I'm doing a clean sweep of my house, emptying closets and getting rid of the junk. Over the years, things can really accumulate! All the extra stuff makes it harder to keep the house clean, especially when you open a closet and things fall out. I've decided that everything unnecessary must go! Our minds can also become cluttered with unnecessary thoughts, full of hurts and shameful reminders of our past. As Christ followers, we have been redeemed and all of that has been cleansed and is no longer our responsibility. For you to keep returning to it and wallowing in self pity is a waste of precious time. Stop dwelling on the past, that time is gone and there is nothing you can do to get it back. Each day is a new opportunity to live free and let go of the bad things jumbling your mind. Pray for God to help you regain your freedom and break the chains that are binding you to the past.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
It's time for spring cleaning in my house. We had twenty years worth of old papers and receipts that needed to go into file thirteen, but, placing them in the garbage didn't seem like a good idea. So, I decided to build a nice fire to dispose of them, back to my country way of thinking. I live near the city and I started hearing fire trucks and a helicopter flying right overhead. I thought that there was a big accident out on the highway until a nice gentleman walked into my back yard dressed like a fireman! One of my neighbors, bless their heart, had called the fire department thinking my house was on fire. It made me realize how fortunate I am to be in a country where we have such amazing public servants ready to jump into action to save me and my home. Though this could have been quite serious, I have to admit that it was kind of humorous, but, I still felt bad for all the ruckus it caused.
But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:43-45
We have all had thoughts that God couldn't possibly forgive us of a certain type of sin. Especially if we have already been before Him and repented of that same sin. We tend to believe that God thinks the same way we do, in that, if someone sinned against us the way we sinned against God, we could never forgive them again and would always remember their offense. God is so full of mercy! What if He wasn't merciful? What if we had to pay the penalty for our sin immediately? Just one bad thought would strike us dead! He even lets us carry our sin around without repentance, like a badge. Then when the burden is too much for us to bear, we finally turn to Him for forgiveness. He doesn't turn us away, but welcomes us back and forgets our sin. Our Father has such compassion for us and wants to forgive us. Don't wallow in your sin too long, go to Him and He will forgive you.
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:6-8
We must live our lives as a testament to the goodness of God. How fortunate are we that He chose us as a part of His kingdom? That we, an unclean people, be allowed to come near an awesome and holy being that is perfect in every way. There is no one or no thing more precious than our King and Savior Jesus. And He, a most holy Lord, was willing to become the greatest sacrifice ever known, so that we might be cleansed by His blood and provide us a way to come near to God. Great are you Lord! Isn't that enough for you to live your life for Him? He is worth the struggle, the fight we are in, and the battle we face every day. If you would come to the realization that this life you're living is not about you, and that it's about Him, the struggle would have new meaning. How do you know what pleases Him? You pick up your Bible! Everything you need to know about God and delighting Him is in there.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10
I get up early every morning to spend some quiet time with the Lord, praying, reading The Word, and expressing my thoughts as He guides me. It takes obedience and consistency to do what He has called me to do. It's not hard most of the time because He has equipped me for this work. But, as with anything, there are days that I prefer to stay in bed. However, I know that if I don't get going early, the demands of others will overpower me and interfere, and the quality of my time with Him will diminish. If I ever just lay there for an extra amount of time, I'm always sorry. Then I feel like complaining and grumbling because of the distractions when all along it was my own fault for staying in bed. Paul calls grumbling and disputing a blemish! We are to stand out and shine as lights among a crooked world; if we allow negativity to escape our tongue, it makes us appear to be part of the world.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15
I've never been a person who finds ceremonies to be necessary, I'm just not into all the pomp and circumstance. However, there are a couple that Jesus commanded us to do; one is baptism and the other is communion. Don't neglect these things. I was privileged to be a part of a beautiful service where our church, which is a new start-up, was commissioned to serve. We were each anointed with oil by our pastor and then prayed over by an elder. Something amazing must be happening in Heaven as some types of ceremonies take place. I was so overcome with joy that tears flowed like rain. We must be causing the angels to go to war to hold off the enemy as we open the doors of our hearts for the work of the Holy Spirit. There is so much that takes place in the world that is unseen so don't neglect the beauty of the ceremony. God leans in a little closer to hear our prayers and to observe our worship of Him.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19
So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. John 6:53
I have a couple of friends that are shell artist. The beautiful things they create are quite incredible. One of the things they create is what's call a sailors valentine. The tiniest shells are arranged in such a way that an artful design comes to life. It's a tedious, time consuming craft that takes patience and a steady hand. Once a year a big show is held on Sanibel where crafters and artist from all over the world go to compete and show off their talent. Not only do they show the valentines but other amazing shell art as well. My friends are quite award winning and take home many prizes for their craftsmanship. They didn't get where they are overnight, it took effort and practice. God has given each of us talents and abilities to suit our personalities and He has a plan and a purpose to use them for His glory. So whatever your talent is, remember where it came from and glorify Him every chance you get.
