints. This verse teaches that God is holy, God is pure and true, and God is with no evil, no hidden flaws, or falsehood—He is light. Light represents purity, truth, and spiritual life where darkness represents sin, evil, and ignorance. A poet wrote: God’s truth and glory is far “too bright” for vulnerable human beings to understand or receive all at once, it’s best for us to receive and share God’s grace and truth in gentle, indirect ways. For “the Truth must dazzle gradually / Or every man be blind.” As believers, we know that there is no darkness in God. He is pure light and holiness. Because we belong to Him, we are called to walk in His light and allow His Word to guide our thoughts, actions, and decisions. When life feels uncertain, remember that God's light never fades and His presence never leaves us. We have learned to trust Him to illuminate our path and fill our hearts with peace, hope, and strength. Today, let us be blessed and continue to shine His light in all that we do. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 4 2026 • As believers, what we believe should directly impact how we behave. Scripture tells us, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” Greetings, Saints. The Bible tells us to walk with intent in God’s light. We are to, “Follow God’s example . . . and walk in the way of love”. As we step into Christ’s loving light, we turn from our sins and should, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness.” Paul continues by telling us, “At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”. He added, “The fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.” As believers, let us all “find out what pleases the Lord,” and Walk as Children Of Light! Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 3 2026 • I went to sleep excited and full of God's joy anticipating sharing today's message with my friends. God wants to help us and give us everything! "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom". Greetings, Saints. God the Father is not forced, He's not reluctant, but deeply happy and eager to grant believers like us, full access to His spiritual goodness and greatness, safety, and eternal blessings. God genuinely delights in blessing His followers. Giving is not a chore or a grudging obligation to Him; it brings Him personal joy; Praise God! Keys represent total access to this joy. Keys represent His trust, and authority. Handing them over means welcoming believers into complete ownership and peace within His loving care rather than treating us like outsiders. As believers, we can live comforted with no need to worry or stress about our worth or future security because the ruler of the universe wants you and me to inherit everything. We cannot earn or force this gift; it flows freely from a loving and caring Father. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom". Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 2 2026 • If we really keep the royal law found in Scripture...we are doing right. Greetings, Saints. When the Bible tells us the law is royal, it means it comes directly from God; it's a royal rule. As believers, we should obey this command by doing what is right thereby preventing unfair treatment of others and treating everyone with equal care. The royal law tells us, when we meet someone in distress, we are to help them. Just as Jesus had compassion on us, we’re to have compassion on others. Fulfilling this law requires real, practical love in daily life rather than just talking about it. Because this law comes from God the King, it rules over all other commands as well as defines how believers like us must act. The royal law: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.
August 1 2026 • Google search is one of many search engines that are common tools to find quick answers and solutions. The Bible has always been and continues to be the source of answers to all our spiritual and moral questions. Believers like us should continue to use Scripture each day for direction and peace. Greetings, Saints. Reading the Bible is important because it is "God-breathed" and useful for teaching truth, pointing us away from wrong, and training us to live right. Because it is directly from God's own breath, it is completely unique and fully trustworthy. God gives us His written Word to make us complete and fully ready for every good work. Scripture gives believers everything we need to grow mature in our faith and live right. His Word supplies all the tools and training required for life and gets us ready for whatever task He has set for us on the glorious path in place by His caring and loving hands. Keep Him First and remember to stay in prayer.