What are Your Plans?

 Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Ephesians 1:4-6 The Message

As we enter into the Christmas season this year, almost everyone has plans of some kind. Plans to shop for gifts for family or friends. Maybe you have plans for friends' parties or the office get-together. Or maybe you're one who just plans to hide out till it's all over.

Maybe you had plans for this year that didn't work out and you haven't reconciled with it. Maybe you suffered the worst - the death of a loved one that no one can plan for. (((💔))) I'm so sorry...

We can plan and save and work but sometimes, it seems our plans are all for naught. Things don't turn out the way we planned them. Listen, I want to encourage you. Don't quit. Don't give up. God's been planning our lives since "long before he laid down earth's foundations... Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son." 

God DOES have a plan for each of us. Sometimes, it's very difficult to see. However, if we will work WITH Him instead of against Him, it will work...even if we didn't plan it that way.

Prayer:

Father,
          We don't always understand. It's hard for us to walk out the living Word of  'Your ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours'. We choose to trust You. We choose Your Son, Your will, Your way over everything the world has to offer. Increase our faith, God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not How I Planned It

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV

I did not write the following, but I find it to be an eye-opening analogy.
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Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, 'Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.'

Then the second tree said, 'Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.'

Finally the third tree said, 'I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.'

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, 'This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter, 'and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, 'This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.' The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, 'I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,' and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby on the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest Treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping Man, and He stood and said 'Peace' and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it carried the King of kings in its hull.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the Man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the Man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will use you mightily.

Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We only know that His Ways are not our ways. However, His ways are always best.

Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond His control.

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Prayer:

Father, 

         Your ways and Your thoughts are so much higher than ours. We don't always understand what Your plan is and sometimes, we dare to ask what You are doing or why You are doing it. But we trust You, Father. We choose to trust You, for You alone are God. It is in You that we live and move and have our very being. Help us to walk uprightly before You, nothing wavering. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Full Extent - Thanksgiving Devotional #15

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.

John 13:1 NLT

As I was reading again the accounts of Christ's last sit-down meal this side of the Cross, I was struck by this first verse in the different translations/versions of the Bible.

NKJV reads, "...having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end."

The Message - "Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end."

The NIV - "Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love."

The Amplified - "And as He had loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the last and to the highest degree."

I've read it countless times over the years, but every time we read God's Word, it is alive and powerful. His love was and is so deep, so real, so utterly amazing...

Verse 2 tells how satan had already gotten a foothold on Judas. Verse 3 confirms how Jesus knew God had already put everything in His hands...and in verse 4, this same Jesus - ever the Teacher - gets up from His last meal this side of the Cross, takes off His robe and girds Himself with a servant's towel to wash the feet of the twelve - not eleven - ALL twelve of them. He didn't wait until after Judas left to wash their feet. It was all twelve... including the very one who would betray Him.

The full extent of His love. And it was in the role of a servant, washing the feet of His 12 disciples that He loved them to the highest degree. And if you read the rest of the chapter, you will find that's how He instructs us to love. Can we take it to the full extent of HIS love?

Prayer:

Father,
           May the love we show and share distinguish us as Your disciples. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For Real? - Thanksgiving Devotional #14

"...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;..."

Philippians 1:6 NKJV

What exactly does it mean to be confident? The dictionary defines confident as:

1. Self-assured - certain of having the ability, judgment, and resources needed to succeed

2. Convinced - sure about the nature or facts of something. The thesaurus offers these words as alternate ways to define confident: sure, certain, positive, convinced, secure, in no doubt. 

How confident are we? Are you confident in yourself and your own ability(ies)? Be completely honest with yourself. I know... There are days that I am absolutely confident that I have NO ability(ies). And the Truth is that apart from Christ, I don't.

But here's the big question... Are we confident in Him? Are we certain that God the Father has the ability, judgment, and resources needed for US to succeed? Are we convinced, positive, secure, and in no doubt that Jesus is who He says He is? That together, Father and Son will do what has been promised and already completed? Are we sure? Are we that confident in His Word?

How confident are we for real? Yeah? Then why do we hesitate when He moves in our Spirit? Jesus IS real. His Word is real. He who has begun a good work in you WILL complete it... I'm confident. Yeah, for real.

Prayer:

Father,
           We are confident in You. We choose to be just like Abraham who did not look at his or Sarah's inability in the flesh to produce an heir. Abraham NEVER cast away his confidence in You and in Your Word even though he waited years...and then made mistakes trying to help You, just like we have done. But Father, we come back to the heart of who You are and pray that our confidence in You never waivers. We are so thankful that Your faithfulness to us never does! We want to be more like You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

It's All In How You Look At It

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."
Philippians 4:8 NKJV

Here in the US, we have entered Thanksgiving week. A time set aside to gather and give special thanks for the blessings in our lives. And yes, despite whatever challenges we may be facing at this moment, all of us have at least one thing to be thankful for. It's all in how we look at it. It's our choice.

