29
Jan '19
Whispering Words
29
Jan '19
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)
The young man fidgeted as he sat down for his flight. His eyes darted back and forth to the aircraft windows. Then he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm himself—but it didn’t work. As the plane took off, he slowly rocked back and forth. An older woman across the aisle from him put her hand on his arm and gently engaged him in conversation to divert his attention from his stress. “What’s your name?” “Where are you from?” “We’re going to be okay,” and “You’re doing well” were a few things she whispered. She could have been irritated with him or ignored him. But she chose a touch and a few words. Little things. When they landed three hours later, he said, “Thank you so much for helping me.”
Such beautiful pictures of tenderheartedness can be hard to find. Kindness does not come naturally to many of us; our primary concern is often ourselves. But when the apostle Paul urged, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32), he was not saying it all depends on us. After we’ve been given a new life by our faith in Jesus, the Spirit begins a transformation. Kindness is the ongoing work of the Spirit renewing our thoughts and attitudes (v. 23).
The God of compassion is at work in our hearts, allowing us in turn to touch others’ lives by reaching out and whispering words of encouragement.
Lord, use me today to bring someone hope, a lighter burden, encouragement. Amen.
This devotion blessed me, so simple yet so powerful. Helping one person may not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person. Today, may we be reminded that compassion is understanding the troubles of others and reaching out. A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. Be His hands extended each and every day.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 5:14-16
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Jan '19
Testing Builds Endurance
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Jan '19
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4)
“Why would a loving heavenly Father allow His children to go through terrible trials and experience sorrow?” We can understand the reason that this is a common question—it can be baffling when the all-powerful God of love seems to stand by silently while painful things happen to His followers. Where is He during personal tragedies, natural disasters, financial crises, and other times of heartache?
The Word of God is the only place we can find the real answer. Even so, today’s reading can be hard to understand or accept. One might read James’s exhortation to be joyful in the face of trials and think, Count me out! Difficulties and joy just don’t seem to go together—that is, unless we understand God’s perspective of what life is about.
When James spoke of joy, he wasn’t referring to a cheery, frivolous feeling. Rather, he was talking about an inner sense of calmness, peace, and confidence in the Lord. He wasn’t telling us to feel happy about our trials but to know, as we go through them, that God is up to something good in our life. Our attitude during the struggle will determine what shape we’re in when we come out on the other side.
When our faith gets tested, the end result is endurance; being aware of this gives us hope and strength. What’s more, the Bible promises God will use trials for our good, so we don’t need to be afraid or anxious.
God’s desire is to bless you, not destroy you. Adversity can make someone feel like a victim, but as followers of Christ, we can choose to be victors!
This devotion blessed me! Today, I choose to be a victor and not a victim. Only God knows what is best for you and I. God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go. Trust Him completely.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Philippians 2:14-15
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Jan '19
Making Something Out of Nothing
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Jan '19
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
As a young mother, I often found it difficult to find time for a devotional with God. When it came to my relationship with God, I found myself believing that I would have to sustain it on my own. I hadn’t realized that while I thought I’d been upholding our relationship in the past, it was God doing the work in me all along—in His strength, my weakness was made perfect.
I believe in a God who specializes in making something out of nothing. When I carve out a moment to come to Him now, I know it will never be enough. But I come in faith, trusting that He will multiply the little time I have and provide me with enough nourishment for that moment, with some to spare.
This devotion blessed me. We all have busy lives but if we take time and make something out of what we may feel is nothing, to Him it’s everything because you chose to take the time to spend with Him and He will meet you right where you are.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Philippians 4:6
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Jan '19
Success in God’s Eyes
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Jan '19
And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. (Mark 1:37-38)
How do you define success? According to the dictionary, success is ‘meeting, or achieving a desired outcome.’ Therefore, success is measured by our achievements, accomplishment, or talents. This often translates to money, fame or power. But, how does GOD define success?
God defines success as fulfilling His will and purposes in our lives. Based upon this definition Jesus was the most successful person to ever live, being the only one to have perfectly fulfilled God’s will. So, how exactly did Jesus live?
- Jesus put His Father first.
- Jesus never lost sight of His mission.
Jesus’ entire purpose was to bring humanity, us, back to God. He wanted as many people as possible to experience God’s grace and forgiveness. But, the disciples didn’t always get it.
In Mark, we read that as Jesus went to spend time with God, putting God first, the disciples begin to worry. When Jesus returned, Peter had a few concerns: “Everyone is looking for You,” he said. Now what Peter was really saying was – “Jesus, where have you been? There are 200 people outside looking to be healed! We have the largest church in the region and the momentum is really taking off! Let’s stay focused and get to work.” (My paraphrase).
But Jesus, having spent time with God, remained focused on His mission – instead of catering to the growing crowd, He told Peter that it was time to move on. Yes, miracles are important, ministry is important, helping is important – but nobody’s heart is changed by miracles alone. Jesus remained focused on His calling by staying connected to God, even in the face of His disciples’ good intentions. This is how He was successful.
