14
Nov '19
In the Midst of Life Struggles: Look Up
14
Nov '19
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)
There’s so much in this life we can start to feel anxious about, even when we know God’s truth and believe that He’s in control. It can still be a daily battle in our hearts, in our minds.
When we just keep looking all around us, we can easily get defeated. Drained. Impatient. Cynical.
We may find ourselves wrestling with worry. Fear might creep in. We lose our focus because we’re so distracted on all the things that can never really give us strength and hope anyway.
People won’t ever be the answer for our every need. Money, possessions, or success can’t ever satisfy the void deep inside that only God can fill. This world will never be free of all conflict. The government won’t ever fix all of our problems. It can’t. Because no matter who is President, no matter what we face in this life, God’s still on the throne.
5 Reminders of Hope from Psalm 121:
“My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” v. 2 He’s All-powerful. God is a mountain mover and Creator of heaven and earth. He’s with us, always. He breathes help and strength into our souls, into our day.
“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.” v. 3 He won’t allow us to fall. We may find ourselves on slippery slopes, or the path we’re walking seems to be full of potholes and obstacles. But the God who knows all, knows our way. And even when we stumble, as our eyes are fixed on Him, He will keep our footsteps firm. For He watches over us and never sleeps or slumbers.
“The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.” v. 5 He keeps us, safe, in His care. He protects us like the shade protects from the heat of the day. Why the “right hand?” Because it is known as the hand that works, so we can be assured that whatever He’s given us to do in this life, His covering of protection rests over all of our work and efforts.
“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” v. 7 He protects us from “all evil,” not some, but “all.” It does not have the final say over our lives. Fear of death, disease, and hardship has lost its sting, for our lives are hidden with Christ in God. No matter who or what we’re rubbing shoulders with each day, God’s power is greater than whatever darkness we might face. For He is the soul-keeper and He holds all of our tomorrows.
“The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” v. 8 He watches over us, constantly, His eyes are towards us. He cannot look away from those He loves. He watches our coming and our going, and all in between. He watches over our family and children, even when we cannot see. We do not have to worry, for He strongly supports those whose hearts are His.
It often comes down to a choice. Let’s choose, no matter what swirls around us, to set our eyes on God. For if He made all of heaven and earth, surely He has a Sovereign, incredible plan, for you and for me. He knows our way in this journey of life, and He’s a “with us” God. Keep remembering today: Look up. He alone is where our hope is found!
Wow! This devotion blessed me today. I pray it blesses you in some way as well. We all struggle with worry, fear and focus but He is able, He is as today’s devotion says, a “with us” God in this journey of life. I pray you are encouraged today to look up! Choose today to set your eyes on God! Amen and Amen! Look Up!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 2 Peter 3:9
13
Nov '19
Wanting God’s Will in Our Way
13
Nov '19
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:41-42)
If I’m talking about salvation, I have no problem partaking in His obedience, and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. But when it comes to a child’s health, or if a young parent’s life hangs in the balance, or when disasters strike the most vulnerable, I want to question God’s methods, timing and plan.
That might sound contemptuous, but haven’t we all wrestled with this question: Why has this bad thing happened to such a good person?
And I struggle with praying for God’s will to be done.
I’ve offered up prayers asking God for His will to be done, only to later retract them when God’s way doesn’t seem to match my pace, or when His ideas mess up my perfectly crafted plan, or He doesn’t come through the way I anticipate, pray or plead for. I’m often left shaking my head — curious if God missed something along the way.
Maybe that’s what Martha and Mary thought as their brother lay on his deathbed, and Jesus, aware of Lazarus’ condition, didn’t rush to His friend’s bedside. Perhaps Jairus, whose daughter also lay dying, similarly questioned Jesus’ seeming lack of urgency as He allowed her life to slip away.
The Father’s will and agenda was Jesus’ priority — not seeking others’ approval, not rushing to accomplish more miracles in His limited time on earth. He wasn’t frantically traveling to every village. Unlike many of us, Jesus didn’t fall into the trap of needing to do “all the things.”
