Resist or Respond

Devotion:  John 3:3-7

Who could ever resist the drawing of God’s Holy Spirit and reject His offer of salvation?  Apparently, many who have ears that do not want to hear.  We who responded to our Savior’s  calling on our lives cannot imagine saying no to so great a salvation.

God does not desire for any one to perish without Him.  The minute we respond and say yes; our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

When we resist God; He doesn’t give up on us.  He continues to woo us by His Holy Spirit.  Now; if we continue to resist over and over, our heart can become insensitive to His nudging.  Disregarding the voice of God is a sad state for any believer but especially for a non-believer.

I long to respond without hesitation in obedience as quickly as God asks me to do something.  He’s such a good Father.  I do not deserve His never ending mercy and grace.  Although I haven’t seen Him face to face as yet; I just love Him more and more with each passing day and I never want to disappoint Him.

Our Bridegroom has gone to prepare a place for us, so how can anyone resist that invitation?  Being betrothed to the Savior of the World, is the most exciting destination.  Many of us have had a lot of years to get to know Him.

We are so blessed to have Someone who loves us so unconditionally and promises to do so now and for eternity.  How else can we respond but to say yes.

Prayer in Motion:

Lord Jesus, I accepted Your invitation so long ago but I’ve never regretted this.  I am so thankful I did not resist and responded with a yes on that Sunday morning.  Thank You for first loving me and sealing me for my day of redemption.  I love You Lord.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professers or Possessers?

Devotion:  Matthew 7:1-27

This is one of the most powerful sermons ever preached by our Jesus.  Many religions are based upon doing.  Jesus said when He breathed His last; “It is finished.”  It is not about doing to get into heaven; for anyone who truly trusts Jesus as their Savior will inherit the kingdom of God.  We are known by our fruit; however we can never work one day to get into heaven.  “It is by God’s grace that we are saved, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

God’s Word tells us “many are called but few are chosen.:  God only knows how many are deceived into believing they are saved by their works or profession.  What they profess; they do not really possess. It is not His will that any should perish without a relationship with Him.

I’ve had quite a few people tell me they are not religious.  I always say back; “That’s awesome!  Neither am I.”  Religion kills.  Jesus saves.  I think of all those people who have a form of godliness, going to church and doing lots of good deeds but they do not have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Are you more than a professor of faith but a possessor of faith in the Lord Jesus?  I pray we all are.  I want to be way more than a professor of faith, and always a possessor of faith.

I’m sure no one who made a public profession of faith believes they aren’t saved.  After all; they said the right woh prayer. Th

Professors vs possessors have a form of godliness but deny the power therein.

Prayer in Motion:

Lord Jesus thank You for helping me to possess faith not just possess it.  Thank You for first loving me.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

When You Don’t Know What to Pray

Devotion:  Matthew 6:9-13

When you’ve prayed until you don’t know what to pray; you ask the Lord, “Now, what?”  I am a person with a lot of words.  Ask my husband.  In times of exhaustion; I beseech the One who sits on the throne ever interceding for us; my Jesus.

When the words won’t come; I pray what Jesus told His disciples to pray.  You begin by addressing the Father who is in heaven and then state who He is; Holy.  If we do not choose to praise Him in every storm; even the rocks will cry out.  In the next two recorded statements from the very mouth of Jesus; you are asking for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

When you are tired and weary at the length of your load; beseech the Lord and ask for His Kingdom to come.   When you are weary with your crying the Psalmist says in Psalm 69:3

“I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched;
My eyes fail while I wait for my God.”

So often; the Psalmist cried out to the Lord when he was in physical, spiritual or emotional pain; so there is nothing wrong with pouring out your heart like water before the face of the Lord while you are waiting to see your prayer answered.  Ask the Father to show you how you need to pray about every situation.  Entreat Him to give you His Words over this person or circumstance.  You may be amazed at what He will speak.  His sheep hear His voice.

