Your Daily Crossroad
02
Jan '20
Forgive
02
Jan '20
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. (Luke 6:37)
We find scriptures on the topic of forgiveness throughout the bible.
God’s commands around forgiveness are pretty clear and straightforward, and yet why do so many of us struggle with it?
Often, we are urged to forgive without allowing the healthy processing of feelings.
We may fear that forgiving someone means we accept their behavior as okay or that we are somehow saying their wrongdoing doesn’t matter anymore.
The reality is forgiveness liberates me from bitterness and hard-heartedness, even if the other person never changes.
“We win by tenderness. We conquer by forgiveness.” Frederick W. Robertson
I may have to say to the Lord I am willing to be willing, but I choose to make the step of faith toward forgiveness.
This small step of faith is all you are asking from me, and I give it freely.
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:36)
If you struggle with forgiveness today I pray after reading this devotion you are encouraged to do the right thing and forgive.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
31
Dec '19
Judge Not
31
Dec '19
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. (Luke 6:37)
When we sit in judgment of another person it is typically our religious pride saying, “I’m not like you!” or “I’m better than you!”
When we condemn another person, we often feel that they deserve some sort of negative consequence or punishment or even that they don’t deserve something they have already received.
Withholding love & support are subtle ways we act as judge.
Withholding love & support are subtle ways we act as judge.
Rallying others to feel negatively about those we are in conflict with is also a subtle way we judge.
However, God clearly outlines in scripture we are not to judge.
We are not to condemn.
We cannot be judge over anyone’s life, but our own.
When we take our eyes off someone else, focus on changing ourselves, and give God control, we allow the supernatural to work.
God it is hard to lay down judgement, hurt and anger when I feel someone has been out of order. Let me remember you are my vindicator and help me to trust you with the outcomes. Amen.
I felt this was a fitting devotion to be shared for New Years Eve. I pray we remember this going into a new year and we choose to stop focusing on others and more on changing ourselves and giving God control. Remember to put God first today.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
26
Dec '19
Praise Him
26
Dec '19
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (Psalm 100:4)
The courts of every palace were set apart for the privileged inner circle, only.
The courts were called the holy of holies when they were in the wilderness.
The courts of God are a place of intimacy; a place where we don’t worship what he has done for us but, we worship WHO HE IS!
In giving Thanksgiving, I remember to praise God for answered prayers about my children, my job, my home, relationships, health, or business worries.
But… in praising God, I simply praise him for being God.
I praise Him for being my everlasting Father, my faithful King, my merciful Shepherd.
I praise him for His faithfulness, His loyalty, His Love, and His stability.
Praising God is a very different thing than expressing Thanksgiving,
Both are important.
Thanksgiving is the ramp into the heavenly places, but praise lands us into His presence.
TODAY: I will purpose myself to give praise simply for who He is.
In the intimacy of my praise I experience His presence.
His presence will be my place of rest and peace regardless of my circumstances.
This devotion blessed me. I pray it blesses you and encourages you to praise Him today and to rest in Him with such peace regardless of what your going through.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
24
Dec '19
His Love
24
Dec '19
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
How do we become persuaded or convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God?
First, we must know Him over a lifetime of pursuit, study and prayer.
We won’t mature in our faith, or know anyone deeply and intimately unless we spend time with them.
If our focus is church fellowship, but we neglect to get alone with God, we will not be persuaded.
If our focus is serving others, but we neglect to get alone with God, we will not be persuaded.
If we do not spend time alone with God we will never have more than superficial knowledge of who He is.
The second way to truly be persuaded and convinced of His love is to stop measuring the love of God through our circumstances.
God‘s presence is for all the seasons and cannot be taken from us.
We live in a fallen world. We will experience heartache and brokenness.
But, God’s love is there to redeem us, to give us victory over our circumstances, and bring hope to the desolate places in our life.
TODAY: Let me not be tossed around by the highs and lows of my relationships or circumstances.
Let me seek Him through alone time with my Heavenly Father that I may truly experience the depth of His love.
That we henceforth be no more like children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, or by the sleight of [crafty] men. (Ephesians 4:14)
I pray you are just as blessed by this devotion as I was. I hope you take away two very import truths from today’s devotion, stop measuring the love of God through your circumstances and let us not be tossed around by the highs and lows of our relationships or circumstances. God’s love cant be explained, only experienced.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!