We can choose to be grumpy because we have to get up early - or we can choose to be grateful we woke up and have a job to get to or a dog to walk or children to feed.

We can choose to be grumpy because we have to clean the kitchen - or we can choose to be grateful that we have food to prepare, and a way to prepare it, and water to clean up, and we live in a place that has a kitchen to clean.

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT  There are opportunities all day long to find them - multiple choices to define and count our blessings. From the time we get up in the morning until we lay our head to rest at night. It's all in how you look at it. 

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for the many, many blessings You have provided for us. Open our eyes to see You and Your hand of provision. Allow us to see Your fingerprints in every area of our lives. Help us to choose thanksgiving over grumbling. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Deserving Of - Thanksgiving Devotional #12

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Psalm 103:8-12 NLT

My sister loves me. She forever takes up for me. When she thinks I've been wronged in some way, her first response is either, "You didn't deserve that!" or "You deserve better than that!" (whatever "that" is). She loves me fiercely and is always in protective mode, even though she's the younger, but then of course, I love her right back. That being said, I would be terribly misguided if I started to believe that somehow, I deserve to only have good things happen in my life and that nothing bad should ever happen to me, based on my own actions.

In the light of God's Word - and let's be honest, every area and every moment of our lives should be lived in the light of God's Word - the only thing we deserve is death. Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." A few chapters before that Paul writes, "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins." (Romans 3:23-24)

See how that is? Based on our own works, we fall short and our payoff is death. Based on God's works, we are made right with Him and we get eternal life. We don't get what we deserve! We get mercy and grace. How can we possibly thank Him enough?

Paul says it best in Romans 12:3 in The Message when He writes, "I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by WHAT GOD IS and by WHAT HE DOES for us, NOT BY what we are and what we do for Him." [emphasis mine]

Prayer:

Father,
          How can we ever thank You enough for NOT giving us what we deserve? We thank and praise You for the precious gift of Your Son offering us eternal life. We are humbled by Your grace and mercy in our lives. Help us to keep our hearts and eyes wide open to Your Truth. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Live Like You Believe - Thanksgiving Devotional #11

If you love me, obey my commandments.

John 14:15 NLT

You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price.
1st Corinthians 6:19b-20a NLT

Strong and solid relationships are worth the extra time and effort needed to nurture them and keep them alive.

If you are married and you act like you are single, you won't be married very long. 

If you are employed by a company and you act like the rules don't apply to you, you won't be there for long. Would you agree?

The same is true in our relationship with the Lord. 

Nowhere in His Word does it say God suggests anything. It's His rules, His way for this life we live because He paid for our lives. Thank You, Jesus!!  If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. No ifs, ands or buts... If we live like we believe His Word then we won't be swayed by the temptations that WILL come our way. We will quickly recognize they don't line up with what we believe.

Do you live like you believe? If so, is that good or bad?

Prayer:

Father,
            Breathe on us. Cause Your Word to come alive in us to bring forth the fruit You have purposed for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Are You Eating Leftovers? - Thanksgiving Devotional #10

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit. A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash. For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.

Proverbs 15:13-15 NLT

If you want to get people talking, ask them what tradition makes it Thanksgiving for them. Even if they don't have fond memories of childhood gatherings, they usually DO have fond wishes of what they thought should be part of it. And I've never seen it fail that once that conversation starts, it usually progresses into the weirdest recipe ever used to serve turkey leftovers, with everyone in agreement that by the third day, they're done with turkey. They don't want to look at another piece of turkey, let alone eat it again.

I know lots of people who will not eat leftovers - ever - no matter what it is. They're a one-time-only eater. As a general rule of thumb, I don't mind leftovers. In fact, some things taste better the next day - pot roast, chili, meatloaf sandwiches - but, I don't want a daily diet of leftovers and I don't know anyone who does. Do you?

And yet, many people eat leftovers every day. You know them. They're the ones who can't or won't trust God because they're still chewing on leftover disappointments. Still picking their teeth with sticks and stones from the past. They can't hear the kind words that are like honey - "sweet to the soul and healthy for the body" (Proverbs 16:24) because they're still full from yesterday's generous helpings of bitterness that they're trying to digest. By the same token, many can't take in the goodness of God because they've filled up on garbage.

What are you hungry for? Will you be wise or foolish in your choices? Do you want something fresh from Heaven or something that's been lying around for years? It's feeding time. What will you feed on today?

