your daily crossroad
19
Nov '20
Real Peace
19
Nov '20
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
What if someone told you that you never had to be anxious again? Would you laugh or roll your eyes? How can we not be anxious?
Each of us has stressors, worries, and difficulties. But God wants us to turn our worries into prayers. As we give Him our burdens to carry, it lightens the heaviness in our hearts and minds.
Some might mistake peace for lack of conflict, positive thinking, or even control. But that isn’t peace. Peace is not dependent on our circumstances.
Of course, when things are going well, we feel excited and happy. But, true peace is found in trusting the Lord, even when things are not going the way we hope or want.
Real peace has faith that God is in control whatever the obstacle, situation, diagnosis, or loss.
Lord, will you help me to trust you with my pain today? I need your strength. Amen
God is the reason why even in pain, I smile; in confusion, I understand; in betrayal, I trust; and in fear, I continue to fight. James 1:12, Blessed is the man that endures trials: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. God loves you and is far more powerful than the thing you fear most. He sees, He hears and He will deliver.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
17
Nov '20
How’s Your Faith Right Now?
17
Nov '20
You don’t even have to leave the house right now to realize things are a bit unsettled in our world.
With so much about the future up in the air, it would be easy to feel anxious and fearful—but as God’s people, we do not shrink back in times like these.
In a culture that mistakenly places their trust in man-made systems of power, faith rises above the fray.
Psalms 20:7 reminds us that, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”
In a wavering world, may we be a people who are marked by immovable faith.
Faith that God is moving.
Faith that our prayers matter—that they bring heaven’s realities to earth.
Faith that is not shaken because it knows we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
If this kind of faith seems far off and distant—it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it’s meant to me the normal reality for us as Christians.
If you want to take your faith to new levels, then it’s time to get your eyes off the temporal and onto the eternal. It’s time to see things through God’s perspective.
When I read this devotion it blessed me. God wants us to look at our circumstances through a new perspective, His perspective. How many trials have you created for yourself because you haven’t bothered to seek God’s perspective? Zechariah 4:6 says, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
12
Nov '20
Open Your Heart to His Word
12
Nov '20
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3)
I think one of the sweetest sounds is the voice of a loved one.
Hearing your child say, “Mama, or Daddy” is a life-changing moment.
Getting a call from someone special can make your whole day!
But it isn’t just the call. It’s the person, the voice behind the call.
Did you know that God loves you so much that He desires to hear from you?
His Word says to call out to Him and He will answer – He will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
How exciting and awesome is that!?
It’s like being a child and opening a box of cereal to get the prize that is inside.
What amazing and wonderful things does Jesus have to reveal to you today?
God is ready to answer your prayers. All He asks is that you call to Him. His desire is to have a relationship with you.
When you pray, it gives you an opportunity to see Him answer. It acknowledges your need for Him.
Lord, thank you for guiding. Open my heart to your Word. Teach me the great and hidden things as I seek You.
When I read this devotion it blessed me. I pray after reading this devotion you are encouraged to seek Him and open your heart to His word. I love this prayer, Dear Lord, open my heart to Your Word so that I can hold tightly to its truth.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
10
Nov '20
Great Comfort
10
Nov '20
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)
God is powerful, good, unchangeable, and consistent!
There is nothing you can do to make Him love you more and there is nothing you can do to make Him love you less.
Believing that He loves you, will help you trust His will for your life.
Life can certainly be challenging at times which can cause us to question the Lord and His ways.
However, the better you know Christ, the easier it is to have peace.
He has your best interest at heart…always!
Today are you:
- Struggling with letting go of control
- Do you hesitate to give your concerns, hopes, and dreams to Christ?
- Are you holding onto pride by believing that you are better equipped to decide what is best?
When we lose sight of God’s divine plan, we replace God with SELF.
People may let you down, but Jesus is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
The world, your job, and circumstances may change. God never does.
There is great comfort in trusting the Lord. He is unchangeable, and He is a Savior you can rely on!
When I read this devotion it blessed me. Plain and simple. No matter what, God is the same today, yesterday, tomorrow and always. Never loose site of that truth. I may not know what tomorrow holds but I know Who holds my tomorrow. God is faithful.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
05
Nov '20
Anger and Resentment
05
Nov '20
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. (Hebrews 12:15)
Resentments are tough because they are almost always based on a level of truth and reality.
Resentment is the subtle reminder of what someone did, what you wish you had said or any unfinished business we have with people.
However, if we stay hurt and offended the other person not only falls short of our grace, but we fall short of God’s grace!
Hurt and anger are legitimate responses to being mistreated… the failure to move on is the problem.
