your daily crossroad

 

Thank God

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!


His Peace

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!


Guilt Is A Liar

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!


Jesus The Son of God

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!


His Submission

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.



Press Toward The Mark

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!


He Loves You Completely

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!


His Grace is Sufficient

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!


God is Love

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!


Put It Away

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!


His Incredible Love

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. (Isaiah 54:10)

The prophet Isaiah was painting an amazing picture here.
 
Even when it seems the world is crumbling apart with darkness looming, mountains shaking, and hills being removed, the love of God will remain an unmovable foundation, and His supernatural peace will be undisturbed.
 
This is an incredible and eternal foundation we can build our life upon.
 
No other foundation of the earth can compare to the one God offers us.
 
His incredible love is truly indescribable!
 
In order to grasp this incredible love, we must have a real revelation of it.
 
It’s one thing to believe something, and another to receive and experience it in full measure.
 
To know the love of God intimately is to know freedom. The more we pursue God with passion and hunger, we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us and empower us to know this amazing love that transcends human understanding.
 
Have you felt like mountains and hills have been shaking and crumbling around you?
 
Hear the Lord saying to you today, “you are safe and secure with Me, beloved.
 
Dwell in His presence today, and know His peace and compassion have not been removed. God will never let you go. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. He holds your world in His hands, and no matter what may come, His love is here to stay
 
“Lord, thank you for your unshakable love that is mine for the taking. Even though the world will fail me, your unfailing love will never waver. In your love, I am secure.”  

There are so many parts of this devotion that I love so much. “To know the love of God intimately is to know freedom”, “you are safe and secure with Me, beloved.”, “His love is here to stay” and I could go on and on. I hope and pray you are reminded, just as todays devotion says, In His love, you are secure.
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!


He is Your Hiding Place

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. (Psalm 119:14)
 
He is your hiding place.
 
When the noise and stresses of life have worn us out, it is easy to want to run and find a place to get away.
 
If you’ve desired for a place where you can hide away to rest, be refreshed and undisturbed, God wants to be that for you.
 
Throughout scripture, we see followers of Christ who found their hiding place in God.
 
In the Psalms, we see how often David sought out refuge in God to hide away from trouble (and David dealt with a lot of trouble!) and God was always faithful to him.
 
Have you felt surrounded by troubles lately? Know that even when it looks or feels as though stresses, and fears are all around, God is still there, surrounding you with His songs of deliverance and victory.
 
Every time troubles come your way, no matter how big or small, make God the first one to run to. He is your refuge and strong tower, and you can rest under the shadow of His wings.
 
The more you make this a habit, the more peace and joy you will experience. God has already fought the battle and won the victory for you, and He surrounds you with those songs of victory over your enemies even when you ‘feel’ otherwise.
 
Do you need refreshment, peace, or strength today?
 
Your Heavenly Father is waiting for you, where His protective arms will wrap you in love and safety, hiding you away while His Spirit instills supernatural peace and strength back into you.
 
“Lord, there is no better hiding place than in your sweet presence! Help me to always run to you when I am weary and troubles seem to be surrounding me, for I know your songs of victory are more than enough to drown out the noise of the enemy.” 
 
I don’t know about you but I needed to be reminded of this today. What a powerful devotion for the day and time we are living in. He is more than enough.
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!


Armor of Light

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. (Romans 13:12)
 
Just as we put on clothes every day, we must put on the armor of light every day, too.
 
By clothing ourselves with the armor of God and His light, we are in turn wrapping ourselves with Him!
 
By pushing away deeds of darkness and temptations of our flesh, we pull the light of Christ closer to us.
 
This enables us to live nearer to Him, thus allowing us to make better decisions, have clarity of mind, more peace and joy in our lives.
 
There is much darkness to be found in the world, but the light of the world lives in each and every follower of Christ.
 
This precious light that is Jesus, lives in you!
 
When you go out into the world, the beautiful yet powerful light of Jesus shines through you into the lives of others. You radiate the beacon of hope that people lost in the darkness so desperately yearn for! You become a living lighthouse that points others to Jesus.
 
As you practice clothing yourself with the armor of light, continue to make a daily effort to live close to God. Ask and thank Him for helping you become more aware of His loving and permeating presence in your life.
 
Even though we will see evil around the world, the light of Christ that lives in us will always be able to pierce the deepest darkness!
 
“Lord, thank you for helping me to continually put on your armor of light every day. Help me to say no to temptations and push away deeds of darkness so I may draw nearer to you. Jesus, may your precious light shine through me wherever I go!”  
 
When I read this devotion it was so uplifting. He equips us and gives us the armor we need each and every day to put on His armor of light. Draw nearer to Him today. 
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!


Him in Us

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
 
The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Did you hear that? The one who is in you, the Holy Spirit that is alive in you, is greater,  more powerful than anything that is in the world. 
 
Ephesians 1:18-21
 
We have the same power that raised Jesus up from the grave.
 
We have the authority to speak out against the darkness, fear, sickness, death.
 
It’s Him in us who makes us strong. 
 
It’s Him in us who makes us brave. 
 
It’s Him in us who gives us confidence. 
 
It’s Him in us who gives us eyes to see a hopeful future. 
 
It’s Him in us who allows us to not worry. 
 
It’s Him in us who gives us the tools to fight battles bigger than ourselves.
 
It’s Him in us who helps us to overcome darkness.
 
It’s Him in us who gives us joy, even in mourning.
 
So when you feel fearful, in panic, overcome by darkness, know that it’s Him in us who can tackle and overcome all things, not by our strength but His strength in us.
 
Lord Jesus, I thank you for this truth, I thank you that you’re listening, that you’re closer than I know. Thank you that I can talk to you at any time of the day. Your Holy Spirit that lives in me is my greatest weapon. With your strength, I can overcome anything. Amen. 
 
When I read this devotion I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone else needed to read it too. I pray that someone finds strength and joy today.
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!


Are You Thirsty Today?

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. (Psalm 63:1)
 
We thirst for God much more than we realize.
 
Without knowing it, we thirst for more awareness of His rich presence in our lives.
 
We can strive to satisfy this soul thirst with a sense of control by planning our futures, making decisions too early, and with worldly pleasures. If we find our minds idle, there are plenty of distractions to fill it.
 
This soul thirst can only be satisfied by the living water of the one true living God.
 
When we are caught up in the whirlwind of the world’s fast paced lifestyle, we will soon find ourselves beyond parched.
 
This is when we must pause and remember to be present.
 
The Lord longs for you to be present in His presence.
 
This is where His presence awaits you continually.
 
When you choose to put aside tasks awaiting to be done and turn your attention towards Him, He rejoices!
 
Are you thirsty today?
 
If you’ve felt burnt out and parched in your spirit, the Lord wants to quench that thirst and refresh you with His abundant source of strength, peace and joy. Without Him, we are bound to faint in the dry and desolate land that is the world.
 
Allow Him to lead you beside still waters, and restore your innermost being with His love!
 
I felt this was a powerful devotion. I pray as you read it you are encouraged to allow Him to lead you and restore you.
 
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!