Devotionals Archives

September 4, 2022October 9, 2022

Don’t Believe The Lie

¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. ¹⁸The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. ¹⁹The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; ~ Psalms 34:17-19

Every 40 seconds, someone dies from suicide (World Health Organization statistic). Many of these are bible-believing Christians who couldn’t find hope in this world and thought it would be better if they were dead. So many believe that the only way they will ever find peace is if they take their own lives. As a Church, we have failed to address this and find a way to help those who struggle with anxiety, depression, and suicide. Suicide is a worldwide problem. There could be a number of reasons why someone commits suicide, but we believe they all stem from one root: self-hatred.

Self-hatred can be planted because of the loss of a job, leading to hopelessness or feeling useless or worthless. It can also be because of traumatic experiences, leaving one to feel worthless, disgusting, or all alone. Such as bullying, rape, sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental or emotional abuse, and much more life-altering events such as divorce, death of a loved one, and loss of a job that leave a person feeling as if suicide is the only way to find peace. But is that the truth?

I believe that the Scripture is plain in explaining that suicide doesn’t save the person from their pain, nor does ease that pain. Instead, it adds to it, for if our bodies are not our own, then how can we commit suicide and it be counted as anything other than murder? I don’t say that to discourage, hurt, or cause anyone pain. I say this in hopes that you may have hope, for there is no hope in believing a lie, but in believing the Truth, there is nothing but hope. God has promised that if His people turn from their sin and cry out to Him, then He will not only forgive their sins but comfort them and give them peace. God promises that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can withstand. And if Christ has overcome all, that has to include suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety.

Verses of Encouragement and Hope

Here are a few verses to quote when you are being mentally attacked by the spirit of suicide, depression, or anxiety, for you can overcome anything and everything through Jesus Christ. You can overcome. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Keep fighting.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. ¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. ¹⁹The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
Psalms 34:17-19

¹³For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalms 139:13-14

¹¹For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for [good] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹²Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. ¹³You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13

²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷Peace I [Jesus] leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:26-27

³³I [Jesus] have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

¹³ I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, ⁷casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
2 Peter 5:6-7

If you need immediate help, call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, for free, confidential help. Click here for a list of crisis centers around the world provided by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

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Accept His Ticket

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ~ John 3:16

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known and most beloved verses of all time. It plainly tells us that it is those who believe, meaning accept what Jesus did for them on Calvary, that will be saved. If you do not accept Jesus, you will perish. You cannot have it both ways. Either there is only one way, or there are several ways.

According to the creator of the entire universe, there is only one way to God. There is only one way to salvation. That’s Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is the only one that paid the price. Jesus is the only one that gave His life as a sacrifice. It’s only Jesus that took our sin upon Himself and overcame the entire world. To say that there are more ways would be to say that Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t necessary and was, in fact, meaningless.

Jesus is the only way because He is the only one who took our sin upon Himself. Don’t take His sacrifice for granted. Don’t teach others to take His sacrifice for granted. None that takes Jesus’ sacrifice for granted will receive life. There’s no way to entire Heaven if you received to accept the ticket to enter.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Accept His Ticket.

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Let The Word Pierce Your Ears

⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ ~ Revelation 2:7

In John’s vision, he saw Jesus in all of His glory, honor, power, and majesty. In this vision, Jesus spoke to seven angels of seven Churches. At the end of each letter to the seven Churches, Jesus said, ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.’ Jesus is saying, “If you hear my words, then allow them to pierce through your ears that you might listen to them.” Jesus didn’t leave us blind and without a guide. He sent His Spirit from the time of the early Church that they might record all that they saw and heard while following Christ so that we today might know of Him.

Unless we hear and listen to the Spirit as He speaks to us through the Scriptures or through another, we will perish. For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ. Unless we seek the Truth, we won’t find it. God can try to reach us through the Bible, prophets, preachers, apostles, teachers, etc., all day, every day, but unless we open our ears to His words, His words cannot change us. If His words cannot change us, then they cannot save us. We then become like those who killed Stephen, for they closed their ears so that his words might not pierce their hearts, and they know the Truth.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let The Word Pierce Your Ears.

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Seek The Truth

¹²Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” ~ Matthew 15:12–14

Jesus said there are blind guides leading the blind into a pit. What does that mean? There are teachers out there who don’t understand what they are teaching. In fact, they don’t understand that their teaching is inaccurate and erroneous. Jesus said that they, being blind, meaning they don’t fully understand the word of God or what they are teaching (although they think they do), will lead others who are like themselves into a pit.

