In Order
I was reading a few weeks ago about Abraham preparing the altar for Isaac. Abraham had laid the wood in order on the altar before placing Isaac on it. The more I looked at the words “in order” the more I wondered why the wood had to be laid in a specific manner. How could wood be distinguished in such a way as to know if it was “in order” or not? The Lord brought to my mind the other ways that He established His order for things. In Exodus 28:10, the names of the tribes of Israel were placed on the breastplate of the ephod in order of their birth. In Exodus chapter 40, Moses places the articles of the tabernacle in the order as God had instructed him. Even the showbread was placed “in order” on the table “as the Lord had commanded Moses.” (Exodus 40:23) We see God’s purpose for order in many places in Scripture.
Our God is a God of order and He takes it very seriously. Isaiah, the prophet, told King Hezekiah “Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live” (2 Kings 20:1). Hezekiah was not going to die because his house was not in order, but because he had a sickness unto death. The Lord wanted his house in order before he died. This priority of order is also seen in the New Testament as Paul would tell the Corinthians to “let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) He was referring to how the gifts were being used in the church as relating to the conduct of the people.
Is your house in order today? Did you know that is an important part of our walk with the Lord? When our houses are in order, we have more peace and contentment than when they are in disarray. As women, we set the tone for the home and are accountable before the Lord for how we honor and obey Him in our responsibilities. Are you struggling with disorder? Ask the Lord to reveal ways you can improve things that are out of order in your life. If God wants wood to be put in order, how much more does He want our homes and days in order? We just need to start asking Him to show us how. We need to be willing to give Him the first fruits of our days and let Him lead us in the rest of it.
What truth! This devotion blessed me, what a reminder. We must grasp the importance of keeping our homes and days in order and remember if we don’t choose to set the tone for our day the devil will set it for us. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4).
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 24:1-28
Working Weary or Working With The Lord?
Have you felt overwhelmed by too much work? Many times, we are overloaded with overbooked calendars and too little time to do the things we have to do, not to mention the things we would like to do. Most of us are always busy trying to complete the tasks or jobs for the day. Our society is works-based in every way imaginable. The eighties were a decade that made longer workdays the in-thing. Forty-hour weeks were considered short in comparison to the more popular sixty to eighty-hour weeks. Stay-at-home moms had to get busier too. Today, with advances in technology and a “faster is better” mentality, doing more is a must. Even our kids are obliged to participate in extra-extracurricular activities, thinking they are necessary for higher education opportunities. As a result, many of us are worn out, stressed out, and burned out from so much work.
In studying the construction of the tabernacle and its articles, we do not read of any overwhelming or stressful problems. The Lord commanded Moses who commanded the people to do all that the Lord had spoken. Simply put, Moses did what the Lord commanded and finished the work. What are we to learn from this story? The work that Moses did was given to him by the Lord. Moses followed the instructions to the exact detail, nothing added, nothing omitted. The Lord gave the gifts that were needed to do all of the designs and the Lord had already provided the required materials. The building of the tabernacle is a beautiful example of a perfect union between God and man. And the results were nothing short of miraculous.
Think for a moment about the work you are doing today. Did the Lord instruct you to do these things? Has God given you the tools and talents to carry out the work? Are you working in unison with God, following His instructions and doing all that He says? The things we choose to do outside of the Lord’s plans for us will lead to fatigue, frustration and futility in our efforts. We get so busy just being busy that many of us do not stop to include the Lord in our activities.
Have you spent time with the Lord today? Is He part of your “work” day? Maybe there is a tabernacle project in your life and God wants to do something miraculous through you. Pray that today is the day you let God take over all of your work. Get together with Him and see what happens.
Wow, this couldn’t have been more perfect. I had an extremely busy day, a bit overwhelming and completely unexpected, which is why I’m just now getting the devotion posted this late in the evening. I had a moment of thought, I’ll just skip the devotion today, I’ve been so busy and I just want to do nothing but The Lord nudged me ever so gently and whispered, go, so I obeyed and I’m so glad I did. We can’t allow the things in life to overtake His place in our lives. He must be our number one priority above all else. Make time for Him, day or night, it’s never to late to spend time with The Lord! He sees and He knows your heart, just show up and He will meet you right where you are. You are as close to God as you choose to be.
