Your Daily Crossroad
30
Sep '19
Your Shining for Jesus Wherever You Are
30
Sep '19
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
The news headlines drifted in from the living room as I sat at my desk. The story of yet another tragedy contrasted so sharply with what I was writing that I stopped, sighed and leaned back in my chair. A sense of despair washed over me.
“Lord,” I silently prayed, “is there anything I can do about the darkness in this world? It seems so overwhelming.”
I sensed a gentle whisper within my heart replying, “The only way to get rid of the darkness is to add more light.”
Darkness is the absence of light. Trying to go after it directly is like chasing your shadow. You can’t bag it up and throw it away. Only light is powerful enough to make the darkness disappear. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made it clear that we are the light of the world. We are called to shine. But the light we share is not our own.
From the very beginning of creation, God has been the source of light both spiritually and literally. Genesis 1:2-3 says, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light”.
Imagine a world full of darkness. Then with four small words, light blazes forth. Every living thing in our world relies on light for its existence – plants, animals and people. The God who brought light to the world also brings it to our lives. As 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.
The best part of all is that we don’t have to be like the light bulb that said, “I have to find a way to shine!” The light bulb went to a self-help meeting to learn about its inner capacity for light. It read books about how to get brighter. Each morning the light bulb would get up and recite positive affirmations. “I am a light bulb. I believe in myself. I will shine!” But nothing happened.
Eventually the light bulb became weary and discouraged. It began to doubt who it was and what it could do. It almost burned out completely. Fortunately, one day the light bulb was carefully placed in a fixture. Light burst forth and filled the room. The light bulb finally understood. The key was not to try harder but to plug into the source.
Trying to shine on our own can be exhausting. Instead, we’re simply called to be closely connected to God and remain in Him. When we do, His light pours forth through us in powerful, brilliant ways that change the world. The ways we shine might not make the news, but they make even more of a difference than we can see.
Lord, thank You for being the light within us so we can shine brightly for the world around us. When it seems darkness is crowding in, use us to make a difference. We ask that You will help us share Your love, joy and peace – especially this time of year. You are the hope we need and the One light that will never burn out, be overcome or fade away. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
I needed to be reminded of this today. I haven’t felt my light has shined as bright as it should over the past few weeks, months or even the year. The past year has flown by so fast and it’s so easy for the darkness to crowd my light but I am, you are a child of God, a shining light, no matter what your facing, He is indeed the very hope we need, the One light that will never fad, never burn out. What hope! If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you, Matthew 17:20. Faith and hope, no matter the darkness I feel from time to time, I choose to shine for Jesus wherever I am. I can say with confidence that the one person I have faith and hope in is my Savior, my Friend, He chose me, He chose you.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Philippians 1:9-10
26
Sep '19
Hearing God’s Invitation
26
Sep '19
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21)
I have to admit, I rush and miss God’s invitations a lot. I walked by a woman at church the other day. A quick stirring in my heart said, Go say hi. I brushed it off.
When I saw a discarded cup in the parking lot of the restaurant where I had lunch, I knew I was supposed to pick it up and throw it away. I walked right by it.
These were simple acts of obedience I missed. But they weren’t missed because I was unaware. They were missed because I was busy — caught in the rush of endless demands. And the rush makes us rebellious. I knew what to do and blatantly ignored it.
Ignoring God’s leading doesn’t seem like such a big deal in these cases. In the grand scheme of the world, how big a thing is it that I didn’t pick up that cup? After all, how can I be sure it was really God?
A better question would be, How can I be sure it wasn’t God?
As God’s child, we long for unbroken companionship with Him. The cup was insignificant unless it was me breaking away from obeying His instruction. The one who obeys God’s instruction for today will develop a keen awareness of His direction for tomorrow. I’m always asking God for direction, but I’ll miss it if I constantly ignore His instruction.
It’s in those little breaks in our companionship with God where confusion sets in about what we’re really supposed to do.
Have you ever heard that amazing verse from Isaiah which says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (30:21)?
I love this verse! I want it to be true for me! With every fiber of my being, I want to hear God say, “This is the way; walk in it.”