Our lives are full of distractions: family, friends, work, obligations, social media. Not all distractions are bad, but if we aren’t careful we can lose sight of God’s purpose for our lives. So how do you define success? Is the success you’re seeking only temporary, or is it an eternal success that lasts? May each of us BE SUCCESSFUL – God’s way!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Galatians 5:14
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Jan '19
Spirit-Led Control
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Jan '19
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)
It’s true that when we get caught up in life, it’s easy to mimic the often selfish and corrupt behaviors of the world around us. But when we genuinely seek to know God and what His Word says about our lives, then over time—even during difficult times—the Holy Spirit changes our thoughts and attitudes to be more like Christ (Ephesians 4:21–23).
When the Spirit leads us, our desires become the opposite of the temptations of the world. What once felt like sacrifice becomes a grateful act of self-control. It becomes easier to ignore our selfish wants, lustful desires, and everyday burdens for Christ to bear on our behalf, allowing us to focus on the things in our life that are pleasing to God, leading to a life of purpose (Galatians 5:16–26).
Is this always easy for Christians? No. Do believers and followers of Christ still allow themselves to succumb to the pressures of this world? Yes, far too often. But if we continue to keep the door open for God by intentionally pursuing and applying his Word to our lives, then when we do stumble and fall, we’re not likely to fall as far, and it’s much easier to find our way back onto the path He has laid out for us.
Have you sought to sacrifice every aspect of your life to God? If not, what do you need to give up today to grow closer to Him?
I pray today’s devotion inspires you to take a look at your life and ask yourself this very question, what do I need to give up to grow closer to God? Take comfort in the fact that God’s plan is always bigger and better than your own.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
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Jan '19
All That You Need
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Jan '19
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26)
For some reason, my home has been chosen as the nesting place of several families of birds, particularly under the eaves of our house. I have never seen so many birds’ nests lodged right above our windows and doors. As I walked out my back door the other day, I looked up at a bird nest just as the momma bird was flying away. The next thing I saw were three little bird mouths opened wide and waiting for their next meal. I was reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 6:26 in that the birds do not have to worry about their next meal because our heavenly Father feeds them.
Jesus then says to us: “Are ye not much better than they?” I must admit I have spent many days worrying about earthly needs. I have wasted precious time trying to figure out how to provide for the things I need, or my family needs, or the needs of someone else in my life. I was even tempted to somehow try and provide for those baby birds. Even as I stood there looking at their little mouths crying out for food, I knew the Lord was cautioning me not to get involved. To interrupt their nest could be a death sentence for them, not a rescue. I realized that when I try so hard to intervene in what God is trying to do in my own life, I often end up causing more harm than good. I just need to trust Him and get out of His way. He will take care of all of my needs. We should act only when we know it is God moving us to act!
Take time and thank the Lord today for taking care of your needs. He already knows everything you want and need. Just as those baby birds are completely taken care of (even being sent to my welcoming house), our heavenly Father is taking care of us too. We are more valuable to the Lord than all of the birds of the air put together. If He cares for them, He will absolutely care for us!
When I read today’s devotion I was reminded of how we are truly loved beyond measure. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful and broken. He is the definition of love and He genuinely cares for you and I. Put your trust in Him.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Hebrews 10:23
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Jan '19
Anonymous Kindness
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Jan '19
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. (Matthew 6:3)
When I first graduated from college, I found myself needing to adopt a strict grocery budget—twenty-five dollars a week, to be exact. One day, while entering the checkout line, I suspected the groceries I’d selected cost slightly more than my remaining money. “Just stop when we reach twenty dollars,” I told the cashier, and I was able to purchase everything I’d selected but a bag of peppers.
As I was about to drive home, a man stopped by my car. “Here’s your peppers, ma’am,” he said, handing the bag to me. Before I had time to thank him, he was already walking away.
Remembering the simple goodness of this act of kindness still warms my heart and brings to mind Jesus’s words in Matthew 6. Criticizing those who made a show of giving to the needy (v. 2), Jesus taught His disciples a different way. Instead of making giving all about them and their generosity, He urged that giving should be done so secretly it’s like their left hand isn’t even aware their right is giving (v. 3)!
As one person’s anonymous kindness reminded me, giving should never be about us. We give only because of what our generous God has so lavishly given us (2 Corinthians 9:6–11). As we give quietly and generously, we reflect who He is—and God receives the thanksgiving only He deserves (v. 11).
This devotion blessed me. Today, find some way to give quietly and generously, when you do this, you reflect God’s generosity. Remember, it’s not how much we are able to give but how much love we put into giving.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is John 15:2
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Jan '19
What is God Like?
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Jan '19
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3)
To celebrate a special occasion, my husband took me to a local art gallery and said I could choose a painting as a gift. I picked out a small picture of a brook flowing through a forest. The streambed took up most of the canvas, and because of this much of the sky was excluded from the picture. However, the stream’s reflection revealed the location of the sun, the treetops, and the hazy atmosphere. The only way to “see” the sky was to look at the surface of the water.