Have a wonderful evening in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Proverbs 3:6
Trust Me
After graduation from college, I had a low-paying job. Money was tight, and sometimes I didn’t even have enough for my next meal. I learned to trust God for my daily provision.
It reminded me of the prophet Elijah’s experience. During his prophetic ministry, he learned to trust God to meet his daily needs. Shortly after Elijah pronounced God’s judgment of a drought in Israel, God sent him to a deserted place, Kerith Ravine, where He used the ravens to bring Elijah his daily meals and refresh him with water from the brook (1 Kings 17:1–4).
But a drought occurred. The brook shrank to a tiny stream, and slowly became a mere trickle. It was only when the brook had dried up that God said: “Arise, get thee to Zarephath . . . and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee” (v. 9). Zarephath was in Phoenicia, whose inhabitants were enemies of the Israelites. Would anyone offer Elijah shelter? And would a poor widow have food to share?
Most of us would rather God provided in abundance long before our resources were depleted rather than just enough for each day. But our loving Father whispers, Trust Me. Just as He used ravens and a widow to provide for Elijah, nothing is impossible for Him. We can count on His love and power to meet our daily needs.
Faithful Father, thank You for knowing exactly what we need before we even ask. Help us to trust You for our daily needs. Amen.
Two words stood out to me as I read this devotion today and it blessed me, sustain thee. The definition of sustain is, strengthen or support, comfort, assist, encourage, give strength to, carry, cheer up. I don’t know about you but He sustains me. He is my strength, He is my support, He is my comfort, He assist’s me every single day of my life, He is my encouragement, He gives me strength from day to day, He carries me and yes He knows just how to cheer me up. He is my all in all and I pray He too is all that to you. We are so quick to judge God because He didn’t supply the need in abundance but I can guarantee you if you stopped and looked at where you are He sustains you, it’s not always about the huge tangible things in life that matter. If you are breathing and you can look up then you can get up and if you can’t physically get up due to an ailment or sickness then get up mentally and spiritually and thank God for today, praise Him through your storm and watch how incredibly faithful He is, today. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him (Nahum 1:7). He is so much bigger than anything you will face today, leave everything in His hands and embrace this day confidently knowing that He will take care of you.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 1 Kings 17:7-16
How to Change a Life
Sometimes our lives can change in a moment through the powerful impact of others. Well-chosen words can give us hope, even change the course of our lives. I’m sure most of us could share stories of a conversation that forever impacted our lives—words from a teacher that changed the way we saw the world, words of encouragement that restored our confidence, gentle words from a friend that carried us through a difficult time.
Perhaps this is why the book of Proverbs spends so much time emphasizing our responsibility to treasure words and use them wisely. Scripture never treats speech as if it’s “just talk.” Instead, we are taught that our words can have life-or-death consequences (18:21). In just a few words we could crush someone’s spirit, or, through words of wisdom and hope, nourish and strengthen others (15:4).
We each can seek God’s wisdom to serve others through our speech (Psalm 141:3). With just a few well-chosen words, God can use us to change a life.
Lord, help us never to take for granted the powerful gift of language. May we use our words wisely to heal and strengthen others and point to the hope we have in You. Amen.
This devotion blessed me so so much because just this morning as I was spending time with The Lord I was listening to a powerful sermon and it was about this very thing. The minister said, The tongue could be the best thing in the world or the worst thing in the world because the power of life and death are in the tongue, Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof, Proverbs 18:21. It can be the best thing in your life or the worst thing in your life and it depends on how you use it. What you speak, weather you show mercy and you show love your tongue will either become the most wonderful thing or the worst thing. Bridle your tongue and allow God to use you to change a life for the good. Show mercy and love, even to those you feel don’t deserve it and watch the impact you will make. God is watching and He will bless you for showing mercy, love and forgiveness. Be careful with your words.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Proverbs 15:4; 16:24; 18:21
Just Ask
My sister called the other day complaining about her boss at work. She began telling me about the problems she was having on her job and how they were beginning to disrupt her home life. How many of us can relate to this? After listening to her stories, I realized that the root of the problem stemmed from a breakdown in communication between my sister and her boss. As the picture came into focus, I realized that my sister had issues (wants, needs, desires) that needed addressing. However, she was not telling all of this to her boss. In other words, she somehow expected her boss to know and understand what she needed. I told her that maybe she should tell her boss what her issues were and ask for help. Sounds easy enough, but for some reason we just do not know how to ask for the things we want or how to discuss the problems we are having in certain situations.