and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. Exodus 35:31-33
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
I know in past devotions, I've mentioned my love of seashells and paddleboarding. Combining the two sends me over the edge with enjoyment. We were on a new moon cycle where the tide was at an extreme low. I had finished my chores just in time to hit the bay at its lowest point. It was so low that I ended up walking most of the time dragging my board behind me. I barely get out of the mangroves when I find my first shell; it was huge, about a foot long! I always find big shells, but most of the time they're occupied but not this time! That was just the beginning! By the time I had paddled a mile, I had collected more than sixty large, very beautiful shells. What amazing fun! I guess I did inherit the hunter gene after all, just not for wild game. The Father knows us so well and though this earth is not our forever home, He still shows us His goodness by gifting us some of our superficial desires. Now, because of His wonderful generosity, I'm gifting those shells to some dear friends.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:24-25
One thing great about living in Florida is that you're never more than an hour and half away from the coastline. Most of us who live here have our favorite beach, it's usually a place that our parents took us for vacation or even a day trip. Childhood memories take us back to a time when life has been just a little easier and less complicated. With spring break just around the corner, many are getting ready to create more memories and cause a longing for gentler days. Building sand castles, collecting shells, and riding the endless supply of waves is all just part of the anticipation. The thing that keeps most of us trudging and working day in and day out is the longing for the peace you get while spending time relaxing on vacation. God has built into us a desire for rest and has given us that through Jesus. He is our rest for eternity. When vacation seems so far away, rest in Jesus.
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. Hebrews 4:1
During our lifetime, we encounter some truly miserable and harsh individuals. These are the people that do nothing but complain, criticize, and shake their finger at you. They don't have a shred of happiness in their lives; if you see them smile, it's probably because they've come up with a witty line to use against you. Sometimes these people even claim that they know Jesus. When I have to deal with these types of people, I have to keep reminding myself that God loves them too. They have a lot of chains to break before they reach the joy that's available regardless of the circumstances dealt. My first thought is to get away from them as quickly as possible, but that's not always possible. My best advice is to pray through every step. As long as they are not a physical threat, you can look at the situation from a kingdom prospective and worry about the outcome as it presents itself.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. John 3:20
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
One of my favorite scenes in the Bible is the vision that Isaiah saw of the Lord sitting on His throne. His description gives me a visual like no other. Sometimes when I'm having trouble sleeping, I imagine myself in the throne room of the temple where the Father dwells and where He welcomes me to rest under His careful watch. The scripture describes the train of His robe filling the temple, so instead of counting sheep, I curl up in one of the folds of His robe and rest easy in the comfort of His presence. Everything that has your mind tied up in worry seems to disappear and the hope of a new day waits upon the dawn as you focus on Him. Things that were once important, gently fade into the background when we honor the One who created it all and hide in His shelter. So, whatever is causing you stress and strife, lay it down and enter into the throne room for peace and rest.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1
Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues. Psalms 31:19-20
For the past several years I have been privileged to be a part of an amazing group of women. We met on Facebook through a private group because we all have a similar interest in and a love for the beach and seashells. We gather for lunch a couple of times a year and share our shell crafts and camaraderie. It started out with just a few but has gown to quite a large group. Now we have people from all over Florida and the northeast making the trip to Sanibel just to meet and enjoy some time together. No one cares what you look like or even your ability to craft the perfect gift, no, it's about friendships forged from nothing but common interest. God has a plan for this group, though only a few understand who He is, but that's part of the fun. Your mission field is wherever God decides to send you. Just say "yes" and "here I am Lord, send me!" He sent me to the beach! He knows my hearts desire and He knows yours too.
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." Isaiah 6:8
We have a limited number of days on this earth. If you're like me, most of them are wasted doing foolish things. We are never promised tomorrow and are arrogant to think we have any power to control our existence. As a child our time seems to go by so slowly; like waiting for Christmas. As a young adult, you feel invincible and spend your time indulging in selfish pleasure. When you get to the point in your life that you can finally make a little sense of it all, the clock seems to be working against you. Even then, none of these days were ever promised and we are fortunate to still have breath. We seem to be close to the end of time and in my own arrogance proclaimed that I'm not going to die; the Father was quick to point out that no matter what I think, He's in control and I have no say. The best use of your time is worshipping God, everything else will fall into place if you put Him first.
