May 1

The Lord looks at our heart. Many people try to appear godly by putting on a beautiful display, dressing to perfection, and speaking empty words to cover the truth.

Saul didn’t follow the instructions of the Lord when he went to war, and the Lord regretted making him king. He sent Samuel to anoint a new king from the family of Jesse, a Bethlehemite. When he saw Eliab, he was sure that this son was the one the Lord wanted, but God had other plans, and told Samuel not to look at his height or stature because he had rejected him, and told him that he looks at the heart. This should cause many to tremble; you can look as spiffy as you want, but God can see the hate hidden in your heart. 

As each of us try to keep a nasty virus at bay by staying clean and washing our hands continuously, if we don’t have a clean heart, we may already be dead. Pray that the Lord brings to your attention any areas of your heart that need refining, and allow him to do a work in you. I don’t know about  you, but I would never want to be passed up for promotion like Eliab, and his brothers, because of an unclean heart.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:6-7

April 30

While I walked on the beach, I asked the Holy Spirit to speak to me and reveal a lesson that I could share. One of the ways I hear God’s voice is through his creation. As I walked, I noticed some scattered debris that had washed up, and had been pushed high up on the shore, probably at a very high tide. So I moved from the wet sand to pilfer through the debris, because I know that sometimes I can find treasure hidden underneath. As I walked along the high tide line, I noticed that the temperature was much hotter. I had moved away from the cool, clear water, up to the dry and dusty sand. I felt he was telling me to stay near him, and to not go after the treasure that draws me away from him, and the safety of his arms. I moved back to the water's edge and continued to walk to where the beach came to an end, and perched within the rocks was thousands of beautiful seashells. I spent the good part of an hour rummaging through the treasure he had placed in my path. The lesson today is to keep your eyes on Jesus, and not wander off his path; if we stay the course, he will present us with treasure beyond our expectation.

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. Psalms 63:1-3

April 29

Are we as guilty as Israel when they asked for a new ruler? Samuel recounted everything the Lord had done for them, and chastised them for wanting a king, and rejecting God as their king. Samuel had done a good job as a judge, yet they weren’t satisfied, and wanted to replace him because he was getting old. It is said that they wanted a king for ungodly reasons, so God gave them an ungodly king when he appointed Saul. Does this sound familiar? They had their heads buried in the sand as many do today. God may rule against you if you are seeking the wicked to rule over his people, or he might appoint them so you get what you asked for. If you are itching for God to appoint the godless over you, I hope the cries of his chosen overrule you! Do we continue to reject God, and have him decide to appoint an evil president to rule over us, or do we turn to him, revere him as our King, and have him let us keep the one who follows him? Cry out, you who are chosen, that we not have evil rule over us in the future.

But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 1 Samuel 8:6-7

April 28

At my vacation home, I was able to start from scratch, and decorate it  however I wanted. The “bones,” such as the tile and cabinetry, are neutral, and easy to accommodate whatever colors I desired to use. I decided to keep the pallet calm by using mixes of gray, and cream, adding in rattan decor, for a beach feel. Then I added teal thinking it would be enough color for my taste, but I was wrong! After staying closed inside for a couple of weeks, I became antsy for more color, but not just any color, lots of color, bright vibrant, powerful color. I went back to my house and harvested some pictures and artwork from the walls, and closets, which were full of decorative items that needed to be used. Some of the items I decided to use are originals, given to me by my friends; I couldn’t be more excited to add them to my walls, and fulfill my desire for color. 

Our life in Jesus can be like that, beautifully designed, perfectly clean, and satisfying. However, if you get anxious about it, and feel the need to add more color to your life, realize that if you are completely immersed spiritually, it is far from being mundane. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you cultivate your spiritual gifts; we all have them, but most people don’t utilize them. 

Here is a link to help you determine what your gifts are; in case you don’t know. https://giftstest.com/

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

April 27

It was the second time I had done it; you would have thought that I would have learned my lesson the first time. Never again will I buy organic potting soil! All the bags of soil were heavy, and seemed to be full of water, so I opted for the lighter ones, not really paying attention to the label. Much to my dismay after opening them, the smell was quite “organic!” I’m sure my plants will love it more so than the plain, but my nostrils hate it; it’s a stench! 

Don’t we all do that, opt for the easy way? It’s easier in the here and now to go the way of the world, the opposition is less threatening than going down the path of Jesus. I caution you not to take the easier path. When the Lord brings you home after you’ve chased after worldly things, and opens you up, like I did the organic soil, you will be filled with manure, and a stench to the Lord. The manure is good for my plants, but it’s not good for you. From this point on, when I hear the word “organic,” I will think of the stinky potting soil, and I will remember that what seems easy is not always the best route to go. 

