Tag: Devotionals

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A Prayer Request

Romans 15:30-32 NIV,

[30] I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. [31] Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, [32] so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed.

There’s one thing the Church continuously struggles with, prayer. There’s an entire underground church that doesn’t ask for financial help, food, clothing, or even Bibles. What does it ask for? Only prayer, yet rarely do we pray for them. Rarely do we even mention them.

We have national burger day. Ice cream day. Water day. We have so many different random unofficial holidays in the US, but we don’t have a day we come together as a Church, and pray for the underground Church. Those being persecuted simply for believing in Christ and refusing to deny Him. They’re beaten. Tortured. Land and homes taken away. They’re taken to concentration camps. Why? For their belief Christ. For refusing to deny Him. For refusing to stop speaking about Him.

We are the most financially steady Church in generations, but we are the most lukewarm. We are financially rich, but spiritually poor. We don’t have the spiritual growth it takes to get on our knees and pray for one hour a day, but we can binge a show for 8 to 10 hours straight. When the Church didn’t pray, James was beheaded. When the Church prayed, Peter was saved and delivered from prison by an angel. There are countless Christians suffering right now. Their only request is prayer. How will you answer? 

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The Power To Hurt

38 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.  43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ~ Matthew 5:38-48NIV

The quote

“There’s no such thing as safe love. Real love means giving someone the power to hurt you.”

has been living rent free in my head for a few weeks now. It’s been just replaying through my head over and over and over again. Such a difficult concept to grasp. Such a difficult pill to swallow. True love is giving someone the power to hurt you. That’s not an easy standard to live by.

This isn’t just a good sounding quote either, Christ confirms this belief. Paul told us:

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; 7 rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:5-8NIV

Let that sink. Christ gave up His Godly form, set it aside and took on the form of man. Then, died for the sins of the whole world, knowing fully well that the majority of humanity would refuse to believe. He loved even though He knew that He would be hated. His love was, is, and always will be unconditional. This is the kind of love we are to walk in.

The kind of love that allows others to hurt us. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should get involved or remain in abusive relationships. What I’m saying is when we love, we shouldn’t love with the expectancy of that love being returned or reciprocated. We should love, even when someone hurts us. We should love, even when we are the victim. We should love, even when they are deemed undeserving.

If your enemy is hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. If they are naked, clothe them. Our actions should never be to return hate with hate. It should always be to return hate with love. It should always be turn the other cheek.

Dear LORD, thank You for loving me, even when I was a sinner. Thank You for never taking away the opportunity to love You. Please forgive me for all of the times I have not loved others as You have loved me. Please uproot any root of bitterness that has been planted and is growing inside of me. Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me. Help me to be Christ to others and share Your Light with all I come across. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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A Yoke Of Slavery

13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ~ Numbers 11:13NIV

Moses had just delivered the people out of Egypt. They had been slaves for 400 years. When the burden of slavery became too hard for them, they cried out to the LORD, and the LORD answered them. He sent a deliverer and delivered them.

Now, they are free. No longer enslaved. No longer with a heavy burden that weighs them down. They thankful hearts didn’t last long. They soon began to grumble and complain. First it was hunger. Then it was that they were tired of the food they were given to eat and wanted meat. They commissioned and complained to the point where Moses had had enough, and could no longer take it.

Imagine being enslaved to the point where your baby boys are murdered in front of you. You and your family are worked tirelessly. Beaten and whipped. So you pray for intervention and when God intervenes, you’re only thankful for a short while because you don’t have the same foods as you did in slavery.

So many times God intervenes on our behalf, and we are thankful in the moment but we forget too quickly. We willingly return to slavery in order to have a snack. We trade freedom from our stomachs. Let that sink in. We trade our freedom to return to slavery.

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1NIV

19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”

2 Peter 2:19 NIV

Sometimes, we trade freedom for tradition and legalism. We trade God’s freedom for manmade doctrines. Other times we trade freedom for desires. The Israelites of Moses’ day knowingly said they would rather be slaves in Egypt than follow God in the wilderness, today we do the same. We say we would rather be bound by tradition, legalism, and manmade doctrine than to be free in Christ Jesus.