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." James 4:14-15
After being sick for several days my head was swimming and I was unable to put thoughts together and think clearly. So I laid on the couch hoping for a break, a reprieve, or anything that would relieve me of my misery. I took all kinds of medications just to try and find a combination that worked, all to no avail. Begging the Father wasn't working, I had to let it run its course. Then one morning I woke up and many of the symptoms had disappeared; there was hope on the horizon. I know many people wake up feeling sick everyday not knowing when or if their pain will be relieved, they plead with the Father for help but hear nothing. I have no remedy, just don't stop praying. Even some of God's brightest stars from the Bible suffered. Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament suffered with what he called a thorn in his side. God can still use you, so allow His power to prevail in your weakness.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
I cannot even explain how beautiful first light can be during the early morning; especially when the low clouds from the coming storm reflected the light of the early sun and give a brightness and vibrancy to all of God's creation. The birds are awake now and singing their hearts out as they look for food to fill their hungry bellies. Even though we are not of this world, God did not leave us here with miserable surroundings; He gave us a taste of the life we will have once He removes the evil that currently exists. Imagine the majesty of a world without evil. It will be a world with no death or disease, no pain or suffering, or heartbreak and tears. Just let that sink in a minute. We are a blessed people who trust in the Lord. There is a lot to be thankful for just because we are a part of the kingdom of heaven.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4
We have a representative of the Godhead that was given to us as down payment for our promised inheritance. He is with us at all times. In the Old Testament days, God only gave His spirit to certain people. He would rest upon them for a while as they needed Him, and then He would depart. After Jesus died, rose again and ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell with us permanently until His return. When you accepted Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within you. He is always there, but your own sin may keep you from hearing Him. This is why you should have a repentant heart. He is our light that guides us through the darkness. If that light becomes dim because of sin, we become closer to the darkness than to the light, and our actions will reflect the way of the world instead of Jesus; then the peace and joy that comes from Jesus will no longer be felt.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30
I was using the water hose in my yard and dropped the end in the pool so I wouldn't waste water on the deck. Our pool runs low on water occasionally so it really wasn't a big deal. I began doing something else and got sidetracked. It wasn't until the next day that I realized what I had done, I left the water running. Not only did it overflow the pool, but because we have a high iron content in our water, the pool became a rusty mess. It took me a week to get it clean. Sometimes a careless mistake can cause us so much trouble. This same thing can happen when we run our mouth and don't control our tongue. If we just open our mouth and let filth flow out we will ruin our good reputation as a Christian. The difference between cleaning up the mess in the pool and cleaning up the mess from an unbridled tongue is that it may take longer than a week to restore your good name. Don't be careless with your words.
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? James 3:10-11
You will encounter those whose hearts are so hard that no matter how eloquent and convincing your words are, they won't hear you. You can tell them about your experiences, give many examples of how much Jesus loves them, share the peace you have because of Him, but your words will fall on deaf ears. Jesus knew you would encounter people like this and gave us the example of the rich man, who ended up in Hell, and Lazarus, who was poor and lame his entire life but was now receiving comfort in Heaven. The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to tell his brothers about the torment he was experiencing in Hades. Abraham reminded him that even a man back from the dead would not convince them. Those people will receive all that they are going to get right here on this earth. Just know, we are sent out to tell everyone, even those that who will never allow the truth to penetrate their hearts.
He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" Luke 16:31
Every now and then, as you listen to someone preach the Word of God, you pick up tidbits of information that the Holy Spirit emphasizes. My pastor was preaching on temptation and brought up the point that you should pray for God to call on His angels to help you in your weakness. This is where my ears perked up. God's angels are there for His help and ours! How awesome is that! They are not sent to help unbelievers, so if an unbeliever says they were helped by an angel, they are mistaken. I'm not saying that they didn't have some type of spiritual intervention, but you can believe that their help didn't come from God's army of angels! Know that you, a believer, can call out for help and His angels are sent to assist you and guard you in all your ways. If you love Him and accept Jesus as your Savior, He will deliver you and He will protect you. Just another benefit of being a child of the King!
Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? Hebrew 1:14
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Psalms 91:11-12
What a beautiful morning! The fog is as thick as pea soup. You say: Well, how do you know it's a beautiful morning? Because, there is a coolness in the air that makes the temperature just right, the birds are singing their song, and I'm on the right side of the dirt! God still has use for me on this earth, so he gave me another morning to spread the good news about Jesus. We need to make the best of the moments we are given, He expects for us to be good stewards of our time as well as our resources. Our life, breath, and entire being belong to our Master; we don't own anything, even the things we call our own belong to Him. He is the one who breathed life into our lungs, so even our breath is borrowed! We are all part of the Father's household, servants of the Most High God, so stop praying like He owes you something, He doesn't, but you owe Him everything! Starting today, give Him your all!
And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? Luke 16:12