It’s hard to imagine waiting instead of moving, and yet, Jesus often did. He had all the answers, power and ability to turn back time and hold death at bay simultaneously, and yet — He didn’t. Because Jesus was serious when He offered up the prayer, “nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).
How many of our prayers does God answer when we impatiently demand Him to, versus when He deems the time is right? How often does He wait to respond until the moment when His power can be best revealed? How many dreams does God plan to resurrect, perhaps after they’re dead and forgotten, as He’s merely waiting for us to surrender — to stop trying to solve all the problems ourselves?
We ache to have a baby and start our family, but the child God has for us won’t be born for another five years.
We want a financial blessing, but He wants us to learn stewardship with the little He’s placed in our hands.
We desire influence over the masses, but He points to our home, our neighbors, our workplace — where the recognition will be little, but the fruit will be ripe.
While God may want to give us all of these things, we expect to tell Him exactly how and when plans should unfold, instead of opening our hands and acknowledging His vantage point is better.
John records Jesus’ words, explaining that “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise” (John 5:19).
Jesus’ radical, continual and humble submission to the ways and will of His Father is the greatest example of what it means to fully obey. What would happen if, when we came to God with our list of requests, we opened our hands and prayed like Jesus did: “not my will, but thine, be done“…?
Father God, thank You for giving the perfect example of what obedience means — in Jesus. Thank You for His radical gift in surrendering His life in the greatest act of obedience. Help me today to hear and know Your voice and to willingly obey whatever You are asking me — without arguing, begging or trying to convince You that I know what’s best. I want to surrender, to choose obedience, and see Your will be done — instead of my own. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When I read this devotion it blessed me. I pray it blesses you and inspires you to stop and say nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 1 Peter 2:15-16
08
Nov '19
Stronger Together
08
Nov '19
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
I had a pastor tell me years ago, “Crystal, you should be in church every time these doors are open.” I remember getting mad at him thinking, “Who does he think he is?!” Well, now I understand. He thought he was my pastor, watching over my soul; he knew my struggles and knew the best place for me to overcome was being consistently around the things and people of God.
I see it now as a pastor that those who struggle the most are inconsistent with church attendance. They are inconsistent with Bible study and prayer group. They are inconsistent with small groups and so they struggle and are up and down in their emotions like a yoyo.
If you neglect the Body, you become weaker not stronger and are more susceptible to deception and the schemes of Satan. If you are struggling and are constantly up and down, immerse yourself in the things of God. Stop skipping corporate worship, the Word is going forth and you’re missing that time of praise and fellowship when His presence is so strong. Go to Bible Study and prayer group. It’s more important than Monday Night Football. Your faith is more precious than gold!
Father, we are not those who walk in darkness, but are children of the Light! Help us walk side by side with our brothers in Christ for we are stronger together! In Jesus’ name.
Wow! This devotion blessed me. This very topic has been heavy on my heart lately. It may be a topic that steps all over your toes and you may say as the gal in this devotion said, who do you think you are, but folks, we are living in the last days, more now than ever, the enemy is roaming about seeking who He can devour and as today’s devotion says, If you neglect the Body, you become weaker not stronger and are more susceptible to deception and the schemes of Satan. If you make church a priority, your children, your family will pick up on that, you treat church as if it is simply another activity to take or leave, they will pick up on that as well. Being “too busy” is a myth, people make time for the things that are really important to them. Ask yourself this question today, Is church a priority, do you hit and miss and only attend when it’s convenient? We are stronger together!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Joshua 24:15
07
Nov '19
Give Thanks for All He has Done
07
Nov '19
Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. (1 Chronicles 16:8)
If anything of yours has ever been lost or stolen and then found, your first reaction most likely was thankfulness. Perhaps you were relieved to be reunited with your purse, keys, or phone. However, imagine if what was eventually returned was the symbol of God’s presence, the Ark of the Covenant.
After God enabled David and his men to defeat the Philistine army, there was one more important task: they were to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. The Ark was now going to be returned to its rightful home and, for this homecoming, David commits a psalm of thanks to the Lord (vv. 8–36). In this poetic song, David thanks God for the wondrous things He has done for the Israelites with His miracles, His judgments, and decrees (v. 12).