It doesn’t sound like they will accidentally stumble into the Promise Land. It doesn’t sound like they will accidentally stumble into Heaven. No, they will fall into a pit. Why? Because every tree that our Father has not planted will be rooted up. Every tree that will not bear fruit will be uprooted. This is why we have to be careful with who we listen to. Listen is why we have to be like the Bereans and check what everyone says versus what the Word of God says. That’s why we have to ask questions until we have the Truth. Not our own truth or someone else’s truth, but the only Truth. God’s Truth. This is the only Truth that matters.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Seek The Truth.

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Lead Them Through The Dark

²For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3

According to Jesus, not everyone will be saved. In fact, Jesus says that some will not escape. But escape what? Escape the sudden destruction that is coming on all people who have rejected the LORD Jesus. That is why it’s so important that we tell everyone that the return of Christ is near. We should be either going or sending missionaries to places like China and the middle east so that they might be saved.

Those of us who have heard and accepted the Gospel are charged with the responsibility of bringing the Good News to a dead and dying world. Why? Because only those that can see can lead the blind into the sight of Christ. Only those that can hear can lead the deaf into the voice of Christ. Even Christ Himself tells us to share the Good News with others so that they might be saved. Christ is no longer here physically on earth. He spiritually lives in us and through us. Therefore, we are now the light in the darkness. We are now the ones that must lead others to Christ.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Lead Them Through The Dark.

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Mourn In Its Season

¹ For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ²a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

For everything, there is a season. Nothing happens randomly. Nothing happens out of its season and doesn’t fail. As humans, it’s easy to say that this is Truth, but it’s much harder to act like it is Truth. When we live out of the season that we have to be in, we begin to die inside. Sometimes, we completely refuse to live in the season we have to live in in order to get through our situation, and our spirit dies within us. And sometimes, depending on circumstances, we even die physically because of it.

So many of us struggle with grief because we either don’t want to face it or we don’t know how to face it. Because of this, the suicide rate goes up with each generation. Many of us don’t mourn because we’re afraid to. Many of us don’t laugh because we feel like we can’t because of our grief. It almost feels like we are stomping on the grave of a loved one if we move forward with our lives. It almost feels like if we laugh or enjoy life, we’re doing something wrong because they’re no longer with us. Mourning is necessary. Something both spiritually and physically is released and comforted when we go through our season of mourning. It isn’t easy to mourn, but always remember that it’s just for a season because after you have mourned, God will comfort you and fill you with joy. Many of us miss out on the joy of the LORD because we refuse to mourn. Don’t miss out on joy. Don’t miss out on dancing. Don’t miss out on living because you are in mourning.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Mourn In Its Season.

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Tell All

²⁰Then He began to denounce the cities where most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. ²¹“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²²But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” ~ Matthew 11:20–24

Many believe that Jesus saved everyone that He spoke to. That He had a 100% salvation rate, but Jesus had to call out entire cities because they saw the good works of Jesus but refused to repent. They refused to tell anyone else about the Good News of Christ. And that is exactly what is happening now in our time.

Instead of taking the Good News to those who have not heard, we keep the Gospel to ourselves, claiming, “Ah, they’ll be okay because a Good God doesn’t expect me to go and tell them the Good News, so He can’t hold them guilty for me not doing my Christian job.”

My question is, are you taking the Good News to everyone in the world? Why do you think Paul worked so hard at evangelizing the whole world? Because without it, people are doomed. So, the responsibility is on us to tell them, but lazy Christians refuse to go into all the world and preach the Good News. I don’t mean go into the most remote places of the world and become a missionary; not everyone is called to do that. I’m talking about those who don’t share the Good News with anyone. Especially those who claim that sharing the Good News is toxic and/or the problem with the Church today. Accepting and believing the Good News of Christ is the only way to Salvation. Unless we share that Good News, people won’t hear, and if they can’t hear, then they can’t believe.

We only have this one life to share the Gospel with as many people as possible. Don’t let someone else pay for you not taking the time to tell them about Christ. Don’t let the world convince you that Christ is offensive or politically incorrect when it’s only through Christ that we can be saved. For it’s only Christ that has overcome the world.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Tell All.

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Expect The Impossible

²³And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. ²⁴And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but He was asleep. ²⁵And they went and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶And He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?” ~ Matthew 8:23-27

Jesus and His disciples were in the ship, crossing over to the other side. These men weren’t men who had never been in a boat before. These men weren’t men who weren’t used to rough waves and weather. These were seasoned seamen that were with Jesus. They were crossing the lake when a tempest, or a huge storm, arose and threatened to sink the boat with them in it. I presume the disciples were rowing and bailing out the water from the boat to no avail.

