Devot. Is God Still Talking?

HI Folks,

 

I hope you have had a super week!

 

I found this devot. for the weekend and was super excited to send it to you.

It continues previous devotional thought on hearing God's voice.

 

Pray you learn something new and that it gives you a blessing and boost for the weekend!

 

Lord bless you and yours!

 

Devot. https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/is-god-still-talking     (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

A Prayer of Blessing: Leaning to Hear God's Voice

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you have had a great week!

We are continuing our series on "Blessings."  This devot. is entitled, "A Prayer of Blessing: Learning to Hear God's Voice."

 

Do you ever wish that God would use an audible voice to speak to you when you have a decision to make, are uncertain of which direction to go or what would be the most God honoring choice you could make?  Or are you like my mom and wish  that the Lord would send a little bird down from Heaven with a little note attached saying, "Please do/don't do __________" Signed, The Lord.

 

You know, we can hear the Lord's voice, not in an audible voice, but He does speak: through His Word, the Bible, though Godly counsel (from folks who have trusted Jesus as Savior, walk with Him daily and you see a changed life, they aren't hypocrites and they follow God's Word closely),

through the doors the Lord opens or closes in your life for your own good (even if they don't seem so at the time. 

 

The order I have given to you is the way you should be listening for His voice..   God never goes against His Word or character and He in incapable of lying (Numbers 23:19), so His Word can be trusted.

 

I don't know how many times I have been reading God's Word, a verse will capture my attention and I will think, "God is using that verse to speak directly to my heart on a matter.

I needed to hear that today and that know what I am to do based on what God says in this verse."   Sometimes it means I need to keep praying about the situation; sometimes it confirms that I am already doing the right thing, or that I shouldn't proceed any further, and instead back away and walk in the opposite direction for my own good.

 

Sometimes that Scripture verse will come back to my attention through something a godly person will randomly tell me, a sermon I will hear that Sunday or another verse I read that week that is my reminder from God concerning what I felt He already told my heart through His Word.   

God will speak to us through His Words, folks, but are we ready to listen?

 

I pray the devot. is a blessing, encouragement to your heart and that you learn something valuable as you walk with the Lord this week!

The song link I have included has become a favorite of mine and I pray it blesses your heart as it has mine.

 

Lord bless you and yours this weekend!

 

 Devot.  https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2018-06-05?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202018-06-05&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion  

(Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

 

 Song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OCsymAIfjE

 

Devot. Because of Jesus

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had blessed and non stressful week.

 

I found this devot. in my Inbox and it was another Read and Share devot.

 

The title reminded me of something someone said this me this morning- that her life (how good it was, the blessings she had) were all because of Jesus,  and she wouldn't be able to make it without Him.   Amen! 

 

Pray the devot. and song link is a blessing to your weekend!

 

Devot. https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2018-05-24?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202018-05-24&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion 

Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

 

Song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq49BnFfvNo

Devot. The Legacy of Faith

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a blessed and peaceful weekend.

 

We are back on track with our "blessings" series I started a week ago (until 4th of July comes and I switch gears again:)

This devot. is from https://www.dayspring.com/ "Read and Share" series and  is a throwback to

the devot. on blessing our children/the children/young people in our lives that we can influence for the Lord and also encourages us to pass on our faith, a godly legacy to the next generation.

 

In we read of an incident in 1 Timothy 1:5 where a mother and grandmother's faith had such an influence in their son's/grandsons' life (Timothy) that he came to faith in Christ himself and became a preacher (2 Timothy 1:5).

 

Now to clarify, when I say "pass on the faith", I am not applying that a child or young person can go to Heaven by acquiring your faith or just faith.   Salvation comes through receiving the Lord Jesus for ourselves, in a personal way,  through faith in Him (not ourselves or someone else's faith-Ephesians 2:8-9), not by "osmoses' as my youth pastor said to my youth group when we were teens.    Receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour and having a personal faith in Him as to be personal, not acquired through someone's else faith.

 

But at the same time, if we are walking in a godly manner, following Jesus and reflecting Him,

we can encourage others who have trusted Jesus to do the same.

 

Paul encouraged young Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 

 

Again Paul said in Philippians 4:9, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

 

 We must not keep our faith in the Lord Jesus to ourselves if the next generation is to make it through life. Pray the devot.  blesses and inspires you to live out your faith in front of the young people in your life.

 

Lord Blessings on you and yours this week!

 

Devot. https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2018-06-01?

utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202018-06-01&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion   (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Devot. Father's Day/Flag Day

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a good week!