It is often easier to give thanks to the Lord for miracles than for judgments, but David reminds us that both are needed and necessary. Fast forward a few generations. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, many people thanked Him for His miracles, but His decrees about Himself made a very different impression on people. His miracles were praised, while His judgments were perceived as threatening.
Even today, we are much quicker to thank God for His miracles than for His judgments. Many people prefer gentle lies rather than hard truths. But God has called us to a life of grace and truth. David reminds his people, as well as us, that we ought to thank the Lord for all the wondrous things He has done. Both His miracles and His judgments show God’s presence in our lives. Thankfully, every day God’s Word gracefully speaks truth into your life and mine.
Can you name one miracle and one hard truth God has given you? Remembering what God has done in your life is one of the first steps to fill your life with thanks. Like David, be sure to thank the Lord for all the wondrous things He has done. If you have time, compose your own psalm of praise to the Lord.
This devotion blessed me. I felt it needed to shared today. God has a great plan for your life, Trust Him. Remember His goodness and Give Thanks for ALL He has done.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is James 1:2-3
06
Nov '19
God In The MRI
06
Nov '19
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Psalm 139:7-8)
I had always thought that I was fine with being cramped in enclosed spaces, until the summer of 2011 when I had my first MRI. That’s when I found out that I was wrong; in fact, not just wrong, but very, very wrong. If you’re unfamiliar with an MRI, it is a medical imaging procedure in which the patient is inserted into a tube just large enough for his or her body to slide into. Then (don’t lose me in the fancy medical jargon here), there are a bunch of loud hammering noises, clicks, claps, beeps and a variety of other atonal hubbub.
Initially, the cramped space and the noise didn’t bother me,I actually felt kind of like an astronaut beneath the white lights of the tube. But about ten minutes into the procedure, waves of panic crashed through my body and I cracked. For some reason, albeit irrational, I just couldn’t handle being in that tube any longer. It was a terrible experience. Six months later, I had to get another one and saying no wasn’t an option.
However, when I went into the machine this time, it was a much different experience. I was nervous again but this time I closed my eyes and prayed. Initially I felt embarrassed before God by my unreasonable fear, but I needed Him, so I told Him that. I prayed about life and fear and everything in between. It was the last place in the world I expected to connect with God, but I did, and it was amazing. He was there.
Regardless of my illogical fear and my sporadic conversation with Him, I deeply felt His presence. Afterward, as I drove home, the words of Psalm 139:7-8 came to life for me. Though I hadn’t been at the bottom of the Atlantic or at the top of Mount Everest, God was with me amidst my fear.
No matter the place or situation, God is there, available and unbelievably gracious toward us.
What I love about this devotion is the reminder that is doesn’t matter the depth of your fear or fears, God is always in the midst of your fears, waiting for you to call out to Him. No matter the fear, big or small, call out to Him, He is never caught off guard to your fears or surprised by them, He is all knowing, but it’s up to us to call out to Him. He is indeed available and unbelievably gracious toward us. What a mighty God we serve. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness, Isaiah 41:10.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Ephesians 1:9-10
05
Nov '19
The Pathway to Humility
05
Nov '19
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. (Deuteronomy 8:3)
A friend of mine who’s a young leader recently confessed to me some discouragement he’d been wrestling through. He’d been working so hard and seen great success, but his leaders gave him no recognition or encouragement. And hardest of all, due to some transitions in the company, he’d been demoted to a lower position.
I asked him a seemingly strange question after he poured out his heart to me: “Do you know what the opposite of pride is?”
He tilted his head and asked, “Do you think I’m struggling with pride?”
I wasn’t trying to imply my young friend was prideful. I was setting the stage to help him see his circumstances through a different lens.
So I simply stated, “I believe the opposite of pride is trust in God. Pride begs us to believe it all depends on us. Trusting God requires us to place our dependence on Him. And the pathway that leads us away from pride and into a place of truly trusting God is paved with humility. Humility is never bought at a cheap price. It will always cost us something but will be worth the price we pay.
