Month: December 2017

DAILY VERSE

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Luke 2:9-11

DEVOTION

I love watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” every year. It’s a tradition I continue with my children. I’m grateful that they still air it, though I own it on iTunes. The great message portrayed in these verses, spoken by Linus at the Christmas play, still holds the weight they did 2000 years ago. God sparked into action His New Covenant with mankind through the birth of Jesus! A gift available to all who believe. God, through His great love for us, created a way for us to spend eternity with Him. Hope was born in that stable!

May God be glorified and may each of you have a very Merry Christmas!

DAILY VERSE

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-6

DEVOTION

One of my favorite movies to watch during the Christmas season is A Christmas Carol. It all started during this season in the valley I’ve been going through for six years now. I wasn’t feeling any desire to celebrate and figured I had more in common with Scrooge. What I realized is that I have everything in common with Scrooge and that this story is about redemption. Instead of being stuck in my self-imposed misery, I found myself feeling a spark of joy. Our God is all about second chances and redemption. You’re never too far gone to reach out and believe!

DAILY VERSE

And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Genesis 15:5

DEVOTION

Abraham was given a distinct promise from God that He followed through with. God also promised Abraham a son, which required “waiting”. His wife Sarah, not willing to wait, brought chaos by having Abraham sleep with their servant. God’s promises are solid and when we bypass the process of “waiting” we risk giving up God’s best for less.

DAILY VERSE

DAILY VERSE

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him…

Psalm 37:7

DEVOTION

“If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord’s people have always been a waiting people” – Charles Spurgeon

I admit it, I lament over the fact that when trials arrive I have to be taught another lesson on patience. You would think that over time I would have mastered this ability and could wield it like a superpower. But I seem to do an amazing job…in spurts. The spurt ends when I’ve attempted to second-guess God and assume that perfect timing has passed me by.

Lord, give me the strength to wait, to trust, and obey. – In Your Holy Name, Amen

DAILY VERSE

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Hebrews 11:8

DEVOTION

I and two other close friends have been on a journey for the last 7 years. The road has been fraught with financial hardships, health issues, and a range trials. When we set out on this path we had a clear direction we were headed. In the midst, God threw us all a curve ball we didn’t see coming. But we have stuck to the path. Many times when we are called to do something and it fails we count it as a loss and move on. But if you’ve been called, shouldn’t you stay the course? God’s calling may include some rough seas, stay the course and He will safely guide you to the goal He has set before you!

DAILY VERSE

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.

Luke 5:10

DEVOTION

It seems counter-intuitive to “rejoice” while you’re spending time in the valley of suffering, but there is wisdom in these words. There is a verse that says, “God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all.” God’s goals for your life is 100% good! Being aware of that we can enter into trials knowing that major spiritual growth is going to happen and that we will come through them in one piece.

DAILY VERSE

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

Psalm 16:7

DEVOTION

I don’t know about you, but most of the time I picture God being far off in heaven, sometimes drawing near when we’re in distress, then zooming back to His throne. Yah, it does sound rather strange. What if the kingdom of heaven was all around us, unseen, and Jesus was actually standing next to us when we were going through trials? I believe that’s closer to the truth than my shallow version. When trouble comes, and it will, Jesus is near; giving you the strength; holding you up; helping you get through it!

DAILY VERSE

O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.

Psalms 89:8-9

DEVOTION

The waves that ebb and flow during trials can sometimes feel like they’re gaining in size and threating to take you down. The greatest risk is a hardened heart. I know many times when things get seemingly unmanageable, I tend to compartmentalize things. Dealing with everything as a whole becomes overwhelming. God is faithful to calm the waves before they overtake you, reach out to Him.

DAILY VERSE

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

DEVOTION

Do you hear God’s “still, small voice”? Do you feel as though God is guiding your steps?

As believers, we are like a freshly installed and calibrated satellite dish. Once the power switch on the television is turned on, voila, the transmission is received! But so often it’s us. We neglect to move the switch to “on” through prayer and conversation with God. There’s no two-way communication. Make it a point to have a conversation with Jesus daily, allow Him to light your path and enrich your life!