Next, say aloud to Father God as if you mean it….” Father, let Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  Dwell on that for a while. Do you honestly want His will above your own? Imagine the angels who declare continually, “Holy, Holy, Holy; is the Lord God Almighty!”

My dear reader; may we model our prayers after what Jesus taught His disciples.

Prayer in Motion:

Lord of heaven and earth; You are Holy and I am not.  I want to be holy as You are holy at all times.  That is my desire for today and all the days of my life.  Teach me how to pray before the Only One True God.  In Jesus Name I offer up this prayer.  Amen.

 

The Lord Is Near to the Brokenhearted

Devotion:  Psalm 34:18

Have you ever dealt with your own broken heart?  It is spiritually, emotionally and even physically painful.  You know and believe in your heart that God is in complete control; however, your flesh deeply aches with the reality of what you see.  Your mind cannot comprehend this unbelievable circumstance.  The situation continues to spiral and the weight of it all gets heavier and heavier.

Remember:  Christ bore the weight of our sins on His cross.

Believer, “your God will supply ALL of your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”  He promised if we will draw nigh to Him, He will draw nigh to us.  Have you ever asked “Does Jesus really care?”   You know and believe in your heart that He cares for you and all that concerns you; however, the pain is almost unbearable.  Remember, “He is mindful that we are but flesh.”  He tells us to “Cast all of our cares upon Him for He cares for us.”

If you’ve walked with Jesus for a while; there have been battles you have fought valiantly.  There are hard battles you are fighting right now.  There are future battles yet to be fought.  Sweet one, put your armor on because the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds.

That person or circumstance that seems to be destroying you inside; cannot have what belongs to Christ. (Your heart) You are His totally and completely!  That’s why He tells you to watch over your heart with all diligence; for from it flow the issues of life.  We all have issues.

Although God did not cause this thing to come to pass; He gives us free will.  The hurt was allowed to come your way because of the free will of said person.  Isaiah states; “All we like sheep have gone astray.  He’s turned everyone to his own way,  The LORD has laid on Him (Christ) the iniquity of us all.”

The same God who promised to never leave you nor forsake you is still Emmanuel, God with you.”  “Faithful is He who has called you; He will bring it to pass.”   Do not lose heart even though your heart is currently broken.  Your Savior’s got you.  He’s got this.  He loves you with an everlasting love and underneath you are His everlasting arms.

(Insert the name of the person in the blank provided for you.)

Prayer in Motion:

Lord Jesus, I know you are with me and with _______________.  You are working all things out for _______________’s good and Your glory.  I trust You with all that is within me.  Thank You for first loving me and ______________.  You will accomplish what concerns _______________Praise Your Holy Name.  Amen.

 

 

Whom Shall I Send?

Devotion:  Isaiah 6

Here I am!  Send me.  Could you?  Should you?  Would you? say that to God?  Oh, how I want to obey Him more than any other voice.  If you love the Lord with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your strength; you long to be that Christian who raises your hand and says; “Pick me, pick me!”  Here I am Lord, please send me.

The prophet Isaiah was listening with the ear of a disciple.  When God said, “Whom shall I send?  Who will go for Me?”  Isaiah was ready to go, ready to serve.  He had no idea what he would be facing and yet; he said YES!  Are you listening and ready to obey the voice of your Savior?

I pray that you and I are longing and waiting to hear God’s voice and anxious to be obedient to His voice.  Open the eyes of our heart Lord.  We want to see Jesus.

There are people who hear and obey quickly God’s call on their lives.  “Through many dangers, toils and snares; we have already come.  There’s no less days to sing God’s praise; than when we first begun.”

Think of all the Bible characters who went to where God called them in spite of fear and trouble in their lives.  Think of Abraham, Moses and Esther.   We should be. ready to obey no matter what we are walking through.  God’s Word says; “To obey is better than sacrifice.”

The Lord is always faithful!  He can be no other way, no matter what!  God is faithful to do what He promises He will do.  If He asks you to go; you can know He’s got a purpose and a plan.