“Might God be using these humbling circumstances to get you to a place of deep and unshakable trust in Him? If God sees big things ahead for you, and I believe He does, then He must remove all hints of pride. Even if pride is but a tiny thorn in your heart now, when you’re given a bigger position with more recognition, that pride grows from a thorn to a dagger with the potential to kill your calling.”
In the Old Testament, we see God revealing this same kind of pride-stripping process by feeding the children of Israel manna in the desert for the purpose of humbling them. It was crucial that God prepare them to trust Him as they stepped from the desert into their destined Promised Land.
Deuteronomy 8:2 says, And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
When I read this devotion I couldn’t shake the truth behind it. I pray you take away this one truth from today’s devotion, Trusting God requires us to place our dependence on Him. And the pathway that leads us away from pride and into a place of truly trusting God is paved with humility.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Romans 13:6
04
Nov '19
Guided By Conscience
04
Nov '19
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:14-16)
Human beings are born with a marvelous gift from God—a conscience. Since its warnings can cause discomfort, you perhaps have never thought of it as a blessing. But the Lord had our benefit and protection in mind when He created this internal witness to our moral conduct. By listening to its promptings, we are guarded from making choices that could hurt us or others.
But can you rely on your conscience to offer guidance about all decisions? God made the conscience to act as an alarm system to warn and protect us from sin. However, many of our choices are not moral issues, so we need an even more reliable source for direction.
That’s why the Lord has provided believers with the Holy Spirit, who accurately leads us in any kind of decision we must make. He not only works through the conscience to make us aware of sin, but He also helps us choose between good and best. As we listen to His voice and heed His warnings, He purifies and sharpens our conscience so that it aligns more precisely with the Word and will of God.
One problem is that the conscience has the capacity to be shaped by our responses. When we repeatedly reject or ignore its promptings, we can damage its dependability, and then sins that should bother us might not even register. But heeding its warnings make it sharper and more sensitive, protecting us even more effectively. Knowing this, let’s ask for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and discernment so we will heed the promptings of our conscience.
This devotion blessed me. What an incredible reminder. I pray it encourages you to ask as today’s devotion encourages, ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and discernment to heed the prompting of your conscience. Keep your mind stayed on Him.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 2 Corinthians 3:6
01
Nov '19
The Best Revenge
01
Nov '19
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. (Genesis 50:18-20)
“Success is the best revenge.”
Maybe you’ve heard this saying a time or two. Long ago, my tender 13-year-old heart unwittingly latched onto it. A difficult move and change of schools had left me feeling lost and holding a backpack full of rejection.
So my youthful, wounded heart adopted a “performance mentality” in an effort to remedy the pain. I will prove myself through success. I will work hard and gain the approval of everyone. I will earn my way back by trying to be perfect.
The result? Years of exhaustion in the three-ring circus show called “something to prove.” Years of sprinting from one thing to the next, searching for the thing to set right all my past rejections.
But no amount of acceptance in my present soothed the rejection of my past. No achievement settled the score as I’d hoped. Still the enemy whispered in my ear: Not good enough.
I wonder if you too have worn the accusing labels of rejected and not good enough. Or maybe the enemy waves another insidious banner over you:
Inferior.
Unlovable.
Shameful.
Nothing to offer.
Like me, the sting of that label sent you on a subconscious journey to avenge the wrong done to you.
Maybe the bite of “unlovable” hurled you into the grueling task of people-pleasing. Maybe you fell short in the eyes of a parent and thus committed to proving yourself, no matter the cost. Or perhaps you lived a childhood where ends strained to meet each month, creating a false inferiority in your soul that you’ve tried to soothe with a big house or posh wardrobe.
But I’m guessing your efforts, like mine, have fallen impossibly short. Still a haunting emptiness in your soul remains and beckons you toward the next achievement to heal your hurt.
In Genesis, we read about Joseph, a man who experienced enough pain in his youth to last a lifetime. But after being enslaved and unjustly imprisoned for years, God led Joseph into a position of great power, authority and fame.
