28
Apr '22
Thank God
28
Apr '22
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:4-5)
Take a moment and think about some of the blessings God has given you and then, hold out your hands.
Imagine God handing those gifts to you.
As you picture this, thank Him for each blessing.
When I read this devotion I was encouraged to take a moment and imagine God. How often are we so busy we fail to stop and just imagine Him? I recently read something and it said, Does anyone else just wish that Jesus would walk into your kitchen, sit down next to you with a cup of coffee (or water), look at you and say “ok, so here is what we are going to do.” It caused me to pause and reflect on just how real He truly is, every single day, He’s present, ready and waiting for you to invite Him to sit down next to you. Start by inviting Him into your moment and thanking Him for each and every blessing in your life.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
26
Apr '22
His Peace
26
Apr '22
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
Imagine God hands you a gift: His peace. In return, He asks you to give Him your worries and concerns. That may seem crazy, but that’s exactly what God wants from you.
Think about that as you talk to Him about what’s on your mind today.
When I read this very short devotion I was moved by it. So much truth and power behind such a short devotion but little is much when God is in it. 1 Peter 5:7, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
21
Apr '22
Guilt Is A Liar
21
Apr '22
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. (Hebrews 9:24)
Guilt is a liar.
It tells you to repent over and over for mistakes.
Guilt makes sure to remind you of where you have failed.
Guilt always has a bit (or a lot) of truth to it so it’s hard to push back on this bully!
But, here’s a better truth:
Jesus came down from the cross and humiliated the enemy and his hordes! He then went to heaven and made all petitions on our behalf before The Lord.
Your forgiveness is a finished work, you simply need to say yes to it.
Guilt may be based on FACT but forgiveness is the TRUTH of who you are in Christ!
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1)
Simply say yes to it. Amen! I pray after reading this devotion you are encouraged as I was. Forgiveness is the truth of who you are in Christ.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
19
Apr '22
Jesus The Son of God
19
Apr '22
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Hebrews 4:14)
Jesus is sympathetic.
He was made flesh to walk the earth and to “walk in our shoes”.
Jesus knew loneliness, betrayal, fear and anger.
He experienced what we experience and looked to The Father when he needed strength or comfort.
Jesus came to die for you, He came to release His Holy Spirit to you and He is our friend and redeemer.
Jesus is not the judge, He was the sacrifice. He is not the critical parent, he is the brother you never had.
Jesus, Thank you for your friendship, your compassion over me and your desire to “do” life with me. Let me delight in you as you have chosen and delighted in me!
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2:11
I recently read this devotion. I pray today as we continue to celebrate the resurrection and the life that we never forget, He chose to die for you. He chose to “do” life with you and even in death He chose to leave you a comforter, The Holy Spirit. Counselor, helper, advocate, intercessor and strengthener.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
16
Apr '22
His Submission
16
Apr '22
As you look forward to the Resurrection tomorrow, think about what Jesus’ sacrifice saves you from enduring.
Today, read Isaiah 53:4-12 line by line, phrase by phrase, out loud and slowly. Really reflect on the cross, on each element of Jesus’ sacrifice, on all that He won for us by His submission to torture and death. It’s a love poem full of promises.
14
Apr '22
Press Toward The Mark
14
Apr '22
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. (1 Peter 1:24)
Flesh… the fragile, temporary things that will always change, wither and cannot last forever.
We grieve over the job we didn’t get, the house we can’t buy and the relationships that change.
God says these things are like grass, beautiful for a short season then gone.
He sees what we can’t see. This life is a mere breath or vapor compared to our eternity and is not worthy of grief or sorrow!
We have earthly minds making it hard to grasp eternity.
God calls you into the depth of Him and asks for childlike faith. Your earthly life is only preparation for the eternal life.
TODAY: I open my hands and I release plans, expectations, agendas and consciously let you lead!
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:25)
When I read this devotion it blessed me so much. So often we are mislead by our own expectations, agendas and plans. Today, I pray you choose to open your hands and release plans, expectations, agendas and let Him lead. After reading this devotion I had to do some self reflection myself. I pray you do the same.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
12
Apr '22
He Loves You Completely
12
Apr '22
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)
Sometimes we get down on ourselves thinking we don’t have mature faith.
Loving God and professing Christ are profound acts of faith impossible to explain to those who don’t know Him.
Loving God grows in intensity as we begin to see Him in everything we experience and encounter His presence through the Holy Spirit.