Prayer in Motion:

God, I’m crying out to You Lord, right now.  Jesus, You are my King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  I trust You to send me Lord.  Here I am.  In Jesus Name.

 

 

 

 

Need or Greed

Devotion:  1 Corinthians 10:13

Why do we want what we want when we want it?  Right now I’m talking material stuff.  Why do we look at what others have and covet those things?  Why?  I won’t speak for you; but I  believe what God says; “My heart is desperately wicked; deceitful above all else.”  It’s easy to look at the things someone else possesses and feel like you are missing out on the luxury of said thing.

Let’s examine our motives.  Is this thing a want, a need or a desire?  I do believe if we wrote those three headings down on paper to see which category this “thing” falls under; there would be way more wants and desires versus needs.  Sometimes it helps to visualize these very words; because our enemy would love to blur the lines.  Satan does not want you to be victorious in your walk with Christ.

Dear one, “you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you.”  We cannot have discernment “by our might, not by our spirit, but by His Spirit says the Lord God Almighty.”  It is through a discerning spirit that we decide our true needs.

Many times God blesses non-believers through His acts of mercy and grace extended to them all day long.  If they do not choose to have a relationship with Him; material wealth may be the only things they receive in this life.  The sad thing is they will not have any rewards in heaven.  In fact they will spend eternity in a darkness never known to man this side of eternity.

Prayer in Motion:

Lord Jesus, Your Word says, “If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally and without reproach.”  I am entreating You for wisdom and discernment as I look at needs, wants and desires.  In the powerful Name of Jesus I offer up this prayer.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

Refreshed By Reunion

Devotion:  Philemon 1:7

A couple of days ago; my long time friend Bonnie and I met up with a friend we had not seen in twenty years.  We’ve all aged a bit but I think we would have known each another if we had run into one another on the street.  We’re all three short and probably have shrunk a few more inches in twenty years.

The last time I had seen this precious friend; I drove an hour and a half in the driving rain to try and talk her out of divorcing her husband.  Her maid came to the door and said she was unavailable.  I said, “That’s ok, I’ve driven a long way and I’m happy to wait right here on the porch until she comes out.”

You see, when you love someone enough, you are willing to confront them with the truth.  My friend was determined to leave and divorce the one with whom she had three sons who are today very fruitful and productive young men.  Bonnie and I begged and pleaded for over an hour to try and convince her not to leave.

At that time we begged this woman not to leave her husband we did not know the whole story that we know today.  We met at a mutual friend’s home and shared lunch together.  We were like the three musketeers or the three stooges depending upon what part of the four and a half hour conversation you walked in on.  We laughed.  We cried and albeit an overview; we got  caught up on each other’s lives.

All three of us have had, are having or will have difficult situations in our lives.  Our faith has kept us strong and we connected like we had been together the day before.  In four and a half hours God reconnected us as if no time had been lost, especially not twenty years.  We all left feeling refreshed by our reunion.

Prayer in Motion:

Lord Jesus, I thank You for refreshing me by the gift of  meeting up with old friends.  Thank You Lord that we will see one another again in heaven but also in this life.  in Jesus Name.  Amen.

The God Who Sees Me

Devotion:  Genesis 16:1-15

Several years ago I was blessed to lead a women’s retreat on The God Who Sees Me.  It was a precious group of women of all ages.  Based upon today’s passage, the idea was God sees everything you are walking through.

He sees and knows the good, the bad and the ugly in every human being.  Nothing escapes Him.  Nothing is too hard for Him.  Jehovah Jireh will provide, physically, emotionally and spiritually for all your needs.

This past week-end my husband and I went to a beautiful outdoor wedding in the mountains.  It was so dear to see these two precious young people begin their lives together.  Their covenant vows were based upon the very Word of God as they promised aloud to love and cherish each other.