He even had the unique opportunity to lord his success over the very ones who started his painful journey — his own brothers. If success is the best revenge, then Joseph’s revenge came to him on a silver platter!
And yet, in today’s key verse, we see the heart of a man who pointed not to his achievements, but to God’s sovereign, redeeming hand:
“And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:18-20).
Joseph understood his healing didn’t arise from success, but rather from the redeeming work of God, flipping the script on the enemy’s treacherous plans. Joseph gave voice to the poignant truth that his enslavement ended up being the very thing that freed his community and family from famine and death.
Like Joseph, our aching souls can also cling to the truth that sometimes there is great purpose in our pain. We may never get back what’s been taken from us, but God is in the business of redeeming lost things.
Dear one, you don’t have to waste any more time spinning your wheels, grasping to obtain the next thing to make you whole. Nothing in your future can heal the wounds of your past. Only Jesus can do that.
The world may preach that success is the best revenge, but the truth for us, sweet sister? Redemption is the best revenge.
Today, may we set our gaze squarely on the God who transforms our pain from a fiery arrow meant to take us out into a blazing beacon of His goodness and provision.
Heavenly Father, thank You for being a God who redeems our pain. Draw our seeking hearts away from lesser things and straight into Your healing hands. Redeem what we’ve lost, that we might bring You glory and walk with joy into all the good things You have for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
This blessed me. What truth! I pray you are also blessed in some way by this devotion. We all have a story, one that God knows everything about and He will redeem our pain when we seek Him first. Walk with joy today.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Ephesians 1:18
31
Oct '19
What To Do With Halloween?
31
Oct '19
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:15)
Halloween. It’s a time of year when the air gets crisper, the days get shorter, and for many young Americans, the excitement grows in anticipation of shouting, “Trick or Treat?”
Many Christians refuse to participate in Halloween. Some are wary of its pagan origins, others of its dark, ghoulish imagery; some are concerned for the safety of their children. Still other Christians choose to partake of the festivities, whether participating in school activities, neighborhood trick-or-treating, or a Halloween alternative, such as Trunk or Treat at their church or another venue.
The name “Halloween” comes from the All Saints Day celebration of the early Christian church, a day set aside for the solemn remembrance of the martyrs. “All Hallows Eve,” the evening before All Saints Day, began the time of remembrance. “All Hallows Eve” was eventually contracted to “Hallow-e’en,” which became “Halloween.”
The question is, “How should Christians respond to Halloween? Is it irresponsible for parents to let their children trick-or-treat? What about Christians who refuse any kind of participation during the season; are they overreacting?”
Whatever level of Halloween participation you choose, remember that Halloween provides the Christian with the opportunity to show AND share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s a message that is holy, set apart from the world; it’s a message that is the very mercy of a forgiving God. What better time of the year is there to share such a message than Halloween?
After I read this devotion I felt it was worth sharing for such a day. I pray after reading todays devotion I can leave you with this. Jesus Christ is Lord–and we celebrate HIM every day! However you choose to celebrate or not to celebrate, may HE be the honoring factor in every decision!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 1 Peter 5:8-9
30
Oct '19
Writing About God
30
Oct '19
Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. (Jeremiah 30:2)
The Old Testament is a written record of God’s work in the lives of the Israelites. We are deeply indebted to the writers of the Bible—their records show us the great work that God has done for humanity. We can follow in the footsteps of the Biblical authors by journaling what God has done in our lives.
Journaling can be an amazing part of how you connect to God. Keep a record of how God moves in your life, and over time, you will see how intimately God is involved. Then, one day, you will read with awe the testimony God has written on the pages of your life.
What a simple but powerful devotion. I am always amazed at how God’s word has basic instructions to lead and guide every aspect of our lives. I remember a time in my life when I would journal a lot and I’ve looked back and seen just as today’s devotion says, I read with awe the testimony God has written on the pages of my life. I am going to start journaling again. I pray this devotion inspires you to take the time and start journaling what God has done in your life.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Ephesians 2:8-9