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Isaiah 59:2 “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.”
Recently I have spent weeks weeding our many flower beds and paths that once were nothing but simple pea gravel. However, over the past three years, all was overtaken, and what once was beautiful landscaping now was unruly and ugly. Why did these years pass with no attention to our grounds? I simply didn’t have the energy to deal with them until this summer. Lack of energy—the willingness to examine ourselves—these should never be the case as we look to see if any weeds may be taking root in our lives! I call the weeds I was digging out of the ground “devil weeds.” I’m no expert on belligerence, but these weeds had roots that ran deep and on and on underground, entangling themselves around each other and any other thing they could, such as plant and tree roots. These weeds so reminded me of sin—sin that cuts us off from God when not confessed. I began to think of sin’s entanglements, which led me to the sin of lying. One of my former pastors once said, “Raise your hand if you’ve never told a lie.” He then continued, “Well, if you raised your hand, recognize that today you lied!” We all laughed, for everyone at some time in their life tells a lie. Why is that? Is it a self-defense mechanism arising when we are fearful and desire to protect ourselves? Do we lie to make ourselves appear more important than we believe we are? Perhaps a lie is told to gain the approval of others or have them pleased with what we say. No matter the reason, God tells us in Proverbs that lying lips are an abomination—they are hated by God! “ The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth.” Proverbs 12:22 Now we all know that if we confess a lie to God, He will forgive: “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9 We are then cleansed by the blood of Christ, made pure, and we are ready to begin anew asking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and correction when needed. So the problem for us is not in telling a single lie, then confessed, but with living life based upon lying. God’s Word tells us, “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8 “A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.” Proverbs 19:9 WOW! A life based upon lying is so serious that God lists it as one of the sins that closes heaven’s gates, preventing entrance. “There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things He detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.” Proverbs 6:16-19 Sir Walter Scott, in his poem, Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field1, wrote, ”Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” You may have found this certain in your own life when a lie soon compounds itself with another trying to explain the first, and another trying to explain the second, then another and another and another! The web is being spun, and soon it is so tangled there appears to be no way out! Why does our Father hate lying so much? It means we are following not God, but his archenemy, Satan, the father of all lies and deception; the very one who deceived Adam and Eve, leading them to rebel against their Creator! “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 This is what God hates—character built upon lies and deception. Our character is to be based upon our becoming new creations when we choose Christ as Savior—upon the truth! Jesus continues, “Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:47 We are to be truthtellers! Yet, we can deceive ourselves in many, many ways. Let us learn to recognize Satan’s lying deceptions and counter them with the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God! We may not directly tell a lie, but we can easily deceive ourselves in other areas of life that actually amount to lying.
I move on to the rest of the Ten Commandments. Do I say I know God yet use His name in vain? Honor God by resting in Him one day of the week? Honor my father and mother by living a righteous life even if they’ve been abusive? Commit murder by living with bottled up hatred? Commit adultery if only in my mind? Steal, even if it's the acclaim of others? Bear false witness against people through gossip? Covet what others have or be contented with all God has given me? If I say I know God, but do these things, then I am lying to myself and others. Then there's forgiveness. God commands us to forgive one another, not only once, but seven times seven…meaning always. Have I lied to myself by thinking I have truly forgiven everyone who has harmed me in life, or do I retain bitterness? Recognizing that bitterness can take deep root, building upon itself and destroying, I need to ask God to help me forgive as He intends. I must turn those who have harmed me over to Him and ask Him to replace that now void place in me with the peace and love I know He wants me to have. I am to forgive as He forgives. Finally, I ask myself if I place God first, loving Him with all my heart, soul, and mind—the commandment Jesus said was the most important when asked by the Pharisees. And do I love others as much as I love myself, the second commandment Jesus said was like the first? These are commands I want to obey, but is there any way I am fooling myself--lying to myself--about following them? All these things are so important that I must ask myself each day, “Is there some way I have lied today? Have I deceived myself, living more for self than for my Father and others?” If my answer is yes, I must repent, confess my sin to God, and ask for His forgiveness. I must ask the Holy Spirit to fill me and renew me, giving me the wisdom and strength to live my life in truth. As I continue weeding, examining the tangled webs I pull from the earth, I ask God to help me truly understand what sin is—how its tendrils may grow and intertwine beneath the earth, spreading continually where no one sees until one day it springs up everywhere, destroying the good ground above. I thank God for this visual and for His reminder that I need to continually clean my house in order to honor His name. So I weed for His sake, for my sake, and for the sake of others. 1. Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field. https://quizzclub.com/trivia/who-first-wrote-oh-what-a-tangled-web-we-weave-when-first-we-practice-to-deceive/answer/207704/ VERSES: Genesis 3:4 “ ‘You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.’ ” John 8:44b “He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Colossians 3:9 “Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.” 1 Peter 2:1 “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for your reminder about sin—how it starts out so very little, almost indiscernibly, until like a weed when not dug out in the early stages, sets its roots deep, growing stronger and larger and spreading its evil throughout our bodies, spirits, and souls. Help me to remember to examine myself at the end of each day to discern whether any sin has entered and begun to set root—sin that needs confession so it can be exterminated and replaced by your Spirit and truth. Don’t let me be cut off from You! And help me always to remember that when something is removed , a vacuum is created that must be filled with Your Holy Spirit so that nothing evil will fill that emptiness instead. Father, You are a good, good Father, daily placing Your truths boldly before me. Please give me a teachable heart that continually seeks You, placing You first in my life! DISCLAIMER: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! “On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, ‘Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!’ ” John 7:37
“Come in! We’ve been waiting for you, and we’re so glad you are here! Now relax and refresh yourselves!” Your heart is warmed by the gracious greeting of some of your best friends whom you’ve not seen in years. How special it is to be loved by them! “Come here! NOW!” a mother yells at her child who has run into the middle of the road. The child is unaware of the dangers, but not the mom. Knowing what could happen, she is fearful for her child’s life. A mother and father run to their child’s bedside as he screams in the middle of the night. “It’s okay. We are right here! We will always be here and will never abandon you. Just call, and we will come!” “I give you my promise,” the father says to his disobedient child. “No matter what you do, I will always love you and be here for you; but know that I must discipline you now for your future welfare, so you will know good from evil and the truth from lies. So come to me…” When I think of the word come in relation to our Lord, many ideas of His care and love invade my mind, as I'm sure they do yours. For me, examples are an open, loving invitation to dwell in His presence; a command given demanding obedience to Him for life-giving safety; a promise that He will never abandon us; and His coming to fulfill the most important promise of His Father—the provision of a Savior who will close the enormous gap separating us from a forever-life with Him. “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come. Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” Revelation 22:17 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “ Matthew 7:7-8 “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’ ” Matthew 11:28-30 Come in, finding welcome and rest! How can there be a better invitation than shown in these verses? Our souls and spirits cry out with thirst for God to fill us with life, and Jesus invites us to come. When we knock on His door, He will joyously open it to us, inviting us in, for He knows we are most often weary with the challenges we’ve faced on this side of heaven. In Christ, we find burdens relieved and refreshment for our souls and spirits. What a joy to know Jesus is calling us to come! “Stop! Get out of the street,” a mother yells. In the same way, Jesus warns us, “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.” Matthew 24:24 Jesus is shouting for us to pay attention to the times and to what is happening in our world and culture. Let us listen and get out of the street into the safety of His arms! Satan is waging war by trying to conquer those who would come to Christ, but when we listen well to Jesus’ words with open hearts and listening ears, we are saved by Him who is stronger than any spiritual menace: “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” I John 4:4 Abandonment—one of the greatest fears of children and adults alike. In Christ, however, we never need fear. When He invites us to come to Him, He does so with a promise of never abandoning us: “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.” John 14:3 “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” John 14:17-18 Feel that presence within? The presence of the Holy Spirit, whose fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control? What a great promise given and fulfilled when we believe Jesus as Savior, having God within to lead, guide, and give us wisdom in how to lead our lives! With all His heart, God wants us to come to Him! Because of this, He made mankind a promise: “Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, you are cursed, more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.’ Then he said to the woman, ‘I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.’ And to the man he said, ‘Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.’ ” Exodus 3: 14-18 Yes, Adam and Eve rebelled, and God had to discipline them severely for choosing Satan's lies over His own truth because their act of treason--their sin--caused eternal separation from Him. Yet, God loved mankind too much to let that separation remain, so He made a promise to Eve--that one day from her offspring a Savior, the Messiah, would come. God fulfills every promise, and in the proper timing His Son Jesus was born. Though totally innocent, Christ took all mankind's sin--past, present, and future--upon Himself when He voluntarily died in our place upon the cross. With His death, burial, and resurrection, eternal death was conquered and the separation between God and man ended for believers: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 God, faithful promise keeper, gave us Jesus, and that is why for those who believe in Him, hope lives! COME! How is God calling you to come? Let each of us pray, asking Him to show us areas in our lives where we need to come to Him. Within us, we all have a God-shaped vacuum that only He can fill. Know that He longs to do this, giving us living water so we will never thirst again. Oh, hear His voice and COME! VERSES: John 10:9 “ Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.” James 7:8 “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” Luke 9:11 “But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.” Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your invitation to come to You in my every need. I know I can place confident hope in You because You are a faithful promise keeper. When, upon occasion, I forget to focus on You and seek to come to You, thank You that You will not abandon me but pursue me until my last living breath. Indeed, You are faithful to call, and You are faithful to open your door and heart to me when I knock. May I always be thankful for who You are, Majestic God, and for Your love for me. May I praise You all my days. DISCLAIMER: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! Isaiah 40:29 “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.”
Have you ever compared yourself with another? Have you ever not? I admit, I have over a long life at times compared myself with others, and what do I always find? Shortcomings! This is because comparison always considers the best in others with the worst in ourselves, never a good thing. One of Teddy Roosevelt’s well-known sayings is that comparison is the thief of joy, and so it is! If we were to compare ourselves with the heroes of the Bible, we always will come up short. Consider the deeds of Abraham, Moses, Joseph (son of Jacob), Miriam, Deborah, Ruth, Queen Esther, Rahab, Ruth, and Mary, the mother of Christ. I certainly am like none of these and certainly nothing like Paul, an all-out kind of guy who, as a Pharisee, went after Christians with a vengeance, and then, after meeting Christ, had the same zeal to convert all he met to Christianity, suffering greatly in doing so: “Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.” Physically and mentally, Paul suffered for sharing the Good News. I simply can’t imagine going through all he did! Then I’ve been reading God’s Generals, a series by Liardon Roberts on those who’ve paved the path for the Good News to be shared with the world, such like Knox, Luther, Wycliffe, Hus, Edwards, Whitefield, Finney, the Booths, and Billy Graham. If I look at myself in comparison to these, I can easily ask myself, “Who am I and what use am I, anyway?” That’s just the point! Psalm 139:13-16 states, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” God has made each of us to be exactly as He designed for His purposes, not our own. Each of us has strengths, and each of us has weaknesses. Those weaknesses should never be looked down upon, for through them, we see God at work! "So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10 “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Isn’t it great to ponder the truth that we can’t rely on ourselves for anything good we do, but only on the power of God? “You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” 2 Corinthians 4:5-7 Indeed, we are fragile clay jars, thrown by the Master on His potter’s wheel, and when we accept Jesus as Savior, we have Him shining in our hearts and empowering us to do the work He has set apart for each of us, even though we may feel too weak to do so. “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 When we acknowledge our weaknesses, yet see the Lord working through us, we indeed know it is only God’s power that is accomplishing the work. Let us always remember that it is not our strength, but God’s that gives us the power and boldness to fulfill His plans; let us always remember never to boast in self, but always in our one and only God. VERSES: Philippians 4:13 “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” 2 Corinthians 11:6 “I (Paul) may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge.” Psalm 121:1-2 “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” Isaiah 12:2 “See, God has come to save me. I will trust in Him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.” Deuteronomy 31:6 “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” PRAYER: Dear Father, I am more than aware of my many weaknesses, the fear of speaking up being one of them. I also acknowledge that You understand that weakness, yet when needed, Your power through the Holy Spirit will overcome my weakness so Your truth will be spoken when need be. A perfect instance was when, at a high school reunion, a classmate was extolling the benefits of the Baha’i religion. Out from my mouth popped, “I’ve been studying the Bible for some time now, and in it Jesus states, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” John 14:6 I would never have done this on my own! Truly, Father God, I am weak while You are strong. Thank You that I can boast in Your strength, and in Your strength only. DISCLAIMER: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! 1 Corinthians 12:12 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.”