I believe every married person who attended this wedding may have shed a tear remembering when they spoke their own vows before God and a host of family and friends.  The sweet little bride was so moved by the promises the bridegroom made to her that she could hardly get through her own vows.  It was so incredibly tender to hear these two covenant with one another to walk beside and stand by one another until death do they part.

Many do not understand the seriousness of making a covenant vow like this.  Divorce rates are as high among Christians as non-Christians.  That is so very sad.  It’s hard to find a family that hasn’t been touched by divorce in some way or fashion.

We should pray earnestly to the God Who Sees, “Jehovah El-Roi is His Name” for this next generation to come back to God.

Prayer in Motion:

Jehovah El-Roi, You see and know everything even before it happens.  Deliver me from any evil that tries to come against me.  You see and know everything that goes on in my life even before it happens.  You are an amazing and wonderful God.  May we keep our covenant with You always until death do we part.  In Jesus Holy Name I pray.  Amen,

 

What is Your Greatest Desire?

Devotion:  Psalm 37:4

Ask yourself today’s big question.  Can you identify your greatest desire?  Do you know for certain it lines up with the will of God for your life?  There was a lady named Sarah in the Bible whose whole focus and greatest desire was to have a baby boy,

All of her friends and family were having babies.  She cried.  She sought the Lord in prayer.  She did all she knew   e that God Himself was prohibiting her from having children because He had promised her husband Abraham He would make of him a great nation.  It must somehow be all of her fault.

Sarah began to plot and scheme another way to bring a man child into their lives.  She gave her servant to her husband to sleep with.  Horrible idea!  Even though she made a huge mistake in doing so; Sarah continued to hold onto hope that she and Abraham would have a son.

Sarah is actually listed as one of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.  Like you and me, Sarah became discouraged in the waiting; allowing impatience to over rule her faith.  In God’s timing He delivered His promise to bless Sarah and Abraham with baby Issac.

I don’t know about you; but I become impatient in the waiting to see God move and act on my behalf and behalf of others.  He’s always training me in righteousness.  I’m always growing in my trust level and dependence upon Him.

Prayer in Motion:

Lord, I long for my desires to line up with Yours all the days of my life.  “Have Thine own way Lord.  Have Thine own way.  Thou art the Potter…I am the clay.  Mold me and make me, after Thy will.  While I am waiting, yielded and still.”  I love You Lord.  In Jesus Name.  Amen,

First Woman

Devotion:  Genesis 2:16-17

We just celebrated Mother’s Day.  Eve was the very first mother of us all.  Taken straight from Adam’s rib; she was fearfully and wonderfully made just for Adam.  God made Adam from His own hands out of the dust of the ground.

After Adam named all of the animals created by God; he realized he did not have a person like him so God put him in a deep sleep and took one of his ribs to make his help mate.

Eve was the first person to be tempted by Satan.  This wicked foe intentionally slithered right in the garden to tempt her with the very tree God told Adam and Eve not to eat from.  The tree was hanging full of beautiful fruit. It was beautiful to behold.  Satan began to say; “Did God really say, not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil?  Satan always wants God’s children to question Father God’s authority.  He’ll do it anyway He can.

We live in a fallen world so its not too hard for our enemy to cause us to doubt the voice of our Savior and His Word.  He will whisper; “Don’t worry about obeying God’s Word.”  It’s out of date.  It does not apply to the here and now.  The Bible’s is full of totally old fashioned principles so surely God does not mean for you to apply them today.  Oh yes, He does for sure.

Eve was deceived by the enemy of her soul.  Then, she deceived Adam into eating from the tree as well.  God had to expel them from their beautiful Eden Garden home.  The world in all of its beauty has gone downhill ever since that fateful day.

Prayer in Motion:

Lord, forgive me for giving into temptation, for yielding is sin.  Thank You for forgiving and cleansing me from all unrighteousness.  Thank You for bearing my sin and shame on the cross Lord.  In Jesus Name.  Amen,