Prayer:

Father,
           Your Word declares that You sent Your Son to set at liberty those who are held captive. It declares that we are new creations in Christ Jesus. Open our eyes and our hearts to understand and embrace the TRUTH of Your Word over the experiences of our lives. We want more of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Thankful for New Mercies - Thanksgiving Devotional #9

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

This is a sunrise in Galveston, Texas. Seeing it, this Scripture began to run through my heart and my head - our Promise for Today - "His mercies are new every morning..." and Psalm 19, "The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship."

I can't help but think how many sunrises I have ignored or taken for granted while getting ready for work or wanting to sleep through on the weekend. And then I wonder how many times have I ignored God in the display of His craftsmanship or taken for granted the miracle of love that God's mercies are new every morning and that His faithfulness is so great? How many times have I not come to a COMPLETE halt to give God glory and honor and praise and thanksgiving for ALL that is available to us on a daily basis?

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for giving us eyes to see and the ability to enjoy what You have created. Thank You for all that You have done, do and continue to do for us every moment that we breathe. Thank You for multiple mercies that are new every morning and for Your great faithfulness. Teach us to be faithful and so grateful, too. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

A Doxology - Thanksgiving Devotional #8

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 NLT

A doxology is defined as “an expression of praise to God, especially a short hymn sung as part of a Christian worship service.” The most commonly known is "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow", sung to the tune of the Old Hundredth. If you don't know it, you've more than likely heard it at least once in your lifetime.

How many times does it happen when we sing a song that we have sung hundreds of times before, that we sing it without thinking about the words and the meaning behind them? In this season of Thanksgiving, let us blow off the dust and sing from our hearts an expression of true praise in worship.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above ye heav'nly host!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Praise God who loves us great and small
Praise Him who hears our faintest call
The Sovereign Lamb redeemed the fall
Praise God, the Saviour, Lord of all

From all that dwell below the skies
Let faith and hope with love arise
Let beauty, truth, and good be sung
Through every land by every tongue

Thanksgiving is about doing just that - giving thanks to the One who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and giving Him praise! Hallelujah!

Prayer:

Father,
         Thank You for music. Thank You for Your anointing on it. Thank You for enabling our hearts to respond to You. Birth in us a new desire to know You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - A Heart for Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving Devotional #7

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
Psalm 33:20-22 NLT

The Thanksgiving Holiday was established in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln. Unfortunately, in American society, Thanksgiving is often overlooked. Christmas decorations and offerings start appearing immediately after Back-to-School sales. Thanksgiving is barely acknowledged, except to promote gluttonous greed, football...and let's not forget the sales that start at midnight.

Seemingly gone forever is what Lincoln proclaimed as "a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father..." Nor do we hear Lincoln's advice to acknowledge God's goodness to us and to repent as a nation. Following are a few excerpts from the Presidential Proclamation of 1863.

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God..."

Wisdom is eternal and the words of wisdom proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 still hold true. It would be great if before we are consumed with the unholy that we take time to adhere to the tested truth that should still ring out today...

"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, ...fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union."

And while it is true that Lincoln addressed a nation torn by the Civil War, we are a WORLD divided and we desperately need God to heal the wounds and to restore peace, harmony, tranquility, and Union.

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for the mercy and grace You and You alone have bestowed on our nation and the world. Father, let the people heed Your call to repentance and hear Your voice. Forgive us for our sins against You. According to Your Word, let Your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in You alone. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

In God’s Presence - Thanksgiving Devotional #6

Written by Rachel Schmoyer. Pastor's wife and mother of 4, she finds simple truths in complex parts of Scripture through her Read the Hard Parts blog and speaking ministry.
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Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV

Thanksgiving is an invitation into God’s presence. On Thanksgiving Day, we are reminded of God’s presence through prayer and by enumerating our blessings. When my grandfather was living, he was the designated person to pray a hearty prayer before our meal. Now my husband usually does it since he is a pastor. But the beautiful thing is that God invites us into His presence with thanksgiving all year long. 

The Psalmist knew the importance of thanksgiving when entering the temple for worship. Psalm 95:2 says “Come into His presence with thanksgiving.” In Philippians 4:6, Paul encourages us “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” In this verse, thanksgiving is not just the attitude we are supposed to have when we ask God for our needs, but it is the answer to anxiety in every situation.

Giving thanks in God’s presence is a daily thing. We can do this in a number of ways:
Start each prayer with thanking God for what He has already done for us before we ask for what we need.
Write down our thanks to God to keep us in the habit of it. (I have some friends who have a thankfulness journal and they write down one thing they are thankful for every day.)
Pray a prayer of thanksgiving before you eat every meal. Many of us grew up with this habit, but if you have fallen out of the habit, restart today.

May this Thanksgiving [Season] remind you to bring thanksgiving into God’s presence all year long.
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Prayer:

Father,

           We pray as King David prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."  Give us grateful hearts, O God! In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen 
(Psalm 139:23-24)

Where Is God in the Struggle? Thanksgiving Devotional #6

By Cindi McMenamin - author of "The New Loneliness: Nurturing Meaningful Connections When You Feel Isolated."

