Devot. Faith Through Adversity

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a refreshing, blessed and Christ filled weekend!

 

Do you know the old expression, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?"

 

This has been my mindset and perspective for years.   

 

 I've realized in the last 8 years or so that God brings difficult times into my life for various reasons.  

 Many times He has used trials to spiritually "clean me" from the inside out if  I was harboring bitterness, pain,  a bad attitude, or a realization that I had allowed everything but God to fill my life.    Every time I have gone through something,  I have tried to think, "This can either kill me or make me spiritually stronger with the Lord's help, and the first option is definitely not on the table."

 

James 1:2-4 says, "My brethren (speaking to those how have trusted Jesus as their Savior, 'brothers and sisters in Christ') count it all joy when ye fall into divers (different)  temptations; (trials) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.   But let patience have her perfect work, (let the trial produce patience and let patience do what is needed in your life) that ye may be perfect (means spiritually mature) and entire, wanting nothing."

 

Romans 8:28 (my mom's favorite verse) states, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

 

What are you, someone you know or love going through today?   Can you lift this trial to the Lord and ask that He work in your/or your loved ones/friend's heart to give the burden over to the Lord, do a spiritual housecleaning on the inside/outside of you/them and He sees is needed, that you/them are willing to turn whatever is needed into the Lord's hands, and ask Him to use this for HIS glory in your/their life?   From personal experience, beautiful things can come out of crying out to the Lord and handing over whatever you are going through such as feeling free on the inside, feeling closer to the Lord and anxiously awaiting  to see what God is going to do.

 

I pray the devot. below is a big blessing to your week and that the Lord would uplift you through it.

 

Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

 

 Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/developing-faith-through-adversity  (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

Devot. When We Cry Out to God

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a good weekend and are healthy and well.

 

Have you ever had those days, weeks, months, moments, when you look around you and say, "Dear Lord, what on the earth are you doing?"  "What is the purpose behind this, or why is this happening?"  Of course we all have those moments wen we cry out to the Lord from the depths of our hearts.  

 

King David said in Psalm 130:1,2 , "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.  Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications (prayer requests)."

 

If you read the book of Psalms (word actually means "songs"), you will see that King David cried out to the Lord many times from his heart in times of distress.

 

The devot. for today is on crying out to God and how He responds when we do.

 

Pray it encourages you this week.  Lord bless you and yours!

Isaiah 58:9, "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am."

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/when-we-cry-out-to-god   (Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

Devot. No Greater Love

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a peaceful week and are staying healthy and well.
 

Our devot. for today is Valentine themed, but it focuses on God's love for us.

 

It is hard to wrap our minds around the fact that God willingly chose to leave the holiness and beauty of Heaven, take human a form, still be 100% God, yet 100% man (Isaiah 43:10-11, Matthew 1:23, John 1:1,14),

so that He could one day die as the payment for the sins of the world.   He did this for us that we might have eternal life  with Him through putting our faith in Jesus, instead of suffering apart from Him in Hell.  

 

Jesus said in John 15:12-13, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  

 

True love is a willingness, a selflesnss to give of yourself, even yourself in the place of another if need be.  

We have seen this type of selfless action on the part of 2 teachers in FL who shielded some of the students from harm.

This is mirroring the character, nature and example of our Saviour Himself.   He took our sin, took the punishment of hell for us and by placing our trust in Him, we can escape it.

 

Last week I ran across a devot. that brought up the fact that Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday are the same day this year.    What is the tie in?   The difference is between the emphasis on human love that can be tangible and sadly sometimes  fleeting and an eternal, everlasting love that God will always have for those who have trusted  Him and for those who have yet to trust Him.  

 

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,  Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:  therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

 

We have a chance this weekend to share that eternal love with those who have not experienced it yet.

 

Since it's a week where folks may send cards to each other, take the opportunity to send a Christian ecard and message to someone in you life.

This link, which I've shared before, is a site for free, Christian e-cards, love this place:  https://www.dayspring.com/ecards

 

Write a handwritten note, stick a Gospel track in it or an encouraging Scripture verse. 

 

Pray and ask the Lord to give you ideas of how to reflect HIS love to someone in your path this weekend.  

 

God bless you and yours this weekend.  (Devot. and Song Below)

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/no-greater-love  (Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqTMJxSA7EM

Devot. 8 Reasons Why God Allows Storms

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you have had a super weekend!  

 

Below is another devot. on trials and adversities.

 

What can cause them to occur?   I will never forget I pastor I know saying that sometimes trials can come because it is our own faults (we make decisions and get ourselves in a pickle) or the Lord has allowed it for a reason-spiritual growth, to help us clean out of lives, spiritually and physically, things that are preventing us from growing, to help us encourage someone else down the road because of our experience.

 

I pray this devot. would be useful, spiritual knowledge in your life today and He would use it to help someone else though you.

 

Lord bless you and yours this week!

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/blog/8-reasons-god-allows-storms   (Used by permission.    Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)