So, they went to the back of the ship and woke Jesus up, asking for help. When He helps them by calming the storm, they marvel. They could hardly believe what they had just seen. Maybe it took them by surprise because they were not expecting that. Maybe they were expecting Jesus to grab a bucket or pan and start bailing out water. Or grab an oar and start rowing. Whatever they were expecting, it certainly didn’t seem to be that. That didn’t expect Jesus to stand up and speak to the storm and the storm obey Him. They weren’t ready.

Some of us are where these disciples were so long ago. We’re seasoned in our position, and then, out of nowhere, a storm hits, and we panic. Imagine how much more God will do for us if we cry out for help expecting the impossible. Think about it. The disciples were saved in such a miraculous way that they were shocked, meaning this wasn’t how they were expecting to be saved. So then, how much more will God do the impossible if we pray and expect the impossible?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Expect The Impossible.

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Ignite a Deeper Faith

¹⁰When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who followed Him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. ¹¹I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹²while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. ~ Matthew 8:10-13

So, the centurion goes to see Jesus and explains to Him that his servant is ill and needs a healing. Jesus said, “Sure, I will come with you and heal him.” The centurion was like, “You don’t even need to come. Besides, I’m not worthy for You to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” That pretty much floored Jesus. He was stunned when He heard this.

In fact, Jesus states that no one in all of Israel had that kind of faith. This would mean that not even Jesus’ disciples had that kind of faith. The men that walked and talked with Jesus daily didn’t have that type of faith. Even though they witnessed miracle after miracle. Healing after healing. Sign after sign. Wonder after wonder, their faith couldn’t compare to that of a man who had only heard of the good things of Christ.

Many of us in the Church are baffled by this. We can’t understand how the men that walked and talked with God have less faith than a man who had never met Him. But what many of us fail to realize is that we are often the disciples, not the centurion. When we grow up in Church, it’s easy to take the Bible and all of its promises for granted. It’s easy for us to miss out on something deeper with Christ because He’s always been there. When we allow the things of God (going to church, reading your bible, praying, worship, etc.) to become just another routine, then the Word of God slowly becomes less and less important. We slowly become asleep, and our faith slowly dies the deeper into a spiritual sleep we get.

So, when we come to Jesus, we need more than just head knowledge. We need a good real down to earth belief in who He is and what He can do. We need to strive for an unshakeable faith.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Ignite a Deeper Faith.

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Activate The Sword of The Spirit

^17b… and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, ¹⁸praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ~ Ephesians 6:17-18

The Sword of the Spirit isn’t just the physical Word of God that we refer to as the Bible. It’s not just quoting Scripture. It’s quoting Scripture in Jesus’ name through the power of the Holy Spirit. This power of the Holy Spirit can only be activated through praying in the Spirit because your spirit can only be built up through praying in the spirit, just as your mind can only be built up through praying with your mind.

This is why the Church has been in a dormant state. A state where people leave the Church and become pagans or occultists because the Church has no power. We no longer see the miracles of old in the Church today because the Church rarely prays in the Spirit. Each and every one of us has a Spirit language. This isn’t the same as the speaking in tongues that we saw in Acts 2, which is speaking a heavenly language, and each person hearing heard it in their own language regardless of whom they listened to.

This isn’t the same as the speaking in tongues that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 14, which is speaking a word from God in a heavenly language to the Church and then needing the interpretation of that heavenly language from either the person that spoke or from another who received the interpretation from God. This is speaking in a heavenly language that is specific to your spirit that connects to God’s Spirit that is in you. It is your spirit’s way of building itself up but also cutting through the limitations of our minds and getting straight down to what it is that you need that you may not even know. Without feeding our spirit, it can’t grow. This is how we grow our spirit.

This is the key to activating the Sword of the Spirit. So, when we start to pray in the Spirit and we start to activate the Sword of the Spirit, we will begin to see a change in our lives. We will begin to see the power of God fill us as His Spirit builds in us and builds our spirit with Him. After we have prayed in the spirit, we must pray with our mind that our mind might be built up as well. After we have built up our spirits and our minds, we must then make supplication for the rest of the saints of God. These are the keys to wielding the Sword of the Spirit. Each one of these is important, for a three-strand cord is not easily broken.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Activate The Sword of The Spirit.

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Tag: Devotionals

Don’t Believe The Lie

Verses of Encouragement and Hope

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Accept His Ticket

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Tell All

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Expect The Impossible

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Ignite a Deeper Faith

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Activate The Sword of The Spirit

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