Dear LORD, thank You for saving my soul. Thank You for redeeming me from my sins and giving me freedom in You. Please forgive me for each and every time I chose slavery over freedom. Please forgive each and every time I have fallen back into sin and given into my fleshly desires instead of remaining in Your perfect and holy will. I ask that You would please strengthen me and teach me. That You would uphold me when I fall, so that I might not remain down, but that I might get up and keep going. Please guide me and lead me in the path You have for my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Live In Abundance

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. ~ John 10:10CSB

I can honestly say, I’m not really sure what to say. The last couple days I’ve felt extremely defeated, discouraged, and alone, but this morning I woke up and all of the burdens were just gone. The craziest part is, as I was embracing this pure joy and peace of mind, I could feel something tugging at me wanting me to pick the burden back up and carry it longer because after all, the feelings were justified.

It’s crazy how the flesh and the enemy work together in order to defeat you. Satan doesn’t want you free and neither does your flesh. Your flesh has been corrupted. It’s filled with wickedness, bitterness, lust, anger, unforgiveness, etc. This is the importance of crucifying the flesh daily. We must put our flesh in check, or we’ll be defeated inside and out.

The enemy’s desire is for our destruction, whether spiritually or physically, he desires to destroy us. So, when we come to Christ and He picks up our burdens and takes them from us, the enemy tries to lie to us and use our flesh to tell us we need to carry those burdens. That we need to be broken and hurt, angry and bitter, because of what has been done. Christ says, give that to me and I’ll carry it for you. Give it to me and I’ll give you love, joy, and peace. I’ll give you everlasting life.

The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ comes to bring life and life more abundantly.

Did I do everything right? Absolutely not. I never do. Nor does any other human. Did I pass the test? I believe this love, joy, and peace I feel right now is proof that I did. You don’t have to get every single thing right. That’s impossible. You do, however, have to pass the test. You have to not give the Devil room to accuse and destroy. You have to learn to kneel down at the feet of Jesus and allow Him to take your burdens from you. Give them to Him, and He will give you peace.

LORD, I’m sorry for all of the times I refused to come to You and lay my burdens down at Your feet. Thank You for never giving up on me. For never leaving me. For never forsaking me. Thank You for loving me. For giving me peace. For giving me hope and a future. Search me, oh LORD, and show me the unforgiveness in my heart. Help me to let it go, LORD. Here is my hurt, shame, and pain. I lay it at Your feet. Help me to lay it at Your feet and to never pick it up again. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Call To Lean

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV

Have you ever felt just emotionally, physically, and spiritually exhausted? Like, no matter what you say or do, it’s never good enough? Like no matter how many times you get up, someone or something pushes you right back to the floor? That’s where I’m at…

Recently I’ve just been struggling to do basic everyday things. My drive has been drained and my body is just screaming we can’t go any longer. One minute I’m starving, the next I’ve completely lost my appetite. The more I analyze what goes before these feelings, the more I realize it’s the words and actions of others around me that are draining me. Yepp, I’m right back to where I began again.

It’s the little things that really get me. Someone says or does something that causes you discouragement and then instead of trying to encourage you and help you, they tell you not to listen to the voices in your head as if you made the whole thing up. As if you’re crazy. Or if you say something someone doesn’t like, they just begin to lecture you, and it becomes a daily occurrence. When they point out they didn’t do it the previous day or two, it’s because you had stopped talking, so there was nothing to lecture on.

When the Devil wants to go in for the kill, he uses those around you. Those you trust. Those he knows can crush you the most. When Jesus was arrested, who was it because of? One of His own close friends, Judas. When He was being mocked and slapped before the High Priest, and they were spitting on Him laughing in His face, who was it that denied Him in those moments? His best friend, Peter.

The Devil will use those closest to you, to try to destroy you. To try to finish you. But each day you have to get back up again. You have to keep going forward. You have to overcome. It isn’t easy. It’s quite exhausting. It isn’t a quick walk around the park. It’s quite discouraging. But that’s when you lean on the LORD. That’s when you fall at His feet and call out His name, for when we humble ourselves before Him and seek Him with all of our heart. He hears us. We find Him. And He picks us up.

Even when the whole world feels like it’s against, the LORD God is for you. Even when it feels like you don’t even have a friend to call on for help, Jesus is that friend. He will never leave you, nor forsake you, but it’s on you to call His name.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Call To Lean.

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Lighting Up The Night Sky

42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward. ~ Matthew 10:42NIV

The older I get, the more I realize the big grand gestures don’t mean as much to me as the simple day to day interactions. The little things that seem so silly usually are the things that affect us the most. Little things like just holding you when you’re struggling to even get out of bed. Or telling you good job, well done when you achieve a small goal. Simply giving a hand when asked for help without making it seem as if it’s such an inconvenience. Or sitting together watching a movie or TV show together after a rough day. Things that we don’t really think about as high priority.