What about our prayer lives? Do we ask the Lord for the desires of our hearts? Do we honestly tell the Lord our problems, even when they involve Him? Today’s verses clearly instruct us on how to pray. We are to have faith and not doubt. We must come to the Lord in prayer and truly believe in our hearts that He hears us and will answer us. The faith to move mountains is amazing faith and is available to all of us, if we believe. Try not to get hung up on how to pray, what to pray and praying God’s will. Just go to the Lord and ask, believe, and receive. Even though God already knows our hearts’ desires, we need to ask Him for them because it increases our faith and blesses us in the process. Remember this: the Lord will answer as He sees best. That is why faith is so important in our prayers. We must trust in God’s final answer, regardless of what we think. If our prayers are continuing without ceasing, alongside His Word, and from our honest hearts, then His answers will be received in our hearts of faith.
When I read this devotion it made me smile. I’ve recalled countless times I’ve used those two words with my kiddos, just ask, how much more does our Heavenly Father want us to just ask. He desires for us to be real with Him to have a relationship with Him and to truly trust in His final answer once we have asked. Just as I want my kids to trust me when I give an answer, we too must trust Him no matter the answer. The Lord will answer as He sees fit. God is always faithful to answer. Sometimes His answer is a much desired “yes”. Sometimes His answer is a merciful “no”. Sometimes His answer is a faith building “not yet”. And sometimes…sometimes, when an answer cannot be found, His answer is simply “Trust Me”. Just Ask . . .
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 21
Awake out of Sleep
We are living in perilous times as Christians. Our freedoms are being threatened in more ways than any of us can fully grasp. The enemy is roaming about, seeking whom he may devour, and we are definitely his targets. But, his schemes are not always so blatant and clearly discerned. The greatest threat to us from the enemy is allowing ourselves to become complacent and operating on auto-pilot. We lose our passions to witness, our urgency for the lost to be saved, and even our first love, as Jesus talks about in Revelation chapter 3. But, it is not too late to wake up.
Today, our salvation is nearer than we first believed. Today is a day closer to the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Today could be the last day for us here on earth. Do we live with such a sense of urgency? Or, do we act as they did in the days of Noah? Noah preached for over 100 years as he built the ark. He warned the people of the day that was coming, a day of total destruction. But, the people did not listen and they carried on with their lives, even up until the rain started to fall and the door of the ark was shut. At what point did they wake up? It was too late. Let us not wait until it is too late. Let us look to the Lord today and ask Him to stir us like never before and to give us a sense of urgency and passion.
Let’s pray this prayer together: Heavenly Father, I confess that I have allowed complacency into my life as a Christian. I have allowed life’s comforts a place of priority, even over helping others. I know that I need to be awakened and stirred to see things through Your eyes and to have Your heart in these last days. Please fill me with Your Spirit this day and jolt my heart with a new awareness of the reality of these days I am living in. Please, Lord, make the rest of my days here on earth count for the kingdom of God. In Jesus name, Amen.
What truth! When I read this I couldn’t help but think of the parable of the Ten Virgins, Matthew 25:1-13. As today’s devotion says, the greatest threat to us from the enemy is allowing ourselves to become complacent and operating on auto-pilot. Let’s remember this quote, by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Let’s do more for God than we did yesterday for our salvation truly is nearer than we first believed. Awake out of sleep.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 20:17-34
Little by Little
In Chapter 23, God grants the Israelites various promises, including utterly overthrowing and completely cutting off their enemies. The Lord further states that He will bless their bread and water and take their sicknesses away. With the Lord on their side, the Israelites cannot lose. But in verse 30, the Lord says that He will fulfill His promises by driving out their enemies little by little. Why? Why doesn’t God just wipe their enemies out like He did the Egyptians as they entered the Red Sea? What benefit is there to do it little by little?
