Memorial Prayers

Devotion:  Acts 10:1-7

Every year, we celebrate Memorial Day by remembering the countless soldiers, who fought and gave their lives so that we can live in freedom.  If you drive past any cemetery, you will see lots of flags waving by their tombs.

This scripture is an account of a man named Cornelius, a centurion, a devout man, one who feared God and prayed to Him continually. An angel appeared to him saying, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.”  These are some of the most precious words, a praying Christian could ever hear.

The purpose of any memorial, is to cause us to remember the deeds of a person or people who gave their lives.  Cornelius gave his whole life to prayer and giving.  God takes notice of the time you spend in prayer and calls your prayer, “a sweet smelling fragrance to His nostrils.”

In Motion:

Spend time today in meditation and prayer to the One who waits to hear your voice calling out to His ever listening ear.

 

The Great Power of God

Devotion:  Acts 8:9-13

In Jesus day, there was a man named Simon who practiced magic in the city of Samaria.  He deceived all the people with his performances; as they believed he had been given “the Great power of God.”  You see, they had not yet heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.  When Philip came to share the good news; even Simon himself believed and followed Philip.  The one who had wowed the people with his magic; was now amazed by the great signs and wonders, done in the name of Jesus.

The Bible tells us, in the latter days, “even the elite will be deceived.”  We must keep our minds and hearts close to the Lord by studying His Word and staying in prayer.  Our enemy wants to mislead us but we must determine to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”

In Motion:

Do not be swayed by your enemy, but strengthen yourself with prayer and God’s Word.  “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”

 

For Big Mistakes

Devotion:  Romans 3:23

I purchased a big eraser with the inscription, “For Big Mistakes.”  It’s approximately 5″X3″ and 1″ thick.  That eraser would do some serious erasing!  The word mistake seems less harsh than calling our sin, sin. However, Jesus told us, “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Any unkind thought, word or deed is regarded as sin by our Holy God and Jesus died so that we can find forgiveness through His sacrifice.  He will pardon our transgressions and forgive all of our iniquities.  He will remove them from us as far as the east is from the west.  Our gracious God provided a way for us to come into His presence.  We could never earn or deserve it on our own, so Christ died once for all, so that all could have the opportunity to come to Him, and receive true forgiveness.

In Motion:

Confess your sin to Jesus and He will erase it and remember it no more!

A Joyful Heart

Devotion:  Proverbs 17:22

My Aunt Lola passed away last Tuesday.  She was 86 years old and led a wonderful life full of family, friends, work, church and retirement. She laughed many times through out the day.  When I was around her, even as a child, she was always laughing, with a contagious type of laughter.  She had never been sick or suffered anything more than a cold.  A stroke took her life within less than a week.

She lived a fruitful and productive life, and never outwardly displayed a crushed spirit.  She always practiced displaying a joyful heart.  She cared deeply for her family and those God placed around her.  I will miss her sorely but one thing I know for certain, I will choose to have a joyful heart, until God comes to take me home.

In Motion:

Choose to display joy to all those around you!

 

Prone to Wander

Devotion: Psalm 56:3-11

The verse of an old hymn says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love.”  As you read in these verses, “God keeps count of all your wanderings; puts your tears in His bottle.”  It’s a fact, child of the Most High God; when you wander from the Lord, there will be tears and lots of them.  He has them stored in His bottle.  I wonder; is there a room in heaven filled with bottles of tears?  Some of us must have a river full.  These tears are said to be recorded in God’s book.

Our tears can be from grief over loss, but how many tears have we shed, in the times we have wandered from the God we love?  It is very sad indeed; when you can’t sense His presence with you, although He promises never to leave you nor forsake you.  If you feel distant from God, guess who moved?  His Word promises, “Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.”

The Shepherd of your soul waits for your return to the fold.  The grass is not greener on the other side.  It’s only a path that leads to destruction.

In Motion:

If you have wandered from the safe fold of your Shepherd, come back.  He is waiting for you, at the very place from where you wandered.

 

Small Beginnings

Devotion:  Zechariah 4:6-10

My father was a carpenter.  From time to time he would take us to some of his building sites. As a child, I use to marvel at the progress, from laying the first stone of the foundation, till the final touches were placed on the inside of the house.  Daddy would mathematically calculate the desired dimensions and then draw the plans according to the  home owner’s specifications. As the foundation was laid and the frame was set, he always used a plumb line, to make sure there would be no possibility of his structure collapsing.  He was truly a master builder.