Being angry isn’t the problem, staying angry is.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)
When I read this devotion I was reminded of a powerful quote, it says, anger is one letter short of danger. Remember to think before you speak and never speak in anger. That’s a rule we hold tightly to in our home. Anger doesn’t solve anything. It builds nothing, but it can destroy everything. A moment of love can break barriers that took a lifetime to build. So remember, before you judge, before you fill your heart and mind with resentment and anger, stop and think, that person is most likely fighting a battle you know nothing about. Love.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
03
Nov '20
Get Up and Dust Yourself Off
03
Nov '20
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:13)
One time when I was praying from a very sad place I wailed, “Lord, what do I do?” The sweet Holy Spirit answered immediately, “get up and dust yourself off!”
God doesn’t say you shouldn’t stumble.
He says when we do, get up quickly!
He says staying down turns the injured leg into a broken leg.
He knows we will have events that knock us down emotionally and physically, but He promises He will walk through them with us.
I will run my race no matter how messy it looks…no giving up & no staying down!
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. (Hebrews 12:12)
Wow! When I read this devotion I about had myself church. I pray it encourages you today, no matter how you feel, look up, get up and never give up. No matter how many time you get knocked down, keep getting back up. He sees your determination, and when you do everything you can do, that’s when God will step in and do what you can’t do. Now, get up and dust yourself off! Hallelujah!
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
29
Oct '20
Pursue Him
29
Oct '20
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (Hebrews 11:8)
Do you ever feel like Abraham?
You know God is steering you a certain direction, but He won’t give you the specifics.
God isn’t ignoring you if you don’t hear him…
He wants you to build your faith.
If you love God and pursue him… you will know his heart, his word and ultimately His will for you.
We don’t decide what we want and hope God is with us.
We patiently uncover what He has already decided.
God is trustworthy to me and if I love Him in a mature way I become trustworthy to Him.
Be still, and know that I am God . . . (Psalm 46:10)
When I read this devotion two very important words stood out to me, pursue Him! Pursuing God is about realizing more and more that He has been pursuing you all along. Trust Him…
(A side note I felt needed to be shared) Pursuing God is about so much more than the actual action that honors Him. It’s about our soul attitude. It’s about seeking Him while doing laundry. Talking with Him while washing the car. Praising Him while talking with our neighbors. Our ordinary doesn’t have to be boring. If we begin to look at our routine each day and think through how we can pursue God, even the little things become glorious. Even the small acts of obedience become holy moments of worship.
Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. (Psalm 71:8)
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
27
Oct '20
Seek God
27
Oct '20
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12)
We want forgiveness, relief or absolution from people.
But that’s like eating cotton candy… no matter how much you get, it never completely satisfies!
It is better to seek the forgiveness or comfort of people after you have spent time with the Lord.
He gave Himself so we could have relief in this life and eternity…regardless of our situation.
Jesus is your High Priest:
- when you need to grow
- when you need advice
- when you need forgiveness
- when you need direction
Only the forgiveness or comfort of Christ can really fulfill the spirit and heart.
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)
I was blessed by this devotion because so often we seek forgiveness and comfort from others just as today’s devotion speaks about. I pray after reading this devotion you are encouraged to seek God first. When you put God first, all other things fall into their proper place.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
22
Oct '20
Guilt Can Be A Liar
22
Oct '20
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. (Hebrews 9:24)
Guilt can be a liar…it tells you to repent over and over for mistakes.
When you are feeling good, Guilt is quick to remind you of where you have failed.
There is always a grain of truth or even a lot of truth with Guilt, so it is hard to push back on this bully.
Jesus came down from the cross and humiliated the enemy and his hordes.
He then went to heaven and made all petitions on our behalf before The Lord.
Your forgiveness is a finished work, you simply need to say yes to it.
Guilt may be based on FACT, but forgiveness is the TRUTH of who you are in Christ!
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1)
I pray you are just as encouraged by this devotion as I was when I read it. Don’t allow guilt and shame to dictate who you are in Christ, if any man be in Christ, he or she is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. When the enemy comes to remind you of your past, remind him of his future.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
20
Oct '20
A Deeper Faith
20
Oct '20
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3)
The realm of God is beyond our comprehension and right in front of our nose!
We begin our journey by having experiences with God that build our faith, but grow into confidence regardless of what is seen and unseen.
The reality of God does not have to be seen by those who trust Him…faith is so we can know Him more.
It’s hard to explain trusting God to others because it is a mix of blind faith and unshakeable experience.
Let what I have seen you do form a deeper faith in me for what I have yet to see!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
What I loved about this devotion is the truth behind it. Faith is to believe what we do not see and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. Faith never knows exactly where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
15
Oct '20
Royalty Who Looks Like Us?
15
Oct '20
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:7)
Recently, I read a story told by an older British man.
When he was a little boy after WWII, he saw a picture of some people walking around a bombed out street in a city. Bricks and timber were strewn across the cobblestone. The houses and buildings were totally destroyed.
However, there was something more to the picture. On the photo, there was a small arrow pointing to one of the men in the group. He looked just like the others, wearing the plain clothes of an average person.
But the arrow revealed a secret. That plain-clothed man was King George VI, walking among the debris. He looked so much like the other figures that he was indistinguishable from them.