I never thought my little toe was so important until I broke it in 2006. It radiated pain at first, and then continuing pain caused me to limp for several weeks as I walked to and fro in school halls. One such small part of my body made my entire body suffer! Then there was the time I tore a rotator cuff in my left shoulder. Pretty soon, I was overcompensating with my right arm and shoulder, and, oops, there went another rotator cuff! I’ve seen this happen, too, with knee and hip issues. Throw one out of joint, and other bodily aches, pains. and misalignment occur. Indeed, all parts of our bodies need to be working well and in unison with one another for full function to occur, just as God designed. This is so true of the body of Christ! All parts are important—the parts we see and the parts not so easily seen. “Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, ‘I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,’ that does not make is any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, ‘I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,’ would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or is your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it.” 1 Corinthians 12:14-17 This past week I witnessed the body of Christ functioning as a Christ would have it—like a well-trained athlete whose body was perfected to go forth and win its race. I saw volunteers creating life-like caves and an amazing wooden boat; I saw salvation-rock painters, snack and game creators, crew leaders getting ready to lead while others prepared missionary lessons, Kid-Vids, and Bible lessons. Yes, you guessed it! This was all in preparation for Vacation Bible School, and what a blessing it was to watch a church’s members draw together to serve our younger generation; they were one body with one goal--share salvation through Jesus Christ with the younger generation. Vacation Bible School is SO IMPORTANT! There we witness God’s Word go forth in its many forms as men, women, and youth all share the gifts God has given them to spread the Good News. Twenty-four out of ninety-eight children accepted the Lord this past week at my church’s VBS. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS MIGHTILY AT WORK! Maybe He touched children’s hearts during gathering time or traveling to or from activities; maybe it was during snack time, or the snacks themselves, so beautifully illustrating daily themes; perhaps it was during game time as the leader shared God’s Word. Perhaps it was during times when crew leaders prayed with the children or during sessions at Kid-Vid, Missions, or Bible time. Who knows when the Holy Spirit drew these children to Jesus, but He did in the right time and in the right place for each child. What we do know is that the love of God was shared in many forms, with each volunteer demonstrating through his/her gifts “I love you!” Words, actions, smiles, all demonstrating Jesus’ love, contributed to touch the hearts of children and begin the changing of lives. Was one part of Vacation Bible School more important than another? Was one person? Absolutely NOT! It was the oneness that allowed God’s Holy Spirit to work in His fullness. Let us never forget to give thanks for the talents and spiritual gifts He has given each believer, knowing that each gift is important. “In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.” 1 Corinthians 12:22-26 During future days and months, as you pray and think about the talents and spiritual gifts God has given you, please consider how He can best use you in His kingdom. Are you a cook? A speaker? A teacher? An evangelist? Are you artistic? A prayer warrior? A musician? An athlete? Do you work well with children? Youth? Adults? Whatever your gifts, ask God how He can best use you to bring others into His kingdom and honor Him. And please, as Vacation Bible Schools all over our country and other countries have brought Jesus to children this year, keep them in prayer! Let us pray that God’s Word will take deep root in their hearts, especially if there is a child who will not be able to attend church during their growing years, so that he/she may seek Him out and grow in Him as an adult. Yes—my toe healed, and once again I could walk with balance—okay—never with complete balance (just ask my husband!)—but with whatever balance God has given me! Where I did witness perfect balance and a body functioning as it should, however, was last week in the body of Christ—each person not considering himself or herself more important than another, but each doing the work with the talents and gifts God had given. There I saw the beauty of oneness! VERSES: 1 Corinthians 12:18 “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’” Romans 2:10-11 “But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.” Psalm 133 “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced His blessing, even life everlasting.” PRAYER: Dear Father God, what peace you bestow on each of us when we behold Your Spirit leading the body of Christ in unity and harmony to share with others the Good News of salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ! Truly, it is beautiful to behold! May our oneness be a testimony to who You are, our majestic King and God, who desires loving unity in all things. May our actions lift Your name high and and glorify Your name forever. DISCLAIMER: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! 1 John 2:6 “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did."