Exodus 23:29 says “I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you.” In other words, a place of instant abundance and blessings would be harmful for the Israelites. Blessings are not true blessings unless they come when we are able to handle them. Think of areas in your life that you would love to see the Lord work in you today. Maybe you need deliverance from sin that seems to have trapped you or maybe it is your finances. The list can go on and on. God wants to deliver you and bless you, but He will only give you what you can handle. God knows what is best for us. Even the blessings can become curses if we do not have the wisdom, maturity and honesty to handle them.
The Lord’s timing is never too late nor too slow. He is patient and kind, assessing the whole situation, so that when He fulfills His promises in you, you will be able to receive them in peace. We want the quick fix or the instant gratification. We want the immediate and the miraculous. However, God’s ways are not our ways and He desires to give us a future life in His promises. Little by little, complete victory will be yours by having faith and patience day by day.
This devotion blessed me in so many ways, one part that jumped out at me was when it said “blessings are not true blessings unless they come when we are able to handle them”. So many times we are guilty of forcing things to happen and then saying it was God’s blessing when in reality it wasn’t part of His plan for your life and eventually we realize that wasn’t the best choice to have been made or forced. It’s so important we wait patiently on Him, His plan for our lives is far better and far more productive than anything we could ever imagine. What’s also so incredible about God is even when we force our plan He is able to come along and steer us back in the direction He had planned if we are willing to let go and let God. Little by little makes a huge impact. He has a perfect plan for your life, trust Him! The Lords timing is never too late nor too slow, Amen, what truth! Not my will, but thine, be done. What an example to follow after, that should be our heart’s cry every single day.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 20:1-16
Patience
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. (James 5:7)
I always cringe just a little (if not a lot) when I see the words “be patient.” Not long ago we spoke at an event that had an interesting theme. The theme for this event embraced the honey “bee” and even the decorations had some kind of bee on it. There were stuffed animal-type bees, candy bees, and even flower corsages that a bee would love to buzz around. You get my drift. When we sat down at a table, there was a bee placed in front of each glass. The bee had a saying on it. Mine said “be kind.” The one next to me said “be patient.” I was so glad I got the “be kind” bee. Then, out of the blue, we were asked to move over one place and there it was–“be patient” staring back at me. I knew I was in trouble.
Since then I have had to wait on many things. Traffic seems extremely slow, far more than normal. This morning, we got stuck in a parking lot that was being paved and literally could not get out of it. We were running late for a meeting. And then, I went to the eye doctor. At five minutes past the hour, I heard him coming. Yea, he is right on schedule! Then, an emergency phone call came from nowhere. I waited 45 minutes. I sat in a semi-dark room and had a talk with God. He told me to be kind to everyone in that office and to keep waiting patiently. As I left, the doctor shook my hand, gave me a discount on the office visit, the receptionist gave me some free stuff, and another girl expressed to me that it had been a very long day for them. She sincerely thanked me for being “patient.” I smiled, they smiled and I am pretty sure God smiled too.
When you get that little message and know in your spirit that you are being tested on something, like patience, stop and pray. The Lord had to remind me of the fruit that He wanted to bear through me – not about me, but about Him. Be alert to those things that God wants to do through you today. Stop and pray and let the Lord be your guide. You never know how it will turn out to bless someone else.