This story perfectly sets off our verse today:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:7
Jesus became exactly like us.
The King of all the universe threw aside his coronation clothes and took on the rags of humanity.
This is the ultimate act of humility. Jesus, our great King, doesn’t shoo us away from himself or make us approach him from a distance…
…instead, Jesus is the King who steps down from his throne to walk alongside his people and make them his siblings (Rom. 8:17).
This kind of love and humility marks the heart of God. And therefore is the aim of every disciple.
When I read this devotion it blessed me. It gave an incredible visual of Jesus and true humility. The King of all Kings chose to live among us and be like us. I pray today you are reminded that Jesus chose to live among us so we might see God’s great love for us.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
13
Oct '20
Respectful Obedience
13
Oct '20
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. (Colossians 3:12)
As believers, we are to take off our old ways, almost as if we were changing our dirty clothes.
We are to deal drastically with sin, putting it to death so that whatever the Lord has called us to do, we can do wholeheartedly.
When your heart or mind is divided or torn, it is impossible to fully focus on what God has for you to do each day.
Colossians tells us that we are God’s chosen oneself.
How amazing and life-changing is that?
The Creator of the entire universe chose you
And He wants you to be an extension of His love, offering others His compassion and kindness so that they too might know Him.
None of us is perfect, but as we choose to follow the Lord, those around us will notice the changes.
As you put on your clothes for the day, imagine putting on kindness and love. Ask God to help you follow after Him wholeheartedly, in respectful obedience.
When I read this devotion it blessed me. I pray after reading this devotion you are reminded to keep your head up and keep your heart strong, and remember, you have been chosen by The Creator of the entire universe. Remember this, Your life as a Christian should make non believers question their disbelief in God.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
08
Oct '20
Trust in The Lord
08
Oct '20
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)
Trust is part of any healthy relationship.
However, past hurts or life experiences can make it hard to trust.
You might even find yourself questioning who is reliable, truthful, or able to support you emotionally.
Yet, Proverbs says to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
That is because our hearts and minds can lead us astray.
When we set out on our own without God’s input, we can get lost or off track—like taking a hike without a map or compass.
However, as we lean into God’s Word and His wisdom, we are promised that He will make our path straight.
He will guide us and show us which way to go.
Take a moment to reflect on your day. Are there any areas of your life you struggling to give the Lord? Is there anything that is weighing heavily on your heart? Allow God’s peace and wisdom to penetrate the deepest fears and biggest concerns of your life. He will guide and protect you!!
When I read this devotion I was reminded of the very scripture God placed on my heart the past couple of days, Proverbs 2:25-26, Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Faith does not mean trusting God to stop the storm, but trusting Him to strengthen us as we walk through the storm.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
06
Oct '20
Anxiety
06
Oct '20
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Have you ever seen an octopus and how it grabs hold of its prey?
Each of its tentacles has tiny suction cups that grip.
It constricts and tightens around what it catches.
Some octopuses can even paralyze, weaken, and kill with poisonous venom.
Anxiety is like that octopus.
It slips into the tiny cracks in our confidence, poisoning our thoughts and sucking the life out of us.
It constricts our actions and paralyzes our ability to think, rest, and enjoy life.
It doesn’t always make sense.
Sometimes, it can hit us like a freight train.
Other times, we can pinpoint the source of it.
Whether it comes from fear of the unknown, what others think of us, or how a situation will turn out, anxiety is disabling.
But God’s Word tells us to cast all our anxieties on Him because He cares for us.
God cares for you so much that He wants to take your fears, concerns, and worries onto His shoulders.
Peter tells us to cast our anxieties on God, which means to throw forcibly!
Ask God to take your stress and give you His peace as you wait on Him to work. Amen.
What a way to look at fear, after reading this devotion I won’t look at an octopus the same way ever again. I never put the two together but what a powerful point of view. I pray today after reading this devotion you are enlightened and encouraged to cast your anxieties on God, or as today’s devotion says, throw forcibly.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!
01
Oct '20
Hope in Christ
01
Oct '20
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
We live in a world wrought with pain and suffering.
Disease, divorce, death, and loss happen every day.
And many times, when something tough happens, it is totally out of our control.
So, how do you rejoice, much less, give thanks in every situation?
As an heir and child of God, your hope isn’t in the things of this earth.
Your hope is in Christ and the eternal life you have with Him!
Your pain and suffering are momentaryin light of what is awaiting you in eternity. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus.
He knows and understands every hurt.
He aches with you, and the Holy Spirit groans and intercedes for you.
God promises you that He will give you the grace you need to handle every situation.
Even though you may not understand why something is happening, you can trust the Lord.
There is a song by Babbie Mason that says, “When you don’t see His plan. When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.”
Remember that what Jesus did on the cross is real, and His Word is true, let nothing steal your joy!
When I read this devotion it blessed me. Remember this today, To trust God in the light is nothing, but to trust Him in the dark, that is faith. He sees the things you can’t.
Have a beautiful and uplifting day in The Lord!