When I humbly repented for rushing past the opportunities God had given me, He graciously gave me a do-over. Remembering the woman I hurried by at church, I felt a stirring to track her down through a mutual friend and send a simple email. Just a small note. Which I sent. For no other reason than God saying, “This touch is one of your assignments for today. Don’t miss it.”
That email paved the road for me to have coffee with this woman. During that meeting, God gave me an answer to something I’d been begging Him to address. I thought I was going to help her, yet I was the one helped. Obeying God’s instruction led to me being able to discern His direction. I needed that coffee meeting, and it never would have happened had I not stopped the rush of my life and emailed the woman after God’s prompting.
That little act of obedience somehow unplugged my spiritual ears. Not that we can’t hear God otherwise. But hearing Him clearly? I think that might require my soul to acknowledge what all my rushing causes me to miss.
Yes, if we want His direction for our decisions, the great longings of our souls must not only be the big moments of assignment. They must also be the seemingly small instructions in the most ordinary moments when God points His finger, saying, Go there. And in doing that, we are companions of God with eyes and ears more open, more able, more in tune with Him.
Dear Lord, I confess that I do walk right past Your invitations from time to time. Please forgive me for those times when I have rushed right on by. Help me to stop and follow You. I’m listening. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
This devotion blessed me today. I believe we all struggle with this very thing from time to time, we rush and miss God’s invitation, but God. He is patient, loving and shows us grace. He gives us opportunities to do things differently. Remember this today, the one who obeys God’s instruction for today will develop a keen awareness of His direction for tomorrow.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Hebrews 10:30-31
24
Sep '19
This Is A New Day
24
Sep '19
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
There is much to be thankful for each morning. The Lord has given you a new day. Whatever happened yesterday cannot be changed and what tomorrow holds is unknown. Don’t let the enemy of your soul take the joy from this present day.
There is much to be thankful for each morning. The Lord has given you a new day. Whatever happened yesterday cannot be changed and what tomorrow holds is unknown. Don’t let the enemy of your soul take the joy from this present day.
As our opening verse notes, “…rejoice and be glad in it.” You are in control of what thoughts you allow into your mind. Be quick to cast out negative ones and vigilant to focus on what is good. The Bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances and pray without ceasing.
Jesus is not looking for a lot of words. A simple, “I trust you, Lord. I love you, God. I need your help, Holy Spirit.” are sincere prayers that God longs to hear. Remember, you can never repeat this day. The Lord opened your eyes this new day, and that is a gift in itself. Don’t waste time looking back or much time looking ahead.
God is in the present, celebrate the here and now. As you face whatever today brings, be mindful of Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee”. Believe and remain hope-filled throughout this new day the Lord has made.
I was blessed by this devotion today. What a reminder. Don’t allow the enemy to rob you of your joy today. You might be thinking, what do I have to be joyful about today, look around you, start counting your blessings, not your troubles. As you start your day today remember this, a smile is the prettiest thing you can wear. Remember, this is a new day!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Hebrews 10:35-36
20
Sep '19
The Surprising Truth About What Your Worth
20
Sep '19
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
So often we feel safe in a theology wrapped in self-deprecation.
We focus on our sins. Our desperation. Our neediness.
Here’s the deal, these are all true!
We are sinful, desperate, and in deep need of a Savior.
But . . . If that’s the lion’s share of what we dwell on, do we have eyes for newness? Where are God’s work and victory in our hearts celebrated? Where is our identity rooted?
Think about it like this.
When we hyper-focus on our unworthiness, it can become a target we never intended to hit, but that destroys us in the process.
Trust me, the truth is, you and I are worth profoundly more than we can even fathom.
How much, you ask?
The life of God’s one and only Son.
That’s right. God the Father values us so profoundly he sent Jesusto die in our place, redeem us, and then join him in resurrection life!
God is in charge, and he’s the one who gets to determine what you and I are worth — not us.
He decided we are worth the life of Jesus, and then Jesus willingly laid his life down for us (John 10:18).
When I read this devotion I felt it needed to be shared over and over again. There is someone at this very moment questioning there worth, I would encourage you today to see yourself through the eyes of Christ. He loves you so much, He sent His son to die for you, to redeem you. You are what God knows you are, not what others think you are. He sees, He hears, He will deliver you. Look to Him!
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Joel 2:23