 

This weekend is Father's Day.  Father's Day can be a fun, special day for some, but it can also be a very hard day for others (and I want to be sensitive of that). Maybe some of you do not/did not have a positive relationship with your dad.  Maybe he wasn't in your life as you were growing up.  Or maybe you had an awesome dad and he is no longer living.   With these situations in mind, Father's Day may be a day you would rather not think about.    

 

But I want you to remember one important and eternal truth this weekend:  When you received the Lord Jesus to save you, God became your Heavenly Father instantaneously!    One of my favorite Bible verses is Galatians 3:26, "We are the children of God, through faith in Jesus Christ."   

 

You were adopted into God's family, became one of His children by faith in Him the moment you received Him!   John 1:12, " But as many as received him, to them gave he power (the right) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

 

Romans 8:15, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."    When we receive Christ as Savior, He gives a brand new start in life.  He adopts us and we can call Him "Daddy" (which is what Abba means).   

 

Psalm 68:5 states  "A father of the fatherless, and a judge (He is a defender) of the widows, is God in his holy habitation."

 

I remember my mom saying to me several times that it was easy for her to trust Christ as Savior and see Him as her Heavenly Father because of how gentle and kind her own father was.      But maybe your perception of God isn't this way.   Maybe it's hard to trust God in everyday life because of the past.    

 

 Numbers 23:19 says of God's character, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"    Unlike we who are mortal, imperfect, sinful human beings, God always keeps His promises and His Word,   "For all the promises of God in him are yea, (yes!) and in him Amen, (means 'so be it')......."  2 Corinthians 1:2

 

This weekend reflect on the very real truth that God is your Heavenly Father who is always there for you.    

 

I have several links below that can apply to anyone, not just the guys/dads. 

 

The first link is about a father (or father figure-uncle, brother, grandfather) passing along a godly legacy to the next generation.    The 2nd links is some ideas on making Father's Day a good day for dad.  Third link is on God as our Father.   Fourth link is a song that is timely and the fifth link is a deviation from Father's Day:)   Thursday was Flag Day and I wanted to touch on the

history of the day.   (Also as an FYI, https://www.dayspring.com/ecards has some nice free ecards for Father's Day).

 

I pray you have a very blessed and peaceful weekend.   Lord bless you and yours!

 

 

In a Father's Footsteps:  https://www.intouch.org/read/in-a-fathers-footsteps  (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

How to Make Father's Day Unforgettable: https://www.dayspring.com/articles/how-to-make-fathers-day-unforgettable?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20180610SundayDevoFathersDay&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter

(Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

 

God Our Father: https://www.intouch.org/read/blog/god-our-father  (Used by permission.   Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

 

Song:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXsiWoyjw60

 

An Army With Banners: http://www.icr.org/article/army-with-banners (Used by permission.   Taken from http://www.icr.org/homepage/)

    

Devot. The Power of Blessing

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a good week! 

 

I am starting a series on Blessings from Dayspring.com.   They sent it to with Read and Share at the top, so I thought, "I Will Read and Share!"    This devot. is the first one in the series-The Power of Blessing.

 

In Old Testament times it was a very powerful act for a parent or grandparent to lay their hands on their child/grandchild and bless them. The blessing they gave had meaning and it was expected that that blessing would come to pass.

 

We see this in Genesis 27:1-41 when Isaac blessed his youngest son, Jacob instead of his oldest son, Esau (which was a very big deal in Bible days).  In Genesis 48:8-20 we see Jacob blessing his two grandsons, Joseph's boys.  In both of these passages, what was prayed over them did come to pass.

 

Think of it this way:  In general, our words have great power.    In the first chapter of Genesis (verses 3, 6 9, 11, 14, 16, 20, 24, 26), God spoke and the sky, water, plants, animal life came into being-just by speaking.  (Just as an FYI, Verses 22 and 28 of this chapter contain a blessing, spoken by God to His creation.)

 

Proverbs 18:21 states, Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

 

What this verse is sharing is that we can speak words that are negative (death producing) or positive (life giving) and we reap the consequences of what we say. I can think of incidences in my own life where I said something very negative (death producing) out of frustration or ignorance,  and sure enough, what I said in happened!

 

Just as God brought the world into existence by His Words, our words can bring forth very negative consequences or very positive blessings. 

Now I am not referring to the Power of Positive Thinking-that actually isn't Biblical.    But Scripture is warning us that the spoken word does have power, our words are powerful.   Our speech can bring forth words of death, life and we reap the results of what we have said.