But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. Romans 6:21-22

April 26

There was something significant that the Holy Spirit brought to my attention today. Samuel was still very young, serving in the temple of the Lord. I’m sure he had many duties there, and he had been dedicated to the Lord by his mother, but the scripture says that he did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. Now remember, Samuel is living in the temple! How could he not know the Lord? God help us! We’re talking about Samuel, a major prophet of the Lord! I know, he was very young, but wouldn’t you think that by being brought up in the temple, he would already know the Lord? If Samuel didn’t know the Lord at that point, what makes you think you know him? Here’s the answer: if you have been transformed, and born a second birth into the Kingdom of God through Jesus, the Holy Spirit resides in you. How do you know the Holy Spirit resides in you? Jesus says that you will know his voice. John says you will not keep on sinning. Don’t get me wrong, you will probably sin, but the burden of guilt will rest heavily upon you, and you will be more diligent in trying to avoid it. God called out to Samuel, he heard his voice, and God gave him a word for Eli the priest, and he knew him from that point on.

"Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him." 1 Samuel 3:7  1Sa 3:7

“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” 1 John 5:18

April 25

Even though we may be living in a troubled time, as the chosen of the Lord, our feet will be kept from stumbling. Our strength comes not from what we have physically, but from our trust in the Lord, and the good that comes only from him. The enemy will not prevail! He may cause upheaval for a time, and it may even look like he is winning, but we know the truth; when the history of the earth is finished, we will be satisfied with the results, because we win. It’s not only about being blessed in the end, look at the people of the Bible and how God prospered them while they were on earth. 

Hannah was barren and felt poor, but she prayed with her soul for a son, even went so far as to dedicate him to the service of the Lord, before she had even conceived. She prayed so hard that her lips moved, but no voice came out; Eli the priest thought she was drunk. God gave her Samuel, and she gave him back, but then he gave her five more children! If you are suffering, don’t give up, and don’t give in to the enemy’s plan. Trust in God, and wait for his plan to unfold. While you wait, praise him, and thank him for the blessings you are about to receive. 

He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world. “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 1 Samuel 2:8-9

April 24

After finishing the book of Judges, the next book is Ruth. Ruth is somewhat of a continuation of Judges, because Boaz was a Judge in Bethlehem. If you read through it slowly, and soak in every morsel, you will notice that Boaz is a picture of Jesus.

The scripture lets us know that Boaz was much older than Ruth, and that she was not an Israelite. He commends her for not going after the younger men; he was taken by her because of her good reputation of loving, and working to help her mother in law, Naomi. There is even a moment where he gives her a morsel of bread and allows her to dip it in the bowl of wine, just like a picture of communion with Jesus. The secular definition of communion is, - “the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.” What a beautiful way to define communion! Ruth and Boaz shared this moment, even though communion hadn’t been instituted by Jesus yet, it is a precursor to what is to come. 

The next time you take communion, think of this definition; it is an intimate exchange between you, and Jesus. This is just one picture of Jesus in the book of Ruth; when you get the chance, read it, and see if you can find other morsels pointing to Jesus; you may be surprised.

And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. Ruth 2:14

April 23

Have you ever experienced betrayal? Most of us have. Several things occur within us; hurt, disappointment, jealousy, anger, to name a few. We can’t comprehend why the person we love would turn away from us to go to another who hasn’t loved them like we have, especially when we know that the love the other person has for them is for their own selfish gain. Our loved one may have suffered from a moment of poor judgment, but the heartbreak within our soul cuts deep to our core. 

Imagine how Jesus feels when we turn away from him to please ourselves with our sinful desires. He has given us everything and yet we still seek pleasure from the evil things of this earth. It’s time for us to straighten up, take the narrow path, and stop chasing after the satisfaction of sin, and turn back to the one who has loved us enough to be tortured, and then hung on a cross, just to save us from being destroyed by our own wickedness. 

Today is the day, turn around, and run back to our Savior. He is waiting with open arms.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29

April 22

It’s amazing the difference a small change can make. For instance, you can paint a room a different color, and it will give it a whole new feel. Depending on the color you use, new paint could make it feel warm and cozy, or cooler and bigger. My daughter in love just added new flooring to her home, and the transformation is incredible. It went from eighties tile, to beautiful wood, which brought it into today’s style. If such a small change can transform your physical space, what simple change can you make to improve your spiritual well being? There are two things you can do that are simple, and free; read your Bible daily, and pray. It is a transformation that each of us needs, to be able to focus and redirect our lives to come in line with all that God has for us. Just like changing a room with new paint or flooring, simply talking to God through prayer, and listening to God through reading the Bible will do wonders for your life, and change your perspective for the better. Make a commitment today to transform your life by reading the word of God, and praying daily.