Ever since becoming a Christian at the age of thirty-two, my life has been blessed by the teachings of several superb pastors who’ve taught God’s Word in truth as well as by the witness of many caring Christians whose lives were sermons in action. I term these people Living Lights! I’ve not only heard Jesus’ preached by them, but I’ve watched Him in action through their hands, feet, and words. They know that Jesus is the light of the world! “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’ ” John 8:12 After first being baptized, Christ’s light was shared with us by our pastor, who regularly came over to disciple us, and by church families who loved and cared for us in more ways that I can mention! From them, we began learning the importance not only of daily Bible study, but of having strong Christian friends--lights—who were rooted in their faith and who we could imitate. Through these people who walked in obedience to the Word of God and responded to life situations in trust, we came to know that we also must become obedient to God’s Word, especially when it put us beyond our comfort zone—when we needed to deny ourselves and place His commands foremost in our lives . We learned that our response to God’s will, especially during difficult times, was key to our Christian development. Would we accept His design and plan for our lives as perfect? Would we be willing to say yes even if it meant death for ourselves or our children during life-threatening situations? In other words, would we respond in perfect submission to God’s will for us? Consider Jesus. He always placed His Father God’s will above His own. His response and obedience in the timing of His ministry, His miracles, and His going to the cross were exemplary, and such responses we are to imitate in our lives. “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” Luke 22:42 I would like to share with you now, with her permission, one of the responses of a beloved friend of mine who was faced with a life-threatening disease as she suffered from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma which had metastasized to her spine and abdomen: “One of the things I am understanding more while going through this journey is that the more I seek God in the many moments of the day, the more at peace I feel. This illness has forced me to slow down (sitting in chair for 6 hour infusion today and tomorrow plus 6-7 hospital stays every 3rd week). God can use anything to get our attention, but I think the greater question is, “What is our response to Him then?” Do we ignore His quiet knocking on our hearts saying, “Turn to Me, child. I’m here…be quiet, be still…listen for my voice…or do we pride ourselves in dealing with our own stresses and challenges and keep rushing through the moments of each day? Yesterday I felt strong; today I’ve cried a few buckets already, but I’m finding comfort knowing that God saves each one of those tears…so how can I ignore/push away such a caring, loving Father?” Note these words written while not knowing if she would live: “…so how can I ignore/push away such a caring, loving Father!” That’s our God my friend is referring to, and that’s the proper response! At the time of this note, my friend was undergoing six to seven months of intensive chemothereapy, and we had no idea of the end result. I am overjoyed to share with you the good news that now, several months later, she has been declared cancer-free. My prayer is that this diagnosis will be permanent over the coming months and years! My friend was one who walked with me at the beginning of my Christian journey. Her strong faith in the Lord and willingness to accept His will for her life at any and all stages, as I saw through the years, were and continue to be great examples of responses we should have during life’s difficult situations. I see in her responses, “…yet I want Your will, not mine, to be done.” This is only one example of the beautiful living lights God has placed in my life. May you look back, as I do from time to time, and thank God for those lights who have been and continue to be involved in your life’s journey, all leading you closer to Christ. VERSES: Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” Exodus 24:7 “ Then he (Moses) took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.” Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. “ Job 13:15a “God might kill me, but I hope in Him.” PRAYER: Dear Father God, I sincerely pray that under any and all circumstances my response to Your will for my life will be one of complete trust. You made me, You know me, and only You know best how to use my life for Your honor and glory. May I truly mean Jesus’ words when I pray, “May Your will, not my will, be done. Jesus, You are my light, and I choose to trust and follow You. Amen.” DISCLAIMER: I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since. How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?! These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him. However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word. Therein lies the source of all truth! |
Author Candice Mary Thomas writes about loving God and loving people! Coming to Christ at age 32 and now in her 70's, Candice knows what a difference it makes living with or without Christ as one's personal Savior. Archives
December 2022
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