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“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.” 

Psalm 138:8 ESV

“I don’t understand why God is allowing us to struggle like this,” a friend told me recently after she and her husband experienced a series of financial and relational challenges.

After four decades of ministry to women, I can tell you, without a doubt, that struggles are a part of life. You are not being discriminated against or punished by God when you experience difficulty, delay, disappointment, or loss. And if you know God, you don’t struggle alone. He’s there, ready to redeem your suffering and refine you through it, and He’s placed more people in your path than you realize who can help you through it.

Disappointment can make us feel so very lonely. So can loss or a setback or a series of frustrations. Just because life is full of struggles doesn’t make them any easier to navigate. But, oh the comfort of knowing there is a reason (whether you are privy to it this side of heaven or not) and there is help along the way.

In the early years of my marriage, it seemed like my husband and I had one situation after another in which we needed to trust God to get us through financially. One day, after I was briefing my husband on all that needed to happen for the bills to be paid that month so we wouldn’t go into credit card debt, Hugh said, rather casually, “If these faith tests are still happening because you haven’t yet learned to trust God with our finances, I sure wish you’d trust Him. I learned long ago that He will provide.”

His statement took me by surprise. And instead of feeling insulted that his remark implied I was the one who was worrying and he wasn’t, and that’s why the test was happening, I realized he was right. I did still worry about the finances. I did still have to talk it all through and see it all on paper to understand it would work out in order not to panic. I was still trying to control it all.

That day, I repented to God for still not trusting Him to provide, even though He had an excellent track record of providing for us in every way since the day we married.

“God, don’t let us go through this on account of my lack of faith,” I prayed, “Help me to rest in You when it comes to financial matters so we can get beyond this.”

As a result of that prayer, nothing changed for the next 20 years in terms of our financial situation being tight. But my anxiety level changed tremendously. God didn’t necessarily bring us more money, or give me more faith (you and I have all the faith we will ever need at the point of our salvation). What changed was my determination to trust God to be Who He promises He will be—our Provider, Sustainer, and Giver of every good and perfect gift under heaven (James 1:17). I started living what I professed to believe.

Have we still faced financial concerns? Of course. But they are no longer concerns that we won’t have what we need. Rather, our concern is that we will fail to manage well what God has given us. Our concern is that we might overlook the needs of others whom God clearly brings our way. But mostly, our concern is that we will—even if for a moment—fail to trust the One who has a million times over proven that He is trustworthy in every area of our lives.

As you and I honor God with our time, talents, and treasure, He honors us as well, by faithfully providing all we have ever needed, and so much more simply because He is the God who loves to bless.

Faith tests grow us into people who take God at His Word—people who experience peace rather than panic, and people who trust rather than fret or complain.

Whether it’s a financial difficulty, a relationship struggle, a health problem, or an overall fear of the future, God is the One who can work it out, redeem it into something good, and grow us through the struggle.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
God knows all about what you struggle with. He knows. He’s in control. He has His reasons for allowing what He does. And most of the time that reason is because He wants us to trust Him like a child instinctively and unswervingly trusts the protective care of his loving [parent]. When we get a glimpse of God’s greater purposes for us, or just believe He has a plan that is far bigger than ours, we can trust His goodness, even if we can’t yet see it.

When you and I realize we can’t control our lives, we can relax into His control and realize every circumstance—even this disappointment or loneliness you’re feeling today—is in His hands and He is allowing it to show you a new side of Himself, and bring you into a closer relationship with Him.

Further Reading:
Psalm 121
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Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for always being our Provider - physically, financially and spiritually. Thank You for placing us in circumstances that test and grow the strength of our faith in You. Your Word assures us in Psalm 121 that You "will watch over our lives; and that You will watch over our coming and going both now and forevermore".  Help us to relax and live in these precious promises. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Not Living Like the World - Thanksgiving Devotional #5

By Alexis A. Goring whose first devotional book, Stories and Songs of Faith: My Journey with God, was published in April 2020.

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“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” - 1 Peter 2:9 NIV 

“What a Beautiful Name” is one of the many songs by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir that inspires my heart.

The soloist starts by speaking to the audience, explaining that there are many notable and famous names in this world, but there is no other name like Jesus Christ. His name has power and brings healing. She says we, as followers of Christ, don’t have to live the way the world does. God calls us higher. We don’t need to worry because God cares for us and provides our every need.

But how often do we still live the way of the world? How often do we worry about how we’ll be able to afford food every day or clothes to wear in every season? Maybe we’re worried about losing our income-yielding work and being broke. Perhaps we’re concerned about things going wrong in a romantic relationship or losing a friendship. Therefore, we rush around, chasing money and people, not realizing that all we need is Jesus. If we seek His Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) then everything else will fall into its proper place.

