Thank you! Thank you for reading this devotional today…thank you if you are reading this for the very first time, or if you have been on this journey with me for the last 2 1/2 years. What started out as simple obedience and one post, has now grown to 823 posts read in 95 countries around the world. My focus and purpose has always been to lead you to the full realization of just how special you are to God. I thank the Lord for each one of you daily…we share in this fellowship together, and I will never take it lightly. You are all very special to me…whether I know you personally, or not… for we are all in the family of God. And I am confident that the Lord will accomplish His purpose in each one of us as we continue this journey together.
Author: kezha1
A Christian mother, grandmother, and retired nurse living in Illinois. Called into a ministry of encouraging others to find their ultimate plan and purpose in life through Christ.
Hebrews 13:5 ” Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”
Why can’t we just be happy and more importantly – thankful for what we have? We are ever looking for the next best thing…the new and improved model…always wanting to add to our collection of whatever…but never content with what we have. Paul summed it up best when he wrote to the Philippians in Chapter 4, verse 11 – “For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Paul understood that contentment started from within, and no amount of money or stuff could ever give him that kind of peace or happiness.
Psalm 108:13 “With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.”
It’s through the mighty name of Jesus you’ll have victory over the enemy. Call His name, stand back, and watch God’s power come into force on your behalf. It’s the Lord that will crush your foe under His feet. You don’t need to fight alone…call on His name.
James 1: 2-4 ” Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
What exactly is perseverance, and how do we develop it through exercising our faith? Perseverance is hope under pressure…its not allowing surrender or giving in to trials. Perseverance is the purpose in which we reach the goal of spiritual maturity.
Joshua 6:16 ” Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!”
Jericho was a formidable Canaanite city, filled with smug, godless people who weren’t afraid of this Israelite army or their God. And then we have Joshua and his troops, who were simply obeying the Lord by dutifully marching around Jericho for six days. But on that seventh day, God’s display of miraculous power had a two-fold purpose. First to the idol worshiping people of Jericho, the Lord’s judgment was pronounced in one explosive moment as the walls fell. Secondly, as the Jewish people shouted, they watched in awe as Jericho became a heap of rubble before them…demonstrating that God was in control, He was abiding by His covenant with them, and that nothing was impossible when they trusted in Him .
II Timothy 1:6 ” For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God…”
The gifts of the Spirit…if the Holy Spirit resides within, you possess them. The question is – are you allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you to exercise these gifts for the edification of others? Have you become lazy and apathetic? Do you even know your gifts? Three places you can look for a listing of Spiritual gifts would be I Corinthians 12: 7-11, Romans 12: 6-8, and Ephesians 4: 11-12. We are all given a gift mix that meshes and complements our personalities and bents. I pray that your gifts are rekindled with passion and that you will be filled with a boldness and zeal to move out in them.
I Kings 9:4 “…if you walk before Me in integrity of heart and uprightness…”
I know it when I see it… integrity. It’s that sincere honesty, and moral character that can make a profound impact. A person of integrity doesn’t need to be some super spiritual church leader, they just need to be sincere about their walk with Jesus. Integrity is imitating our Savior…walking as He walked…talking as He talked. It’s simply treating others as Jesus would.
Colossians 3:2 ” Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Where is your devotion directed towards? Who are you mindful of? If it’s fallen man and this sinful world, you’ll never be satisfied or happy – for the temporary fixes of this world will never fill that God-shaped hole in your being. For only our Lord can fill that gaping hole with His peace, love, and forgiveness. Set your mind and eyes…on Jesus.
Isaiah 35: 10 ” …and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and signing will flee away.”
Everyday we should be overjoyed and full of thanksgiving for what the Lord has done for us. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our freedom…He delivered us from the sentence of certain death and liberated us from our sins. Jesus ransomed us from ourselves and our depraved nature. Thank You Jesus for Your love and mercy!
II Thessalonians 3:11 ” We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy, they are busybodies.”
The Believers Paul was writing to felt that the Lord was coming back at any moment…so there was need to work. Their daily routine consisted of going from home to home gossiping and mooching off others. They had elevated the art of meddling and spreading rumors to new heights. Instead, Paul was instructing them to stop gossiping and work for their living.
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