Tag: Devotionals

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The Dangers of Ungodly Fear

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. ~ Exodus 20:18-21

The people of Israel feared and trembled when they saw and heard the glory of God. In other words, they let ungodly fear overtake them, and they stood a far off from God. Ungodly fear is a predator. It will separate you from God, and it will cause you to stand a far off. But Godly fear will cause you to run to God.

Make no mistake, Moses was afraid as well, but his fear was a Godly fear, the kind of fear God requires us to have. It is called the fear of God. A healthy fear that gives you reverence for the LORD and the things of the LORD.

After fear overtook them, they said, “You speak to us, Moses, but do not let God speak, for we will die.” People have this ungodly fear of God still to this day. They believe that if you make one mistake, He will strike you down. Like God is waiting in heaven, looking intently for you to make one mistake so He can kaput you. Or if you go out on a Sunday, God will cause you to die. You can’t do this or do that without severe consequences. God is not waiting for you to make the wrong move, and bam, “Turn Over.” That is what happens with ungodly fear.

The Israelites refused to hear God for themselves; thus, they refused to know Him. They wanted Moses to hear God for them. The only problem with that is you have to hear God for yourself in order to know Him for yourself, and you can only know Him by talking with Him (prayer), reading His Scriptures (it’s His revealed word about Himself), and meditating on God’s word and letting Him speak to you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Let Ungodly Fear Overtake You.

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Change You, Not God

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

As a woman, it’s very easy to buy into the so-called struggle women have. Self-oppression is one of the most detrimental things we can do to ourselves. Why? Because it causes us to be our own worst enemy. When we are self-oppressed, we see oppression and hatred everywhere we look. We create obstacles that hold us back and keep us from fulfilling the call God has for our lives. We also begin to twist the world around us, even the Scriptures, in order to make ourselves feel better. To ease the wound that we’ve created in ourselves.

I’ve seen many women and feminist men who’ve bought into female oppression proclaim loudly that God is either both male and female or only female. I don’t understand this. I can’t relate. Are there times I feel like men look down on me because I’m a woman? Sure, but those times are few and far between. There’s always going to be people who don’t like us because of something that we can’t change about ourselves, whether it’s our race, sex, height, nationality. There’s always going to be haters, but their opinion doesn’t matter. We don’t try to change God in order to ease the wounds that we create or that others create in us. We allow God to change us. We invite God into our lives so that He can show us who we are in Him. God’s desire for us is for our good. Therefore, He’s the only voice that we can trust and believe when it comes to defining who we are and what our worth is.

Dear LORD, thank You for saving my soul. Thank You that You see a creation worthy of Your time in me. Thank You that my worth and identity aren’t found in the world or even in my own opinions of myself, but that my worth and identity are found in You. Because in You I’m a new creation, the old has passed away, and the new has come. Please help me to never lose sight of who I am in You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Introduction of Darkness

16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ~ John 3:16-19

I recently watched a clip of a cathedral hosting what they called a ‘Beyonce Mass.’ During this mass, they sang Beyonce songs as if they were worship songs to God. The woman who brought the sermon for the mass also teaches a class at seminary entitled ‘Beyonce and the Bible.’ Today’s Church is full of celebrity worship. We know more about Beyonce than we do about God.

The Church loves John 3:16 but refuses to read past that verse. Because the moment that we do, we see the Truth. Yes, Christ came to save the world and not condemn it, but the world already stands condemned. Why? Because the world doesn’t accept the Light (Jesus) because of the love of darkness. The Church today loves darkness. We try to incorporate it every chance we get. We see it as freeing and progression, but sin isn’t freedom. Sin is a harsh slave master. It demands absolute and total submission. And one day, it will collect on the soul that it has imprisoned with shackles and chains.

The only freedom is in Christ Jesus. There is no freedom outside of Christ. Why? Because outside of Christ is just darkness. Christ is Light. Christ is freedom. Christ is life. To choose anything else would be to willingly choose death.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for all the times I chose the world over You. Please forgive me for all the times that I darkness over light. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I might have a spirit of discernment to discern between light and darkness. Good and evil. Truth and lies. Thank You for not leaving me in darkness but for leaving the 99 to find me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Give Thanks In Rejoicing

23 Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given the early rain for your vindication; He has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. ~ Joel 2:23

The LORD is saying through the prophet Joel, “Rejoice and be glad.” In other words, be grateful and thankful for what I give you, for apart from Me, you can do nothing. We express the love of God through our rejoicing.

God instructs Israel to rejoice in all situations because rejoicing can be considered an offering to the LORD that is connected to the love of God. God does not want us to walk around with our faces made up and our countenance fallen. He wants us to express and show His love because He is a God of love, and He wants and expects us to abide in His love. You cannot abide in God’s love without rejoicing.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Give Thanks In Rejoicing.

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The Will of God

16 Rejoice always, 17pray continually, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances. The Scripture does not say give thanks for all circumstances, but rather, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of our God.

A thankful heart begins with joy. You rejoice because you are joyful. When you are joyful, you rejoice by giving thanks. Thanks for the things that you enjoy: food, nice clothes, a beautiful home, a comfortable car to drive, and the like.

There are many, many miracles and blessings that we enjoy that we should be praying the prayer of thanksgiving for in appreciation. When we harbor an attitude of gratitude in our hearts, it will bring with it the peace that passes all understanding. It will foster joy in our hearts. The kind of joy that does not depend on man nor on circumstances but on the good grace of Almighty God.

So, let this Thanksgiving be the start of a lifelong pursuit of joy through the attitude of thanksgiving. Giving thanks first of all to our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, for dying on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins. For choosing us before we had any inclination or desire to choose Him. For loving us while we were unlovable and dying for us while we were still His enemies.