Throughout my room I have quotes on my walls. The largest quote that’s in the center right over my bed says:

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

It’s the little simple things that we do for others that impact their lives the most. The little things that say, “I’m here for you, and I care about you.” This is how we win souls. We build relationships with others and we share the love of God with them. We are to

16 … let [our] light shine before others, that they may see [our] good deeds and glorify [our] Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16NIV

Every day, strive to be a light to someone. Start with just one small act of kindness in someone’s life. Let them see Christ through you, and in doing so, not only do you have the potential of saving someone’s soul, we are building eternal treasures in heaven. And where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

Dear LORD, please forgive me for not letting my life shine before others. Help me to follow in Your footsteps and be a light to others. Show me the little things I can do in this life that will point others to You. Use me LORD as You see fit. Mold me and make me whatever is needed to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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An Unmoving Morality

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to Me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. ~ Hosea 4:6

In a culture that is constantly shifting the lines between right and wrong, how can we clearly set a standard for morality? The LORD declares throughout Scripture that He does not change. If everything else around us changes, then would it not stand to reason that our morality shouldn’t be based on an ever-changing society, but on a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever?

The word translated knowledge is the Hebrew word dǎ·ʿǎṯ which means: understand, wisdom, a knowledge with a focus on moral qualities and its application. In other words, we teach a morality that is measured by the Word of God as the plumbline… NOT by society’s standards. Society does not dictate our beliefs, nor does it dictate our morality, but only God and God alone.

When we turn away from God, and reject God’s laws, and His precepts as our benchmark, and we cling to society’s loose morality standards, we are in essence thrusting God behind our backs similarly as the Israelites did in Isaiah’s day. When that happens, and we continuously ignore the warnings. We continuously ignore the prophets. We continuously ignore the very Word of God … then God will pronounce on us that which we do not want to hear.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all of the times I have cast aside true morality for the morality the world offers as truth. Please forgive me every time I have refused to draw a line in the sand. Please give me a heart that understands and desires You and Your Kingdom. Help me to not be deceived by the lies of this world, but to discern Truth from falsehood. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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The Abundance of The Heart

43 No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ~ Luke 6:43-45 NIV

The other day I saw on social media that a pastor had passed away on Monday. He was 67 years old. What caught my attention was that he was called the Cussing Pastor. In the comment section of the post that I saw, were two groups of people:

One group consistently said, “Only God can judge,” “Ye without sin cast the first stone,” “Judge not lest you be judged,” “God is a forgiving God,” “God judges the heart,” and so on.

The other group said, “I hope he got right with God before he died,” “I hope he took the time to repent,” “Why do we defend sin,” “God is fed up with foolishness,” and so on.

I think these comments showed the division that we have in the Church today. We have one side screaming at the top of their lungs “Only God can judge,” while the other side is screaming at the top of their lungs, “Sin is still sin.” And right now, one side is louder and more dominant in the Church today, and it isn’t the side calling sin sin.

Have you noticed the temperature of the Church in the last two decades? It went from faithful attendance. A belief that sin is sin. A respect for the pulpit to God isn’t barbaric like we were taught, so He won’t send anyone to Hell. God is love, so He understands. He wants us to be happy and enjoy this life. He knew us before we were born, so we’re not going to be sent to Hell that was never created for us anyway.

The two biggest issues in the Church today are that our pastors are no longer teaching the Word of God and our people are no longer reading the Word of God. We hear other people quote Scripture, but we don’t check to make sure that it’s right or wrong. Paul was checked by the Bereans, yet we don’t check our pastors today.

I heard another pastor quote Isaiah 29:13 and claim it for himself. He continued to claim his church members were his children and should be obedient to him like Jesus is to the Father. No questions asked. No doubt. Full faith in him. His entire sermon was, in essence, that he is their god.

I heard another pastor preach that Jesus often took the Scriptures (the Word of God) out of context. How can Jesus take the Word of God out of context when He is the Word of God?

I heard another pastor scream at the camera, “I don’t take Scriptures from Sodomites.” Another time I heard him say that if you wear a mask in his church, you will be removed. Another time he said that when he and his wife couldn’t cast a demon out of someone, they began taking notes of what the demon said because they told them who the witches were in their congregation. So you didn’t have the power or authority to cast out the demon, but somehow it told you the truth and not lies? How does that work?