Zerubbabel was to rebuild Solomon’s massive temple, formerly flattened by the Babylonians.  God’s Word came to the prophet Zechariah to say, “Who has despised the day of small things?”

When you are building, whether the structure be small or vast,  you start small, with the first block in the foundation. Brick by brick, you establish a firm foundation upon which to place your living space. From the first small brick, until the last touch, your goal is to complete the job.  Your work must be constantly steady in order to finish well the task before you.

When God calls you to a God sized task; rather than saying, “There is no way I can do that, do the first small task, establish your firm foundation and then continue to build from there.

In Motion:

What is the thing you want to do or build for God?  Do not despise the day of small beginnings.

 

 

Put Your New Clothes On

Devotion:  Colossians 3:8-17

Do you enjoy getting new clothes from time to time?  It’s a process to hunt for a new dress or pants and shirt.  You must plan where you are going, choose the style and colors you like; make sure this article of clothing is in your price range and it’s a plus for it to be comfortable.

Last but not least, you choose to take off your old clothes and put on these new clothes.  Try as you may, if you do not take off the old clothes; well, it would look really silly to wear the new clothes over the old ones.  You would be desheveld and weighted down by the older clothes.  The new clothes can transform your appearance to those who see you.

As God’s chosen ones, we must choose to put away the old clothes of anger,wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk, and put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience.  The One who fashioned us in our mother’s womb, asks us to forgive each other as the Lord has forgiven us.

More than anything, He asks us to put on love because love binds everything together in perfect harmony.

In Motion:

Will you choose to put off your anger and put on compassion for someone today?  Put on forgiveness and watch to see God transform your inner man from angry to a person full of love and compassion.

Torrential Rains

Devotion:  Matthew 7:24-27

In 2014, America has experienced some devastating tornadoes and flooding.  One minute; a house is standing, tall and whole and the next minute, it is smashed to pieces with nothing left but a pile of rubble.  It’s inhabitants are left homeless and heart sick; their abode and all their earthly possessions crumbled in front of them. All physical ties to this earthly dwelling are instantly severed and the people dwelling there are forced to move.

Our spiritual lives may undergo some torrential rains as well; however, because our souls’ foundation is built upon Jesus, the Solid Rock; we will stand through the fiercest of storms.  In this world, difficulties will pelt you, to try and flood your soul with doubt and fear, but you will not be moved.

In the life of a Christian; no storm can move you from the Rock to which you are anchored.  Your soul will feel the affects of your enemy’s efforts to sever your mind and heart from the Truth, but after having done all, “You will stand and see the salvation of the Lord.”  He is for you and not against you!

In Motion:

Take heart dear friend, our God is able to make you stand through any storm He has allowed in your life.  He is clearly transforming you from glory to glory and no matter the severity of the torrential rain, you will not be moved!

 

The Door

Devotion:  John 10:9-11

I have an ongoing discussion with a young Islamic friend.  I recently asked her when she decided to become Islamic, because she is African American descent.  She told me her conversion happened about three years ago; because “it just made sense to her.”  I get to see her once a week, in a teaching environment, so she hears the gospel on a regular basis.  During our time together, she willingly reads aloud from our Bible and openly participates in our lively discussions based upon the truth of God’s Word.

My friend and I openly share truth with these young women; that Jesus is the only way to eternal life, but she still declares, “Esau is her Jesus.”  I believe she will be saved because His Word does not return void.

In Motion:

Dear Reader, would you please pray for this young girl to come to know Jesus is the only door to salvation.  Pray she will have ears to hear His voice and know that He laid down His life for her.

 

Constant Contentment

Devotion:  2 Peter 1:1-4

When I read this verse; I realize I have no reason to be discontent.  If I truly believe God’s divine power has given me everything I need for life and godliness, then why would I succumb to discontentment?

Everything around us; cries out to bring constant discontentment into our daily lives, the bill board adds, the t.v. commercials. We even hear it in the music we listen to.  Most Americans want bigger, better, nicer and more prestigious. The conversations heard in restaurants and coffee houses everywhere are centered on promotions, different house, better car or place to vacation.  Although there is nothing wrong with these things in and of themselves; if we are totally consumed with gaining them, we cannot be content.  They become our idols because we are consumed with thinking about them.

1 Timothy 6:6 says, “Godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.”

In Motion:

Examine your heart to see if you have found constant contentment. If not; ask the Lord to reveal your areas of discontentment.  Seek Him through His Word and godly advice from other Christians.