Living a self-centered luxurious lifestyle and chasing money isn’t the only way to deprioritize God. It can also look like being caught up with the worries of the world. It means being so focused on all that is wrong that we forget that God is in control. This is His world. He made it. The prince of this world (Satan), who tries to control it, only has so much time left to wreak havoc. His reign will end when Jesus comes again, this time to take His faithful followers home to Heaven. This means that our pain and our problems have an expiration date! It also means that we have hope if we’re following Jesus.

In the end, God wins! He is victorious and will put a permanent end to sin and all the suffering it causes. The devil, his evil demons, and people who he deceived into following him will be thrown into the lake of fire, never to live again. God will make the Earth new and all will finally be right with our world.

But until then, we must live for God and remember who He is. We can’t allow our problems to overwhelm us to the point where we forget that we have a good God who is watching out for us. We don’t have to fret and run around in panic mode when we feel like things are going wrong. Let’s relax and rejoice because God has covered us with His love, grace and mercy! The Bible says that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) and great is His faithfulness. God is more than capable of meeting our every need and helping us survive everything life throws at us.

I’m speaking to myself as much as I’m speaking to you. Too often, I have let the worries of this world consume me and I’ve forgotten about God’s sovereignty. I’ve fallen into the trap of thinking that everything relies on me, and so I need to work harder, be better on my own, and do what I can to provide for myself. But the opposite is true: God is known as Jehovah Jireh because He is our provider. We can trust Him completely to cover us and support us in every way. The home we own or place we rent, the food we eat, the vehicle we drive, the clothes we wear—all our possessions—are gifts from God. He owns everything. We’re only borrowing it during our lifetime here on Earth.

When we make God our first priority every day, we can trust that He’ll meet our needs and be there for us in every way. God’s track record is flawless. We can trust Him more than the most trustworthy person we know, because mere mortals are flawed. We’re only human, which means that we’re bound to fail. But the good news is that we have a Savior. He knows what to do and He will always help us.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

How does it feel to know that God is our provider who will meet our every need? In what ways can you seek the kingdom of God and put Him first?

Further Reading:
Matthew 6:25-34
Psalm 145:13
Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm 62:8
Psalm 56:3-4

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Prayer:

Father,

           We choose Your Word over everything in our life, Your wisdom, Your direction, Your guidance for our Christ-like character development. Forgive us for those times we have fallen into believing we could do this life by ourselves. Keep us ever mindful of seeking You first and Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Power of a Gentle Invitation - Thanksgiving Devotional #4

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
John 1:43-46
(Written by Jennifer Slattery author of a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com.)

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Early in my faith journey, I created a lot of conflict in my desire to see loved ones develop a relationship with Christ. My pride also pulled me into numerous unproductive conversations where I attempted to debate people into belief. Inevitably, this pushed the other person further away and left me with regret and shame.

Sadly, in the years that followed, I erred in the opposite direction in which I largely remained silent. I told myself others would see Christ in the love and grace I displayed, but I failed to share the truth necessary for people to draw that connection. I’ve since learned the value of Philip’s approach, recorded in John 1. Upon encountering Jesus, he immediately sought out his brother, excited to share the news of the Messiah.

Nathanael responded as many people do today, with mocking disbelief. “Nazareth,” he said, “Can anything good come from there?”

Had Philip been me, in my early years, he probably would’ve tried to convince his brother of his discovery. Had he been me in my silent period that followed, he might’ve shrugged and simply walked away. Instead, Philip invited Nathanael to investigate Jesus for himself.

“Come and see,” he said.

Curiosity evoked, Nathanael got up and followed. The Lord took care of the rest. Verse 47 states, “When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit’” (NIV). “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked, to which Jesus replied, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree, before Philip called you.”

These words, ignited by the Holy Spirit, birthed within Nathanael life-changing faith. In verses 49-51, we read, 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Did you catch the progression? Philip encouraged his brother to check out Jesus for himself. When he did, he encountered the Lord, who spoke a nugget of truth. Again, Nathanael responded, this time with faith, after which the Lord revealed deeper truth...

The more we understand the transformation available through Christ, the more we long to see our loved ones accept His gift of grace. Our desire for their salvation is beautiful and holy. Problems come, however, when we lose sight of our role and forget our limitations. We can’t argue someone to faith. Our attempts to do so will likely only push them further away.

But while God commands us to love others and live as radiant reflections of Him, kind actions alone don’t often lead to spiritual conversations. People need to see how we are different and understand why. They need for us to draw the connection and then invite them to experience the truth for themselves.