Today’s devotion blessed me. Patience is something I also struggle with, I want things done quickly and productively but many times God has spoken to my heart to slow down. I have learned through many testings not to stress about how it’s not turning out how I intended and on almost every occasion where I have shown patience and forgiveness, God has taken what I thought wasn’t the plan and revealed His plan to me. He has taken many situations and turned them for my good and when I realized I can’t control every situation but I can control how I react to those situations, I see God’s hand move in my favor because of my patience but in those moments when I allow my hot button to be pushed and I react accordingly God instantly convicts my heart and I feel horrible, we must remember, we can’t take back what we say or how we react to any given situation so when we feel frustration, anger or hate nudging at us we must do as today’s devotion says, stop and pray. Yes, it’s truly that simple.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Matthew 18:21-35
Move Mountains
The word “faith” has numerous definitions and interpretations. From the intellectual to the philosophical to the spiritual, I found myself back at square one trying to understand its meaning to my personal life. If “faith as a mustard seed” can move a mountain, then I want more faith. Can it be that easy? After reading pages of explanations, I seem to make it more complicated, which in turn, dampens my faith. What happens when we really search for true faith?
Paul says in Romans 10 verse 17 that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It makes sense then that our search for faith must start in God’s Word. It is interesting to note that Paul uses the word “hearing” instead of reading. When we read, study and meditate on God’s Word, then we begin to hear it, as it penetrates our hearts and minds. To grow in faith, we must grow in the knowledge of God’s Word. When we put the Word in our minds every day, we hear it in our thoughts all day long. Another component of faith is found in James Chapter One. James says that our faith will be tested. If we ask for things without having the faith to believe in the answer, then we will deal with doubt and unbelief. James Chapter 5 verse 15 says that “the prayer of faith shall save the sick.” So, once again we come back to the Word and prayer as being the key components to our growing in faith.
Do you want to move mountains in your life and see God do the impossible? All you need is faith. Sounds easy enough – but is it? For me personally, I have learned that being in God’s Word every day puts me in a place of hearing Him more clearly about things on my heart and in my prayers. I find the strength to step out in faith, even when I have nothing tangible to cling to. I have a confidence that is not based on what I know or what has been proven to me. And, every time that I have acted or stepped out in faith, I have seen God do amazing works. Not once have I been disappointed in the Lord; He has always been faithful. I have been disappointed in myself, but not when I have the foundation of Scripture and prayer to guide me in faith. Make it a priority of your day to not only read the Word but also to hear it all day long. Let it guide your prayers and lead your steps. At that point, you just might see those mountains begin to move.
What truth, this blessed me. I pray through this devotion you are inspired to not only read God’s word but also hear it. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). Strengthen your faith by daily digging deep into The Word. Remember, satan’s target is your mind, satan’s weapon is lies, satan’s purpose is to make you ignorant of God’s will, but your defense, The inspired Word of God!! Equip yourself, dig deep. By faith you can move mountains! Move Mountains today!!
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Who Do You Say That I Am?
Who do you say Jesus is? Many of us would agree with Peter that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. But do we know what that looks like in our daily lives?
Even though Jesus was Peter’s friend and teacher, Peter was very aware that the religious leaders did not believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Despite all ?the miracles?, Jesus did not come as the Jewish people envisioned. Jesus seemed to purposely perform miracles and teach things that bothered others and contradicted their lifestyle. People had conflicting views on who Jesus was. However, when Peter was asked who Jesus was, his answer was firm and Jesus rewarded Peter’s words.
There are difficulties and conflicts in our lives today that do not reflect the Holy God, in whom we believe. Those things are placed in our lives as tests to examine what we will declare about Jesus. Can you say that despite the hardships, conflicts, struggles and stresses in your life, Jesus is your Christ, the Son of the living God? Does Jesus impact your life daily, making a difference in the way you think, feel and what you say? If your faith is wavering in belief, ask the Lord to reveal to you who Jesus is, just as He did with Peter. People and circumstances will change with seasons and times of life; but when all is said and done, we want our faith and convictions to be as solid as rocks so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against us.
When I read this I was reminded of Psalms 23, a very well known setting of scripture filled with such solid faith and truth. May we live our lives with that setting of scripture at the forefront of our minds. No matter the circumstances or seasons that come and go there will always be a constant in your life, Christ, He is your solid rock, now and always. Trust Him despite what you may be going through, remember, there’s no testimony without the test. He is worthy to be praised!
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalms 23