 

I pray the start of this series is a blessing to you and that you learn something very valuable .

Now this devot. applies to blessing children, but extend it to mean blessing anyone.    Lord bless you and yours this weekend!

 

Devot. https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2018-06-02?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily% 20Devotion%202018-06-02&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion   (Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Devot. Christian Freedom

Hi Folks,

I hope you had a super week!  

 

The devot. for today is again Memorial Day themed, but in a spiritual way.   It covers an important truth in Scripture and the author of the devot. explains it so well.  Pray you learn something useful and will apply it to your life.

Lord bless you!

Share with a friend

May 28, 2018 Christian Freedom “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13) Liberty has always been a cherished concept to Americans, ever since the patriotic call of Patrick Henry for liberty or death. It was also a burning issue with the Jews at the time of Christ, chafing under Roman rule as they were. Many early Christians were actually slaves or even in prison for their faith. All those in bondage have longed to be free, and wars and revolutions have been fought to gain their freedoms. But the worst bondage of all is slavery to sin. No army can free a man from sin, and if he dies in sin, he will continue in bondage forever. Among the last words of the Bible are these: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still” (Revelation 22:11). It is only Christ who can set a sinner free. Christ died for our sins, and through faith in Him we receive full pardon and liberty. “Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. . . . Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:6-7, 18). There is no greater or truer freedom than freedom in Christ. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Because of Christ, the very creation itself, now groaning and travailing in pain under the curse of sin, one day soon “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). In Christ we now have freedom to live unto righteousness. “Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Romans 6:22). HMM     This email was sent to | Print this article Unsubscribe | Subscribe

 

 

Devot. Searching for God

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a nice weekend and are enjoying some beautiful summer weather in your area.

 

I found this devot in one of my folders, the title caught my eye and the message captured my attention.

 

I pray you learn something from it this weekend.   Lord bless you and yours!

Share with a friend

July 21, 2017 Searching for God “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)   These are days when few people seem satisfied. Everyone seems to be searching for something—for riches, power, health, adventure, fame, peace, conquests, or escape. Shamefully, even few Christians seem to realize that the permanent fulfillment or redirection of such desires can only be found in the Lord, the One who created them and designed them to operate in a particular, satisfying way.   While it is true that in an ultimate sense “there is none that seeketh after God” (Romans 3:11) for salvation without the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Christian (and indeed the entire human race) is enjoined again and again to seek God. Note the following passages of encouragement.   “If from thence [i.e., captivity due to disobedience] thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29). “If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever” (1 Chronicles 28:9). “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee” (Psalm 63:1). “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8:17). “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).   As in our text, our search should be for God and His characteristics. All of man’s desires will either be fulfilled or reoriented as we find Him, and according to the several verses quoted, we will find Him if we truly seek Him. JDM     This email was sent to | Print this article Unsubscribe | Subscribe

Devot. Are You Getting in God's Day?

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a peaceful weekend! 

 

I have two devots. today for you.   The first one is the one I felt the Lord wanted me to send you.

How many times do we play God and try to make things work out the way we think they should?

 

To be honest, I've been accused, by a very good source, of trying to play God, many times.

I want to work things out and make things happen in my own humanness, sometimes without

asking God "Is this the way that would be the best?"  

Proverbs 16:9 states, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps

 

The second devot. is on resting in the Lord turning times of worry.  I seems that something is always happening in our country to cause a resurfacing of concern and uncertainty, doesn't it?

 

I had something I wanted to share with you. I know that our nation is hurting again over the tragedy in Tx. last weekend.

 

My church's interim pastor mentioned something interesting on Sunday regarding the gun tragedies that are occurring. What he said really jolted me to reality about the situation and I wanted to share.

 

He stated that guns have been brought into the classroom since the days of the frontier for protection from wild animals and Indian attacks.   He said that a gentleman he knew sent him an email, an old newspaper rattle from the 1950's of a school teaching boys how to handle guns safety.   If with each of these stories, we weren't having mass shootings occurring in schools.

 

The issue a hand aren't fully the guns (even though kids should be taught that they are a weapon, not a toy and to create laws to keep guns out of the wrong hands)  it's the heart of the young people that is the root of the issue.   

 

Jeremiah 17:9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"  And Proverbs 4:23 says, "Proverbs 4:23, "Keep (maintain, guard, protect) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

 

If the heart of a person is murderous and intent on evil, they will cause havoc of some kind with or without a gun.  If young people don't know that God is real, loves them; If His Word is not allowed into schools to make a life changing difference in a person's heart; if the Ten Commandments aren't taught and they don't even know that killing is a sin, how can we expect the hearts of our young people to be moral?

 

We need to pray for our kids and young people that they are given to hear about the Lord Jesus, receive Him as their Saviour and have a change of heart, as only the Lord can do.

 

This thought was powerful and challenged me that I need to be praying for the young people in our world who do not know Jesus.  Pray this gives some food for thought to you as well.    Be praying for the precious families in Texas.

 

Lord bless and keep you and yours this week.   Devots. below.

 

#1: https://www.intouch.org/watch/are-you-getting-in-gods-way   (Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.intouch.org/)

    Read the sermon notes of on the right hand side of the screen if you don't have time to listen to the sermon)

 

#2.  https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2018-05-18?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202018-05-18&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion   (Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Devot. Where Does Your Hope Come From?

HI Folks,

I hope you had a good week!

Anyway, I found this devot. in my Inbox yesterday with the "Read and Share" caption and the title caught my interest.    Where is your hope found or what does it rest in? 

 

Psalm 121:1-4 states, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.   The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand."

 

(I have included a link to Psalm 121 below, as it's a powerful Psalm describing the Lord's protection.)

 

 I pray our devot. will give you a boost of hope from the Lord this weekend!

I also have a link updating Pastor Andrew's trial in Turkey.   It's not good, so please keep praying for him and his family and pass the word along.

 

Lord bless you and yours this weekend!

 

Devot. https://www.dayspring.com/articles/where-does-your-hope-come-from?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNAEN20180516PMAfternoonContent&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter

(Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

 

Scripture:  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+121&version=KJV

 

Pastor Andrew: https://aclj.org/   (Story is on the Home page)

Devot. Our Refuge/Mother's Day Devots.

Hi Folks,

 

I hope you had a good weekend your moms-whether you were able to celebrate her by sending

flowers, a card or giving her a call or you celebrated and remembered the life she had while on this earth.

 

I have 3 devots for you today and you can take your choice.    I very much wanted to jump back to a topic we had not too long ago-God's perspective of why the Jewish people are important to Him (in light of yesterday's historic events-the Embassy being moved to Jerusalem),  but I'm going to need more time to prepare.   As I said before, I want to show you this from a  biblical perspective, not a political perspective.

 

The three devots. below are as follows.  Two are mother's day devots. sent to my inbox from  https://www.dayspring.com/ and the heading was Read and Share.

And so I am:)

 

Our devot. directly below is a reminder that we have a refuge we can run to when life is uncertain.   I think all of us need reminders of this on a weekly basis.

 

A Prayer for Overwhelmed Moms:  https://www.dayspring.com/articles/a-prayer-for-overwhelmed-momsutm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNAEN20180509PMAfternoonMothersDayContentSend&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter

 

 This is for you moms who are in the  thick of raising children and teens every day.    (Take from https://www.dayspring.com/)

 

Small Ways to Encourage Young Moms:  This is for your folks who are grandmoms, and aunties and how you can support the young moms in your life. https://www.dayspring.com/articles/small-ways-to-encourage-younger-moms utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEONANP20180502PMContentSendplusfreeshippingoffer&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter

(Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

 

I pray that one of the devots. is a boost of encouragement from the Lord this week!   Lord bless you and yours!

 

Devot. below used by permission.   Taken from http://www.icr.org/homepage/)

 

Share with a friend

April 6, 2018 Our Refuge “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” (Psalm 46:1-2) “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (Psalm 9:9). What a comfort it is, in these days of turmoil and opposition, to know that our Lord is “a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat” (Isaiah 25:4). Our refuge is strong and secure. The psalmist testifies: “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:2). Then God answers: “Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee” (Psalm 91:9-10 and see also vv. 10-13). Not only does our refuge provide safety and protection, but no other refuge will do. After identifying our refuge by the words “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste [or be ‘alarmed’]” (Isaiah 28:16), God warns that those who refuse His true refuge will receive instead His “judgment,” for He “shall sweep away the refuge of lies” (Isaiah 28:17). The apostle Peter, fresh from his personal encounters with his risen Lord, confronted the Jewish leaders with their serious error of rejection. “This is the stone which was set at nought of you” (Acts 4:11). In his charge, however, he included the precious truth: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (v. 12). Our refuge, our sure foundation, is none other than our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we have “fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18). JDM     This email was sent to | Print this article Unsubscribe | Subscribe