A missionary friend with Cru refers to believers as cojourners. We’re travelers who gently invite people to embark on a journey of spiritual discovery. Then we walk beside them, first as an explorer, then a guide, builder, and finally, mentor. This is what it looks like to, “meet people where they’re at,” while, through active listening and remaining compassionately present, lovingly nudging them forward.

In doing so, we are imitating our Savior who invited people to come closer and evoked their curiosity through questions and stories. When people, like Nathanael, responded positively, Jesus revealed more of Himself and His truth. When they rejected Him, He didn’t try to argue them into belief. Instead, He let them go, remaining available should they decide to return. We honor Him and experience the best results when we do our part to invite and walk beside and trust God to create life change.

Further Reading:
1 Peter 3:15
John 4:28-42
John 1:38-39
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Prayer:

Father,

          According to Your Word, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Let my words and my actions be a powerful and gentle invitation to a lost and dying world. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Uncontrollable Hunger - Thanksgiving Devotional #3

This devotional was written by my sweet friend, Naticia De Hoyos.
Reprinted here with her permission.

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A satisfied appetite refuses honey, but to a hungry appetite, everything bitter tastes sweet.
Proverbs 27: 7 7

This verse can be translated in many ways, However, in many places in the Bible, honey is representative of God's blessing and the richness of God. In a spiritual interpretation of this verse, if someone is so filled with the world, they will refuse God's goodness. Then I thought, the one that hungers would gravitate to God's goodness but that word 'everything' kept bothering me. The part of that verse says "but to a hungry appetite everything bitter tastes sweet."

Isaiah 5: 20 reads, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."

These appear to be two spiritual dangers: someone is who is so satisfied with the world they have no need for the riches of God. And someone so hungry for something, anything, that everything that appears to look good. They'll take in and believe and convince themselves that even though it's poison and bitter it's really sweet. 

Where do I start? I see myself a lot with the guy with the hungry appetite. There was a time when I was starving for affection, validation, purpose, the need to belong, to be loved that I latched on to everything and everyone. I stayed in a physically abusive relationship for two years telling myself he loved me. I latched on to different belief systems designed to put me first above everyone else - to give me purpose. I latched on to really bad people, called them my friends, and did horrible things with them so they would validate me and tell me how great I was. 

I was so uncontrollably hungry for all these things, I called everything that was bad, good because bad was so easily attainable. I was surrounded by a buffet of bitter fruit that I convinced myself was sweet. Forgive me

Prayer:

Father God,
                  There is nothing better tasting in this world than the richness of Your blessings. I never want to tire of Your goodness. I don't want to get bored of the sweetness of Your Word. Father, make me hungry for Your Word every day! Make me hunger always for Your richness and presence in my life. I never want to be so satisfied that I refuse You. Put a hunger in me that drives me to seek only You and feast on Your Word daily.  Amen

Giving Thanks for the Power of Praise - Thanksgiving Devotional #2

Written by Whitney Hopler - She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory.

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“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” 

Acts 16:25-26 

I was struggling to sleep because of persistent pain from an injury. No matter how hard I tried to find a comfortable position to go to sleep, I couldn’t find any way to escape the pain or relax enough to sleep. Frustrated, I glanced at a nearby clock. It was already close to midnight, and I still didn’t know how much longer it would take me to go to sleep. Rather than ruminate on my problem any longer, I got up out of bed and did something I knew would always help me somehow – I sang a worship song to God. Even though I was singing softly (to avoid waking up my husband), it didn’t take long to feel a powerful sense of peace wash over me. God was with me even in my pain. I kept singing, and by the time I was done, my pain didn’t seem as distracting as before. Finally, I was able to drift off to sleep.

There’s something powerful about praise. It lifts our perspective beyond our problems and to the all-powerful God who can help us solve them. When Paul and Silas found themselves in prison, they could have chosen to give in to despair or to question why God allowed them to endure such suffering. Instead, they lifted their voices in prayer and praise to God. Their decision to worship in the middle of suffering may seem surprising. But the miracle that happened when they did shows us that praise opens the door to God’s power.

In their darkest hour, at midnight, Paul and Silas began to sing hymns to God. The prison, which was often a place of defeat and silence, became a place of worship. As their praises rose, God’s power descended. The Bible passage tells us that suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that even the foundations of the prison were shaken. The result was that not only were Paul and Silas freed, but every prisoner in that place was unshackled. Praise brought liberation to everyone around them!

When we praise, we shift our focus from ourselves and our problems to God. Praise acknowledges God’s greatness and faithfulness, no matter what challenges we’re facing. By praising God in difficult times, we invite God into our circumstances. That is when transformation happens.

The prison couldn’t contain Paul and Silas because the power of God was greater than their chains. When we choose to praise God – despite how impossible or painful our circumstances may seem – we’re acknowledging that God’s power is greater than anything we face. We’re inviting God to step into our situation, trusting that God is more than able to deliver us.