God knew and loved us completely before we were born.
We will never be able to surprise God or “blow it” with Him.
TODAY: God, You moved heaven and earth for me and ultimately revealed yourself through Jesus. I celebrate and receive all you do to be close to me.
O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. (Psalm 139:1-4)
When I read this devotion I felt someone needed to be reminded of this as much as I did. I pray you remember Psalm 139 each and every day. He loves us completely, oh hallelujah!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
07
Apr '22
His Grace is Sufficient
07
Apr '22
My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Is God calling you to do something for Him?
Do you feel like someone else is better qualified?
If you do, then you might just be in the perfect place.
Repeatedly in the Bible, God uses ordinary people to accomplish great things.
Each of us has strengths and each of us has weaknesses.
However, God uses us despite our weaknesses and quite often because of them.
He takes our insecurities and blind spots and fills us with His strength so that His glory can be known to others. With His help, we become effective despite our limitations.
The Bible tells us that , “we can do all things, through Christ who strengthens us.” (Philippians 4:13-14).
So what are you waiting for?
When God calls you to a job, He will equip you with the resources to accomplish it. He loves you so much that He called you to this special task.
He will get the job done, with or without you. But… He loves you enough to include you on his team.
Jump in the game! You will be glad you did and you can trust God to give you everything you need to accomplish the task at hand.
When I read this devotion I was reminded of a powerful quote. “God doesn’t call the equipped, God equips the called”. Every single time, trust Him, He will teach you how to fly if you allow him too.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
05
Apr '22
God is Love
05
Apr '22
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)
Do you have trouble trusting God due to the actions or hurt others have caused you? Take heart!
God’s love is perfect.
His character is unchanging, ever-lasting, and trustworthy.
He is the God of love.
His perfect love drives out fear. Why is that? Because God’s love for you does not change.
No matter how good you are or what sins you have committed, He sees you through the eyes of forgiveness.
You cannot earn His love. It isn’t based on your worthiness.
Instead, it is rooted in who He is. He is always reliable. Always loving and forever just.
As you begin this day, ask God to reveal His loving goodness to you.
Trust Him that He is who He says He is.
He is the God of love.
When I read this devotion I was touched by it. I pray it jumps off this screen and shouts, or for some, a quiet whisper, He is who He says He is! Hallelujah! He is the God of love. Period!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
31
Mar '22
Put It Away
31
Mar '22
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:1-3)
When babies are hungry, everyone around knows it! They will do everything they can to get what their bodies need.
This is the pattern Peter says we should follow.
Now, what will happen when we do?
Peter writes there are five things believers should “put away.”
Have You Put It Away?
So let’s check ourselves today in each of these activities.
#1. Malice is “the intention or desire to do evil.”
Do you desire to cause hurt or pain to someone else? Are you holding on to hatred or unforgiveness? Are you making plans to get revenge or attack another person?
Malice has no place in our pursuit of the ‘pure spiritual milk.’
#2. Deceit is “the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.”
Do you have a habit of lying, secrecy, or hiding sinful behaviors? Do you lie at work, in your marriage, or in your small groups?
Deceit is a cancer that rots away your spiritual and emotional bones.
#3. Hypocrisy is “the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform.
Is your public life the same as your private life? What moral standards do you really live by—rather merely profess?
The word hypocrite comes from the Greek, hypokrites, meaning an actor. These actors wore masks to play their roles. Are you hiding behind a mask while leading a different life?
#4. Envy is “a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck.”
Do you look at other peoples’ possessions, wishing deeply that they were yours? Are your thoughts marked by lust for someone else’s spouse? Do you burn with envy rather than shine with contentment?
Envy, also known as covetousness in the tenth commandment (Ex. 20:17), drives us to value possessions over people.
#5. Slander is “making false and damaging statements about someone.”
Do you lie about people to make yourself look good? Do you embellish stories about them behind their back? Are you wounding their reputation for personal gain?
Slander can destroy someone’s life. It has no place in the mouth of a Christian. We are to be speakers of life.
If you’re engaged in any of these five actions, take this wonderful opportunity to put them a way today!
Is the Lord so good that your pursuit of him resembles a baby desperate for milk?
This devotion blessed me so much. I pray you are challenged to take the time to pause and ask yourself, am I engaged in any of these five actions. If the answer is yes, as todays devotion says, “take this wonderful opportunity to put them a way today”!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!