Thank You, Father, for choosing me. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for me. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for leading me in all truths. Help me, LORD, to maintain a thankful heart that I might show my appreciation for the blessings of life. Bless Your people on this Thanksgiving Day, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, that our hearts may be overjoyed as we serve You and wait for the day of Your return. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.

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The Humble Are Thankful

29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. 34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?” 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. ~ Daniel 4:29-36

The LORD used Nebuchadnezzar and even called him His servant, but Nebuchadnezzar became prideful. He looked at all that he had and gave no glory to God. So, God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, and Nebuchadnezzar’s reason left him until he humbled himself before the Almighty. This is still true to us today.

Many of us have been blessed by God beyond measure. We lack nothing. Our business is booming. But we begin to forget God in the process. We don’t acknowledge all that God has done for us. The more we become prideful, the more humility flees from us. As humility flees from us, we become less and less like God and more and more like beasts. Selfishness begins to take over us, and we lose our sense. Our hearts become cold, and we no longer give anything to God or others. Thankfulness is driven from our hearts as we become more and more selfish. Without thanksgiving, the Fruit of the Spirit begins to flee us as well.

Dear LORD, please help me to never become ungrateful and unthankful for all that You’ve done for me. Soften my heart that I might always be thankful for all that You’ve done for me. Please humble me so that pride may never build up within me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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God Deserves Thanksgiving

11 Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His rules and His statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, ~ Deuteronomy 8:12-14

God warned the Israelites to not forget the LORD their God after they had begun to prosper. This is still true for the Church today. Your business is finally beginning to bloom. Your clientele has grown substantially. You can hardly keep up with orders. You are selling, selling, selling. There is no need to beg the LORD to prosper your business anymore. Now, you don’t have time to gather in worship as a family. You just can’t find the time to pray.

So, you begin to justify your heart growing cold to God by making excuses. I have so much to do I can’t make it out to church today, maybe next week. For sure, I’m going to make it to at least one Christmas program this year.

Let me just tell you right here, God is not interested in your scraps. He is a mighty conqueror. He is an awesome king. He is LORD of Lords and King of kings. There is no one like Him, and there is none beside Him. He is the mighty God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Always Give Thanks For What God Has Done For You.

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I Give You Thanks

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We are to serve Him with gladness. We are to come into His presence with singing because it was God who created us in His own image. We are not self-made people. We are the sheep of His pasture.

He loves us and cares for us, and He is faithful even when we are unfaithful, and all He wants is our obedience and our gratitude. Our thanks. Therefore, we should give thanks to God for all He has done for us and for who He is.

But you know what? God wants us to take it a step higher. He wants us to not only give thanks to Him but to live a life of gratitude. He wants us to live like we are thankful for life. Thankful for the things we enjoy. Thankful for the things we take for granted, like family and close friends. Thankful for the food we eat. Jesus never ate one bite of food without giving thanks. Should we do any less?

I read this quote by William Arthur Ward:

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. Dear LORD, please forgive me for not being more thankful. I’m sorry for all of the times I have complained and only saw my glass as half full. Thank You for all that You’ve done for me and given to me. Thank You for Your promises. Please help me to be more thankful and more grateful with each and every breath. Thank You for all the good plans You have for my life; help me to follow them. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Nothing We Can Do

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~ Romans 10:9-13

Paul makes it abundantly clear when he made the statement “that if we confess with our mouth, that Jesus is LORD, and believe in our heart we will be saved,” that it’s all about faith. We must believe, first of all, that Jesus came, died, and was raised to life again. In doing so, He paid the ultimate price for sin, and if we come to Him in prayer, believing that He hears us, we will be saved.

So, it’s Jesus’ grace through our faith in Him that saves us and nothing else. But there is absolutely nothing more that you can do to earn salvation; it’s all freely given to each and every one of us who asks and believes. This is what makes Christianity unique. There’s nothing we can do to save ourselves. Christ and only Christ can save us. It’s only by His name that we are saved. This is why we live each and every day thankful for the sacrifice our God gave on the cross for us.

Dear LORD, thank You for Your free gift of salvation. Thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross. I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that You died for my sins and rose on the third day. Please help me to live my life for You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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He’s Worth More

10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. ~ Matthew 24:10-11

Throughout the Scripture, there are prophecies after prophecies about how many will fall away and betray one another. Not only will they betray one another, but they will hate one another. This isn’t the world that these prophecies are about; this is the Church. Because these prophecies also tell us that many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Is that the world they are leading astray? No, of course not. The world is already astray; it’s the Church that will be led astray.

And do you know why they are led astray? Because they don’t read the Bible for themselves. Christians have no clue what is in the Bible. Some have never ever read the Bible for themselves. This is why so many of us will be so easily led astray.

And as we are seeing even now, the false prophets who speak on behalf of God tell the Church that they can live any old way they want, and God will still accept them. Why will God accept whatever they give Him? Because they say that God is desperate for followers, so He has no choice but to take what He gets. He’s just a pushover who just loves and accepts everyone.

That is not the case at all. God demands that His Great Name be feared and respected. He is not a desperate housewife. He is Almighty God—a Mighty Warrior. God is a great King. He is God of all gods. He will not accept half-hearted worship and halfway sacrifices. Therefore, God will not accept our lukewarm worship.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for not spending time reading Your Word as I should. Please forgive me for not giving You the reverence, worship, honor, and glory that You deserve. Please teach me to love You the way that You deserve. Help me to dwell in Your love. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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