Praise also acts as a weapon of faith in spiritual warfare. Just as it broke open the prison doors for Paul and Silas, praise has the power to break down spiritual strongholds. Evil wants to keep us imprisoned in fear, doubt, and despair. But when we lift up praise, we declare that God is in control, no matter how hopeless our situation may appear. Praise declares victory before it’s even visible. That welcomes God’s light into the darkness, dispelling it.

When we lift our voices in worship, we’re welcoming God’s power to shake the foundations of whatever holds us captive. Chains will fall, doors will open, and freedom will come when we praise God.

So, whatever you’re facing today, choose to praise. Trust that as you lift your voice to God, God will work powerfully in your life. The same power that set Paul and Silas free is available to you. Praise welcomes God’s power into your life, and nothing can stand against it.

Intersecting Faith & Life: As you consider the power of praise, reflect on these questions: 

When you think about the circumstances Paul and Silas were in, what surprises you most about their decision to praise God in that moment?

How does praising God in difficult times shift your perspective?

Have you experienced a moment where praise helped you feel God’s presence with you? How did it affect you?

In what areas of your life do you feel “imprisoned” right now, and how can you begin to use praise as a way to invite God’s power into those situations?

Further Reading:
Psalm 22:3
2 Chronicles 20:22
Psalm 34:1
Isaiah 61:3
Hebrews 13:15

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Prayer:

Father,
          Forgive us for the times we choose to grumble and complain in the tough times rather than praise You. Today we choose according to Your Word, to enter into Your gates with thanksgiving, and into Your courts with praise! We will be thankful unto You and bless Your Name, for You are good; Your mercy is everlasting; and Your Truth endures to all generations. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Be Thankful for People - Thanksgiving Devotional #1

This devotional was written by Robin Dugall
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I thank my God every time I remember you.

Philippians 1:3

Thanksgiving season is here, and across our country, pastors will preach sermons pointing out the need for Christ-followers to be thankful people. As a pastor, I’ve made impassioned pleas for Christ-followers to rise above our culture… to resist the temptation for the holiday season to be simply another opportunity for us to be self-focused and self-indulgent. Thanksgiving isn't just about eating to the brink of explosion; shopping to the brink of bankruptcy; watching television to the brink of insanity. I've tried to make the point that Thanksgiving for a person who loves God can be so much more.

Even so, I discovered in my own life that despite what I've preached, I have missed a crucial element in the process of being a thankful follower of Jesus in my own life. I found that over the years I have been mostly thankful for the THINGS in my life; for food, finances, the house I have lived in, the clothes I have worn, and so on. While there’s nothing wrong with being thankful for these things, I have missed the boat on giving thanks for the biggest blessings of God in my life…PEOPLE.

Consider how empty, purposeless, and meaningless our lives would be without relationships. Relationships have shaped who we are and who we are becoming. Without exception, everyone I know has been positively influenced by other people. While it is easy to thank God for the THINGS in our lives, we should remember to be equally thankful for the PEOPLE God has placed in our lives as well!

Let me give you just one example. I am thankful for my Aunt Patty. She had suffered a brain injury when she was a small child severe enough that by the time I was born, she had become mentally disabled. But, when I was a child, she would play games and entertain me for hours. She loved me unconditionally. We would play Beatles records and pretend to be Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It was her love for music that infected my soul for the rest of my life. I thank God for her!

How about you? Who do you thank God for? Today, take a few moments and thank God for the relationships in your life. Truthfully, it can revolutionize your life. Happy Thanksgiving!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Make a list of the people who have shaped your life. Share the list with your friends and family.

2. How easy is it to just thank God for things in your life? How can you live a lifestyle of thankfulness more consistently?

FURTHER READING:

[Psalms 150; Philemon 1]

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Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for the reset in our lives - a time to focus on being grateful. Keep us ever mindful that the important things in life are not things; they are people and our relationships with them. Lord, YOU are the most important relationship we have and we are SO grateful that You first loved us. Help us to live our lives with grateful hearts, not hateful ones. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - A Different Twist - Veterans

 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

I did not write this, my sister - our youngest sibling - wrote it.  It's a little dark, as memories of war usually are, but it in no way tells it all. However, there's a light at the end of the darkness... the Light of the world.
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I’ve been thinking a lot about Veterans Day today, seeing many posts on social media to thank veterans for their service, lots of flags, pics of them together. It’s wonderful that so many people care enough about the men and women who serve and who have served our great country for our freedom.

Let’s talk about the forgotten veterans, the ones who were spat on in the 70’s, drafted into a war they did not ask to fight, who saw their buddies killed, the ones who had to make a choice to be killed or kill the one younger than they who was holding a machine gun pointed back at them. The ones who came back… but were never the same. I didn’t see any posts about them. I didn’t see any posts about the ones suffering from PTSD or the ones living on the street. They served, too, but I didn’t see anyone mention them today. How I wish they would have cared enough to think about them, too. They served. They left their families, too. Please, God, let them not stay forgotten.