Our pastors are going unchecked. Their mouths are full of blasphemies, yet they will be defended as if they are above correction.

Jesus told us to beware of false prophets. To beware of those who come to us in sheep clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. And you know how Jesus said you’d recognize them? By their fruit. You have to judge the fruit that they bear in order to know whether they are of God or not (Matthew 7:15-20). The biggest tell is their words. If blasphemies, cursing and cussing, false teachings, hate, and perversion are what comes out of their mouths, then that is what is in their heart. And if that is what is the abundance of their heart, then they don’t have a new heart and they should be seeking the LORD’s forgiveness, not trying to lead a flock. It will be the blind leading the blind and both will fall into the pit (Matthew 15:14).

I’ll leave you with this verse:

23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matthew 6:23NIV

Dear LORD, please forgive me for the words that have come out of my mouth. Please forgive me for following false teachers and believing false doctrines. Please give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand. Create in me a clean heart and renew in me a right spirit. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing and acceptable to You, LORD. Please search me and convict me of any sin that is within me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and the spirit of discernment. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Be A Sam

17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. ~ Proverbs 17:17NIV

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12NIV

Every one of us has burdens that weigh us down. Burdens that cause us stress, pain, heartache, or oppression. The book of Proverbs says:

17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17NIV

We are to build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11), help each other when one stumbles (Luke 22:32). We are to be a Samwise Gamgee to our friends.

In the Lord of the Rings, Frodo Baggins is given a powerful ring that he must carry across the earth to destroy it. No one else can carry this burden for him. Despite this, his gardener, Samwise Gamgee, goes with him and refuses to leave his side. He constantly saves and protects Frodo throughout his journey. Even when Frodo, essentially, betrays him, Sam comes to Frodo’s rescue. At the end of their journey when Frodo is so overwhelmed and worn out from his burden, he can no longer walk. So Sam, scoops him up in his arms and says:

I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.

And he carries Frodo the rest of the way so that he could fulfill his purpose. Sam didn’t care about the power the ring could give him. He didn’t care about the fact that Frodo had betrayed him, or that he himself was tired and exhausted. Sam was there for Frodo whenever he needed a friend. That is the kind of friendship God is calling us to.

A friendship that isn’t selfish and self-serving, but one of selflessness and love. One of carrying someone when you can’t carry their burden for them. Being a shoulder to lean on or a hand to hold. We are called to be more than just a good friend, we are called to be Christ to the world.

The only way we can do that, is to start by building our lives on the Rock. And building up our spirit man. We have to spend time in the Word of God. We have to pray, fast, and worship. We have to make God our main priority, so that when we have the opportunity to be a Samwise Gamgee, we’ll be strong enough to do so.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be A Sam.

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Become A Beacon of Hope

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~ John 10:10NIV

When I watch a TV Show or a Movie, it’s impossible for me to watch them without comparing it to our lives and the Bible. For instance, in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 when Harry Osborn becomes the Green Goblin and he realizes that Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker, he states:

You don’t give people hope. You take it away. I’m gonna take away yours.

Then he goes after Gwen Stacy, Peter’s love. Gwen dies by the end of the scene, and Peter essentially loses all ambition to live. He stops being Spider-Man, so crime increases in the city, and hope decreases. Then he listens to Gwen’s graduation speech that she gave him before she died.

It’s easy to feel hopeful on a beautiful day like today, but there will be dark days ahead of us, too, and there’ll be days where you feel all alone, and that’s when hope is needed most. We have to be greater than what we suffer. My wish for you, is to become hope. People need that.

As Christians, we share hope with others. We lead others to the hope of Eternal Life with Christ Jesus, our LORD and Savior. We bear each other’s burdens and pray for each other’s strength. We lift up, and, in many instances, we are people who others look time, especially in times of trouble, even if we don’t realize it.

The Green Goblin’s goal was to destroy Spider-Man, and by taking away his hope, he did. The Devil’s goal is to destroy the Bride of Christ. He will take away anything and everything he can in order to destroy our hope. Because if he can destroy our hope, then no longer will we be the light of the world. No longer will we be laborers in the field. No longer will we be a beacon of hope for another person. As long as there are Christians on this earth praying, fasting, evangelizing, and discipling, there is hope.

Don’t let the enemy steal your hope. If you weren’t important, he’d never come after you. He’d never attack you. He would just leave you be. But you are important. You’re a threat to the kingdom of darkness because the God of all creation not only knows you by name but dwells in you, with you, and through you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Become A Beacon of Hope.

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