Jesus is like the stream, in a spiritual sense. When we want to see what God is like, we look at Jesus. The writer of Hebrews said He is “the exact representation of [God’s] being” (1:3). Although we can learn facts about God through direct statements in the Bible such as “God is love,” we can deepen our understanding by seeing the way God would act if He faced the same problems we have on Earth. Being God in human flesh, this is what Jesus has shown us.
In temptation, Jesus revealed God’s holiness. Confronting spiritual darkness, He demonstrated God’s authority. Wrestling with people problems, He showed us God’s wisdom. In His death, He illustrated God’s love.
Although we cannot grasp everything about God—He is limitless and we are limited in our thinking—we can be certain of His character when we look at Christ.
Dear God, thank You for making a way for us to know You. Help us to grow closer to You by looking at Jesus. Amen.
Today, may we be reminded that looking at Jesus shows us God’s character. Jesus, our perfect hope.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Philippians 2:14-15
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Jan '19
They Smelled Like Christ
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Jan '19
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. (2 Corinthians 2:15)
Hot and dusty, Bob dismounted from the bus he had ridden to a city far from home. He was tired from a long day of travel and grateful that he would be able to have dinner with friends of friends who lived in the area. They welcomed him in, and he immediately felt a sense of peace. He felt at home, comfortable, safe, and valued.
Later, wondering why he had felt such peace in an unfamiliar place, Bob found an answer in 2 Corinthians. The apostle Paul describes people who follow God as having the “pleasing aroma of Christ.” “That’s exactly it!” Bob said to himself. His hosts had “smelled like” Christ.
When Paul says that God leads His people in Christ’s “triumphal procession” spreading the fragrance of His truth, he’s referring to a practice in the ancient world. Victorious armies would burn incense as they marched through the streets. For their supporters, the smell brought joy. In the same way, Paul says the people of God carry a pleasing fragrance to those who believe. It isn’t something we create on our own but something God gives as He leads us in spreading the knowledge of Him.
Bob is my dad, and that trip to a faraway town took place more than forty years ago, but he’s never forgotten it. He’s still telling the story of the people who smelled like Christ.
Heavenly Father, thank You for leading Your people in triumph and spreading the fragrance of Your truth through us. Amen
When I first read this devotion I pondered this question, Who smells like Christ to you? It got me thinking, I pray after reading this devotion you desire to be a pleasing aroma of Christ to all those around you and if someone were to stop and ask themselves this very question, I pray you or I would come to mind. Today, begin spreading the fragrance of His truth through you.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 16:24
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Jan '19
A Believer’s Peace
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Jan '19
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Romans 14:19)
Today, believers and unbelievers alike are looking for peace. But how do we follow after the things of peace? Since everyone is longing and searching for peace, let’s first define the difference between the peace of the unbeliever with the peace of the believer.
The unbeliever is looking for peace in the outer circumstances of their lives. “If only the world was a peaceful place to be, if only we had a leader that would establish peace, if only everyone else would be kind to one another….then we would have peace” are the hopes and thoughts of the unbelievers. So, they look for leaders who could bring this kind of peace to their environment. We all agree with this kind of thinking to some extent. Wouldn’t we all be happy with world peace and conflict free circumstances? But Jesus tells us that in this world you will have tribulation and the Bible teaches that the only leader who will bring world peace is the spirit of the antichrist. World peace cannot last under his reign for Satan is the master of division, destruction, disaster and death.
A believer’s peace is different. Jesus said in John 14:27, “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.” The kind of peace Jesus gives is peace of heart. Christians should have great peace knowing that they are unconditionally loved and that God has a purpose for them. There is great peace seeing prayers answered and understanding the things of God. As a believer begins to meditate upon the things of God, the peace they receive in their hearts starts training their minds to think differently. We start hearing praise songs going through our minds and thanking God for His lovingkindness and goodness towards us. Finally, this peace of Christ is lived out through the believers’ behaviors. Their attitude is not negative and they smile for no reason. They are focused but not self centered. And their behavior starts reflecting a trust in God that all things will work together for good because they love God and know God loves them. A believer understands that it is not about conflict-free circumstances that bring peace but about Jesus who brings peace in the midst of all kinds of circumstances. So, we follow after the things of peace leading us to follow the Author of perfect peace Himself.
When I read this devotion I felt it was a great way to define the difference between the peace of the unbeliever with the peace of the believer. There is such a significant difference. My prayer today is if you are not reflecting the peace of a believer that you would be inspired by this devotion to make a change in your heart and life and walk with the assurance that as today’s devotion says, Jesus, The Author of perfect peace Himself brings peace in the midst of all kinds of circumstances. So today, even if you don’t see peace on the horizon, trust The Author of perfect peace.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is John 8:31-32