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." Acts 2:42

April 21

One of the greatest tragedies of our time is the sacrificing of our children. Even though we know it not to be true, many will say that they are nothing but tissue until they are born, or some kind of parasite living on its host. There are many places in the Bible that tells us that God knew us before we were born. 

The story of Samson begins with Jesus visiting Samson’s mother who was barren, to tell her that she would conceive a child that would be a Nazirite to God, and not to drink any wine or eat anything unclean because he would be a Nazirite from the womb to death. He did not want her to eat those foods forbidden for a Nazirite because her body feeds the baby. This is just one more instance where the Bible assures us that babies are human before they are born; science also proves this to be right. Supporters of abortion say ‘Let’s just cut that part out of the Bible, and believe only what we want to believe.’ The truth is, you either believe all of the Bible or you believe none of it! It becomes invalid if any portion is untrue. If you support abortion in any way, shape, or form, you do not know love, you do not know Jesus, the Holy Spirit does not reside in you, and you are on your way to hell! Forgive me for being so blunt, but you need to know the truth.

If you’ve had an abortion, there is forgiveness for you if you ask; Jesus knows you were lied to through man by the enemy, and will forgive you.

but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’” Judges 13:7

April 20

Bless their hearts, Israel couldn’t stay focused on God, and would turn from him to chase after the gods of other countries. It seems interesting that they knew to go back to him and beg for his help. At one point God had had enough and told them, “Yet you have forsaken me, and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more.”  However, Israel cleaned up their act, got rid of the other gods, and because God couldn’t stand seeing them oppressed any longer, he sent Jephthah to fight for them. Jephthah had the spirit of God upon him, but made a vow to God that if he won this battle, he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his door, but unfortunately it was his only child, his daughter. God gave Jephthah victory, and so he kept his vow.

Do not make a vow to God that you can’t keep! We’ve all probably said things like, “God, if you’ll get me out of this, I will not________________again.” If that is the case for you, you had better keep your vow, otherwise keep your mouth shut, God doesn’t take these things lightly. Be careful of any words you speak over yourself; remember that the devil hears them too. (Judges 11)

"Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few."  Ecclesiastes 5:2

April 19

After Deborah, Israel had peace for 40 years; but, as usual, they did evil in the eyes of the Lord and began worshipping other gods, Baal, and Asherah. They were being oppressed by the Midian, who would come in and devour all their crops as soon as they were ready, and eat all their livestock. The Lord heard Israel’s cries for help, so he sent Gideon, a prophet. After a couple of tests to make sure it was God speaking to him, he gathered men to go against them. But God wanted all the credit, and sorted them out, down to only 300. Gideon went with his servant to scope out the competition, and got close enough to hear a dream one of the men had. In the dream Gideon defeated them; this gave him the confidence he needed, but caused fear to grow in the Midian. When Gideon armed his men with trumpets, and jars of fire, and surrounded them, it caused such a stir and fear within them, that some ended up killing themselves, and others ran for their lives. 

This is a much longer story with many details; I’ve summarized it to bring out a point; sometimes all it takes to become defeated is a rumor, lots of noise, and flashes of light. Make sure you dig deep into what is causing you fear; maybe the threat is minor, and can be easily overcome.

Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. Judges 7:21-22

April 18

The children had grown tired of worshiping a God they couldn’t see, so they ventured out for new gods. Because of their disobedience of putting other gods before God, they were punished by being oppressed by Jabin the king of Canaan for twenty years. Deborah, who was the judge and prophetess, instructed Barak to gather men to go down and defeat Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, and return freedom to Israel. God gave Sisera’s army into the hands of Barak, with Deborah by his side, but Sisera got away. It would have been better for him to die by the sword, at the hand of Barak, but instead he hid, cowering under a rug in a tent, only to have a tent peg driven through his skull by a woman, Jael. Now, he will forever be known as being outsmarted by a woman unto death. Who is the hero of this story, Deborah, Barak, or Jael? Non of the above! God had heard the cries of his children who were being oppressed, and he alone designed a way to release them from the hand of their oppressors.

We too must cry out and ask God to release us from the hands of our oppressors, those who are willing to kill innocent babies, and the pre-born. This cannot be allowed to go on; laws giving women the right to sacrifice their young for the sake of convenience is an abomination. Let God hear your voice, keep pressing hard, until the lawless are destroyed, and God will turn our nation around for the better. 

So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. Judges 4:23-24

April 17

Daily praise. Outside my window within view, I have a staghorn fern. I love gardening, but had never desired to have one, until I found one that had been left unattended for years on the ground in the yard of a house we purchased. I cleaned it up, and brought it home. I added chains, and bought an old chair hanger, and re-purposed it for my fern. I’ve had it for less than a year, and it is growing beautifully. A few weeks ago, I noticed something interesting; its leaves look like hands reaching up in praise. So every morning since then, I take notice of it praising the Lord. It reminds me that if I don’t praise him, my plant, without a voice, will. We were made to praise him, so don’t let a day go by without showing admiration to the One who breathes life into you. When Jesus said the rocks will praise him, he wasn’t kidding. Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord! My daily routine begins with repeating verses from John’s vision in Revelation, and I will often repeat them throughout the day. Memorize a few verses of praise, so you're always equipped to honor him who sits on the throne.

saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:12-13

April 16

Darkness is being brought into the light! I’ve been free for too long to allow a power hungry official to step in and take away my rights as an American citizen. I understand the need for protection from the plague, but here’s the thing, we need to protect ourselves, the elderly, and those who don’t have the ability to protect themselves. Those who choose to continue to live as if nothing is going on, take their lives into their own hands, and will have to live with the consequences. How long will we hold the hands of the ignorant? I’ve done my best to stock up on items I need so I can stay home, but there are times I must venture out. Trying to maneuver through people who act like they are invincible becomes a challenge, and it angers me that they are putting my life in danger, but it is still my responsibility to protect myself from careless, and stupid people. I never realized the power of the local officials until this virus; we cannot haphazardly vote in our local elections; they seem to have more power than our constitution! Please do not forget how your representatives voted or governed when they come up for re-election. Vote for those who preserve our freedom, and vote out the tyrants, or we will be like Israel living in Egypt as their slaves.

"For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light." Luke 8:17

April 15

We are living in a time of misunderstandings. This is nothing different than what has happened throughout history, and because of the anxiety it caused, it has often led to war. There are so many conspiracy theories going on right now, that my head is spinning! 

I’m reading Joshua, and the land has all been conquered and divided up among the tribes. Joshua has released the tribes of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, to go back to their land across the Jordan. They were so excited to go home that they built a replica of the altar. The other tribes came together to make war because it looks to them as a breach of faith against the Lord, and they didn’t want to suffer through all the plagues from the sins of others, like before. Once they cleared up the misunderstanding, all was well and no blood was shed.

The world is in crisis right now, it is best if we don’t fall for all the conspiracy theories, and stay in prayer, honor God, and fill our days with praise to him. The verse I’ve included is so beautiful, it says, “cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Nothing could be more important right now, than to “cling” to God, and trust that he has everything under control, and not allow our heads to go down the treacherous path of conspiracy! God will thresh out the lies, and shine a bright light on the enemy of the people, trust him.

Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

April 14

We are all essential to Jesus! I surveyed my past jobs and realized that I’ve always worked an essential job, according to the new description of essential employees. I’ve worked in a grocery store, doctor's office, bank, and housing. However, my most precious job description is devotional writer, and I don’t get paid in money for doing it. I’m most excited to get up early and meet with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and try to understand which direction he wants me to take his message to his people. Today, I believe he wants me to tell you how essential you are to him. Though you may be sitting at home waiting for the economy to open back up, with worries about how you are going to pay your bills, you can be sure that this time of rest is to rejuvenate you, and make you appreciate all that God has given you. Sit back and relax, your part in the kingdom is no small part, and you are essential in making sure everyone who was invited in, is welcomed, and accepts Jesus as Savior. You may not know about the seeds you’ve planted in this lifetime, or how you cultivated the fertile ground, just know that you did, and people are coming to know Jesus because of you; the details will all be sorted out in Heaven, it’s then you will see all of your good work.

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 1 Corinthians 12:18-20

April 13

Many people witnessed Jesus’s ascension into heaven, to sit at the right hand of God the Father, and he remains there today. Jesus is on his throne! We can be sure that whatever we are going through, and any trials we may face, he is there to see us through it. It’s more important now than any point in our lives, to be mindful of those who are part of the count of the chosen ones. We don’t know who they are, but he does, so if you hear him call to you to bring a word to someone, resist the urge to disobey his voice. Step out and be bold, be strong, and be courageous; Jesus is with us. Submit to his authority, and you will witness his power as it comes upon you to walk in your calling, and as you confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, so others may come to know him as Savior. 

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]] Mark 16:19-20

April 12

When Mary went to the tomb on that early morning, she was expecting to cover Jesus’s body with the spices she had prepared, but instead, it was empty. HE HAD RISEN! She encountered the two angels, but didn’t seem to be alarmed by that, just disturbed that his body wasn’t there. Her heart was broken, and she was disappointed. Then she heard a voice, saw him, but didn’t recognize him or his voice until he called her name. 

Isn’t it funny that before we came to know Jesus, we knew of him, but until he called our name, we didn’t recognize him? Many people know of him, but not everyone has their eyes opened to see him as Savior and King. It’s not until he makes his presence known that we even notice how sinful we are; his presence makes us aware. Think about him today, as you remember how blessed we are to know him, and that he called our name out of the darkness, and into his light.

Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). John 20:14-16