Let’s talk about the ones like my dad, the POWs tortured in enemy camps. My father was a POW for 19 months during WWII in a Japanese prison camp on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. He never came back the same, either. As the child of a former POW, I will tell you that you live their nightmares with them… He can’t sleep and you can’t sleep through his screams because of the memories that haunt him when he closes his eyes. Then there would be those times he couldn’t sleep at all and would stay up for 3 or 4 nights in a row and no one could rest. There could be much more said about his torment but that would not be the point of this story.

You might think that as a child I would have felt proud of my dad, for his service, for making it home, and for being a hero, but I didn’t. I wanted him to be like everyone else’s dad, but he wasn’t. He never would be, but as a child, you don’t understand that. You just keep hoping he’ll change. He would get himself in trouble with law enforcement, and get into physical fights because he had to prove that no one would ever get the best of him again. He couldn’t hold down a job. I only knew my dad to work 2 jobs when I was growing up, 2 weeks at a tile store and 1 night at a 7-11 and it was robbed that same night.

Between the summer of my 6th & 7th year of school, my dad decided he couldn’t deal with the responsibilities of married life and children, so he left. I didn’t even cry when he left. So much of our lives were in turmoil caused by him that I was actually glad to see him go. He came back into our lives about 3 years later - a different man - but still not one I could trust to be a “daddy”.

As he aged, his moods were much more erratic and there came a time when my brother and I had to commit him to a VA psychiatric hospital because he had hit his wife and knocked her down. There seemed to be nothing worse to me at that time than to have to visit my father there and hear him make threats to kill me for making that decision. Thankfully, after 4 months of treatment, they found a regimen of meds that kept him at an even keel, and he lived out his life without any more violent episodes. I grew to accept him for who he was until he passed away at the age of 80.

I didn’t cry when I got the call that he had passed; I just felt a huge emptiness, the kind that makes you sick to your stomach. I knew he was no longer being tormented in his mind, and I was very thankful for that. I thanked God for it as I was sitting in the VA chapel for his service. I was fine until they played Taps, and then I felt the hot tears flowing down my face because of “that war” that stripped me of a father, stripped my mother of a good husband who should have loved her unconditionally, who should have provided for her and made her feel safe. He just wasn’t able to do that because of all he had been through…

In this past year, God has done a healing in me about my father. I don’t know if it’s because I’m older and wiser or that God finally broke down the walls that have surrounded me regarding all my hidden feelings about my dad... all those things we’re not supposed to talk about. God has shown me that my father did the best he could with all that he had going on in his mind. Honestly, when you stop and think about it, the fact that he could function for as long as he did is absolutely miraculous. I look forward to seeing him in Heaven, complete and whole, and I can’t wait to hug him and thank him for being my dad and to tell him I love him and that I am proud of his service to our country. He is safe now; his mind is at peace.

God made a way for this miraculous, healing change in me. My prayer is that you will reach out to Him and let God help you through your life struggles, as only He can.

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Prayer:

Father,

           Only You can take everything satan has meant for evil and turn it around for our good. Strengthen us, O God, using the fodder and ashes of our pasts and making us new. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

I Declare

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."
Jeremiah 17:5-8 NLT

Psalm 63:3-4 NKJV reads, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name."

I declare that my hope and trust are in the Lord, my God.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your promises of provision and protection. Help all of us who are called by Your Name to humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, so that You then will fulfill Your promise to hear from heaven and forgive our sins and restore our land. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Faith, Not Feelings

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 NLT

Sometimes, in the midst of the trial we're hard-pressed to see beyond what we feel... but that's exactly the choice we must make. We are instructed to stand and believe, and having done all to stand! We may not feel like it; do it anyway. Let's talk faith, not feelings.

Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to go with what we feel.

There is a great difference between getting bogged down in feelings and having compassion. I'm not saying feelings are bad, I'm just pointing out that they should not control our lives, our actions. Don't get sucked into being angry and outraged. Don't get dragged down into a victim mentality over things from the past - your past or anyone else's.

Sometimes, life is very difficult. We don't always understand why things happen the way they do, or why someone does (or doesn't do) a particular something. But there are things that we can KNOW despite our circumstances. For instance, God reassures us in Isaiah 43:2 NIV, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Throughout the Psalms, we find the Truth that God's love is everlasting. It endures forever no matter our feelings.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for Your Word. It is always Truth and when applied to our lives will surely guard our hearts and steer us in a true course to complete Your plan and purpose. Help us to override our feelings with the measure of faith You have provided to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen