jesus

Situational Faith

by 4myluvs89

I listened to a clip the other day and was still thinking about it as I woke this morning. If you’ve never heard of Travis Greene, you should give his music a try. In the clip I referenced earlier, he was sharing a portion of his testimony and how he came to write the song, “Made a Way.” So as not to spoil your research, I won’t tell it all, but his situation was such that only a touch from God could make a difference.

In that clip, he shared that he wrote the song based on what God had done in this situation, not what he could’ve done or didn’t do. I often talk about giving God glory in advance, but even this testimony caused my ears to perk. In the midst of bad news, he sang about how God made a way. Sure enough, he’s able to stand firm on it and, years later, it’s still strengthening his faith.

I’m sure someone reading this may be thinking, ‘well, he didn’t do that for me,’ and the truth is that God doesn’t do that thing for everyone. Travis’s testimony was his and his alone so his faith would increase. He was walking out John 20:31 in a situation where the Lord continues to answer Luke 17:5. While the Lord God may have not given you this testimony, yours, too, will be for your good and God’s glory.

READ: Psalm 118:5-7; John 20:30-31; Luke 17:5-6

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/MimVg0OMGvA?si=oCbMdq6sTd_UNiPb “Made a Way” by Travis Greene

Clouds and Streets of Gold

by 4myluvs89

Wow! What a blessed morning I’ve had! The song I’ve attached for you today! May I suggest you listen to it several times over. Undoubtedly, some of you may have heard it before, but there’s nothing like a fresh breath of air to change your perspective.

And after all, isn’t that the majority of what life’s about, perspective, that is? As I was reading the Word this morning, I had to pause so that I could take a picture of the beautiful cloud hanging outside my window. Yes, I said “hanging” because that’s truly what it was doing (Job 26:7-9/14). I have no sense of memorization when it comes to these things, i.e. the scientific names of clouds, etc., but I do love that the Lord’s blessed my daughters with the gift of being able to tell me. They both love science in their own regard, but I digress…

I recently revisited the idea of wealth with my daughters and I can tell you that my focus was on them knowing that it is not in money. We need money, yes, but the wealth that involves knowing the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself is unlike any other. We are never indebted because of it, it is not on a borrow/barter system, and it can never be taken away from us.

During lunch yesterday, we encountered an old man who blessed me by sharing with us words about his love for Jesus. He’d been at the table near us a while, having had, assumably, finished his meal, and I wondered why he was still just sitting there. I have a tendency to do that, contemplate the why’s of other people’s lives, that is ;-). After some time, he turned to us and inquired about the two beautiful twins I had with me and asked how we were doing. I clarified for him that many people think they’re twins, but they’re not, thanked him for his kind compliment, and shared that we were doing just fine. He proceeded to ask me if he could tell me about his Jesus. Yep, that’s exactly what he asked. I smiled and said, “you sure can!” While I can tell you that our waiter was nice and attentive, it didn’t escape me that during this time, he seemed intent on blocking this man from speaking to us, especially about that topic. One could see it as him just trying to ensure we weren’t being bothered during our meal, but I tend to see the spiritual aspect of it and know that Satan was at work trying to block the exchange of giving God glory. I’m actually glad the old man persisted in speaking to me/us because his words were so comforting. He was obedient and I was intent on being attentive.

What he said to me/us was that Jesus was wonderful. He proceeded to tell me/us that Jesus “makes a way when there is no way.” He assured us that God would provide all of our needs. I thought for sure he was going to sing every lyric of this song, LOL, but he settled on saying that Jesus would pave up streets of gold just to bless us. Now, that may do nothing for the average person, but I received it with open arms.

I’m passing it on to you. I come to you with a humbled heart and I’m telling you that Jesus WANTS to bless you. I share it with you with so much fervor that it’s truly unbelievable on my end because it is NOT what I aimed to blog about today. God changed my thoughts so that you could be reminded and assured that “he makes a way where there is no way.” The one who hangs the clouds in the sky can change your life. Read his words and be open to a new perspective. Allow the Lord to bless you with abundant wealth today.

READ: Psalm 1:1-6 and Jeremiah 7:1-7; Matthew 6:33, 2 Corinthians 9:8, and Ephesians 1:3

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/cWLm6z42Gk8?si=EB0vuIfR_hjjOyhl “My Jesus” by Anne Wilson

Death is a Godly Sorrow

by 4myluvs89

I don’t usually have a title until the end of my thoughts, but today’s title was the first thing I wrote down in my notes. I’m sure it doesn’t read as though it’s good news, but just hear me out.

I agree, death is hard. I agree, death is saddening. I agree that it can albeit make the hearer and/or bearer of its news want to follow suit. I know because I’ve experienced it, too. But death truly is a “godly” sorrow and rather than focus on it, why not focus on life? I’ll throw in that there’s a death to be lived so that your soul may be right when you truly leave this earth.

We are given the same 24 hours over and over until death comes. The believers back in Noah’s day were given a sum of 120 years to repent and begin/improve their relationships with the Lord. They lived life, but their focus was on the wrong things in life. You know that old sayin’, “don’t put off ’til tomorrow what you can do today?” Well, we make of it what we wish and if we die having not known Christ or taken time to repent, we go to the grave truly having wasted life.

When you read 2 Corinthians 7:8-10, don’t stop there. Go back and read that entire chapter, asking the Lord to give you divine discernment for how it can help you today. When we work diligently and plan accordingly, we make the best use of our daily living. If we begin and end the day with thoughts on how we can die to the flesh in order to glorify God, we set up ourselves up to avoid worldly sorrow. I feel so blessed to share this with you today and I pray it makes such a huge difference in your next 24 hours.

READ: Zechariah 16: 6-9; Matthew 24:36-44

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/9jWfcodc_nw?si=wBQetnR5W7Py-TV6 “Come Out of that Grave” (Resurrection Power) by Bethel Music featuring Brandon Lake

I Prayed for You Today

by 4myluvs89

As I read in the Book of Colossians this morning, the thing that was pressing and so beautiful on my heart was just to say this prayer for you today. This prayer is even for the people who may never come across this post. That’s just how important it is – to pray for people I don’t know.

I ask that God “give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your” life and for “him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom” so “the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better” (Colossians 1:9b-10, NLT).

That’s it. Simple, beautiful scripture turned into prayer. As you read it, consider going back and praying it over people you don’t know, including me. This is just one way I’m able to share the love of Christ with you, so I thank you in advance for praying for me, too.

READ: Psalm 18:28-30; Colossians 1

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/1MalHvbSL5U?si=KqwNrzKHBs26WFF- “Who’s Gonna’ Tell Them” by Marvin Winans

Pay Attention to Your Intentions

by 4myluvs89

I didn’t mean to say that. It was not my intention. What I actually meant to say was… We’ve all had one of those moments, right? Where what we intended to say didn’t quite come out right or our end result ended up upside-down. If you’re reading today’s encouragement, you’re very blessed indeed to be able to pay attention to your intentions.

Pause for a moment and read Ecclesiastes 11:9-10. Go ahead, it’s ok, I’ll wait. Some of you will, no doubt, read it after completing this and some will read it even later. I know, your intent is to read it, though, right? And it’s just that simple. That’s what happens to us on a consistent basis when we are not intentional about our actions. But paying attention to what we say and how we live matters a great deal.

A person can read that passage of scripture and walk away from it saying, ‘well, Solomon said to do everything I wanna’ do, right, so I might as well live it up!’ I can tell you that without ever having read that passage, it’s what I opted to do in my life for a very long time. I’ve shared with you all that I knew of God, I just didn’t really know him. So, I took the former portion as full advice and figured I’d ride life until the wheels fell off. I’m so grateful to God he continued to pursue me so I could pay attention to the rest of the passage. Now go back and read verse 9d (if using the New Living Translation version). It’s, as they say, where the rubber meets the road.

We can do any- and everything we choose to do, but when it comes time to meet the Lord, he won’t care about what our intentions were. He’s gonna’ hold us accountable for what we did or didn’t do and it matters with every single thing we do. As you go about your day today, be intentional and pay attention. It doesn’t mean you won’t falter along the way, but your actions today will impact your life and others’ for a lifetime.

READ: Ecclesiastes 11; Luke 14:28-33

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/ASoVKTUBDj0?si=GLO6lr4jGOWP3uIG “Plans” by Rend Collective

They’ll Drink When They Get Thirsty

by 4myluvs89

“You can love a person crazy, but you can’t make them be what you want them to be.” I came across that in one of my journals this morning and don’t readily know if I paraphrased it or not, so I opted to put it in quotations for the sake of giving credit to the seed-planter. It’s certainly a wise note and one that definitely makes you think about the effort you put into another person or people.

It kind of mirrors the phrase about leading a horse to water, but not being able to make them drink, don’t you think? It’s plausible that the horse just wasn’t thirsty at the time, but at least you put them in a position to fulfill their thirst when ready. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us by providing his Word. In the Book of John, Chapter 7, Verse 38, we read, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’” (https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Thirst). God provides his Word to us in hopes that we will, eventually, receive it (drink) and live according to his will.

Think on that today as you decide what to read, where to go, and what to say to whom.

READ: Exodus 17:1-7; 1 Corinthians 10:3-4

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/TxSxay_ZpQo?si=3mYxXxfSgQA5CLAM “Holy Water” by We the Kingdom

Pray FOR Your Enemies

by 4myluvs89

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s hard to pray for my enemies. That word in and of itself is such a huge dynamic. A quick search on the internet defines an enemy as “a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.” I don’t think that definition puts forth enough power, but it’ll do for all intents and purposes.

Psalm 58:6a used to be one of my favorite verses: “Break their teeth in their mouth, O God!” New King James Version. Now this verse puts forth power! David prayed with fervor and sincerity and he shared with God all of his fears and frustrations when it came to his enemies, especially those he knew to be enemies of God. He even included himself (Psalm 51:1-2). David recognized he was an enemy of God, too, when he sinned against the Lord. When I look at praying through this lens, it lessens the desire for my enemies’ teeth to be cracked and reminds me of other scriptures I could pray.

Ezekiel 36:26 is one of those scriptures. You called it – I’m not including it so that you can look it up for yourself. I love these moments that we share, LOL. In that verse, we’re reminded that we all are or have been an enemy to someone whether we know it or not. Sure, we’re an enemy of someone who may have no true validity in naming us as such, but in their heart, that’s who we are to them. More importantly, though, we all are or have been an enemy of God and his categorization is never skewed. So, this verse helps me pray for my enemies, not against them.

As you listen to today’s song choice, consider what the artist is saying before they really move into the song. I can never listen to her testimony as though it’s just a part of a song and I pray it blesses you in that way or even more. God wants to show us mercy and so much more takes place in our lives when we allow him to do so. Pray for your enemies today and allow the Lord to give you peace.

READ: Psalm 51; 2 Corinthians 5:17

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/2U0n_foreyc?si=LsKYJ8EfbkWaS0uw by Mercy/Tremble Medley featuring Ahjah Walls and Housefires (Official Music Video)

Lookin’ On the Bright Side

by 4myluvs89

While one of my daughters and I were talking the other day, I guess she just got fed up, LOL. Yes, I can say that with no hesitation nor embarrassment because of how she expressed herself, which was without being disrespectful and just wanting to share her heart.

Our conversation touched on a lot of topics, but it wasn’t so much the the variety of subjects that rubbed her the wrong way, but the responses I’d give for the situations. During moments like those, I guess they want me to respond the way they’re responding. I submit to you that what’s being said isn’t always what’s being heard, primarily because of what we’re listening for.

I later told her that I know it can be annoying on the receiving end to hear, ‘well, maybe this or try to see that,’ etc. I’ve had (and still have) situations where I’m venting and the person I’m speaking to is responding in not only a calm voice, but also trying to encourage me through ‘bright-side’ eyes. “It’s not possible they’re seeing the whole picture,” I think to myself, “because they wouldn’t be sayin’ that crap!” I’m laughing, just a little, as I type this because most of what teenagers do is so true of us as adults. We want to hear 100% that you’re on our side. We want the other person to see the situation exactly the way we see it and to respond the same way, too. In moments of frustration, we don’t want to see the bright side of anything, just talk about what sucks and how we can find a way to bury them or it under a really heavy rock.

The reality is that the latter doesn’t work for anyone, especially because there’s someone out there who feels that exact same way about us as we feel about them. Every single frustration is temporary, yet we will encounter them as part of a life-long process. So because we have a whole lot of living to do between birth and death, what works best is to sort out how we’ll respond. The older I get and the more I read God’s word, I’m encouraged to wholeheartedly acknowledge the frustrations and the people who walk them out. What I’m not encouraged to do is to linger there.

In the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40, verse 8, it reads: “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” That’s how life works. Some people are going to disappoint us, several jobs are going to give low wages, a lot of food is overpriced, and many people who do bad things are going to get away with them, but none of that means we shouldn’t still see the ‘bright-side’ of things because they are there. Take time today to ask yourself where the bright side of things may be in your situation and be prepared to give a good word to make someone else’s heart glad (Proverbs 12:9b).

READ: Proverbs 12; Philippians 4:8

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/4ngrt3MQ2A0?si=sKl6j5HZ4w4D4CNu Philippians 4:8 Lyric Video by Songs from the Loop

Concealed Carry Permitted

by 4myluvs89

I took special notice of an email this morning that referenced concealed carry. I thought to myself, how relevant that is for this day and time, not only for physical weapons, but the weapons of spiritual warfare?

We live in a day and age where gun violence is a daily topic. I’m of the mindset that guns themselves are not the issue, but the person holding it from the other end. And don’t even get me started as to whether or not the status of their mental capacity should even come into play and to what degree. If the powers-that-be had 100% control, there’d be no Veteran or prior service military member able to purchase, let-alone be able to carry, a weapon of any form, shape, or fashion. To hinge on that being a primary deciding factor is unfair in so many ways, but I digress, so let’s agree to table it for another day’s discussion.

For today, let us determine that we can and will carry around not one, but many concealed weapons all day, every day. In the Book of Psalms, verse 11 of Chapter 119, it reads: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” In doing so, that is, hiding the Word in our hearts, not only are we setting ourselves up to remember not to sin against Jesus Christ, but we are, in fact, compiling weapons of warfare. We can be assured of this because of 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, where we’re told and reminded that we do not wage war against the flesh nor are our weapons of the flesh. This thing is spiritual and we can freely carry around a “divine power to destroy strongholds!” There is no application, no background check, no hinderance from any perceived or active mental illness, and every weapon owned is free of charge.

I implore you today to open your Bibles and begin to stockpile your weapons. Let every word from God provide you with ammunition against the enemy, the true enemy of God, which is Satan. When the flesh of Man begins to come against you, strike down the enemy within him. Take captive any thoughts of inflicting bodily harm and, instead, use your spiritual armor to wage war against the enemy.

READ: Isaiah 54:14; Ephesians 6

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/jEK6_rz26z0?si=-kV-t4FafsX5kyXx See a Victory by Elevation Worship

Get Beyond Seeing with the Naked Eye

by 4myluvs89

This is a subject that followers of Christ tend to frequent over the course of their lifetime. It’s most often noticed by those of us who spend an enormous amount of time within the physical walls of a church. It’s extremely easy to move from the forefront of our minds to the rear that we, in fact, are the church. In a nutshell, we can get so busy doing the work of the church (Acts 2:42), doing the work of the Lord (Revelation 3:8), doing the will of the Lord (Matthew 28:19-20), that we actually begin losing sight of the Lord (Revelation 2:4). This is what happened in the case of the prophet Balaam.

I recently watched a sermon where the pastor taught from the book of Numbers. For the life of me, I can’t remember the focal point, but if I do before this ends, I’ll be sure to reference it for you. During the sermon, though, my focal point became Balaam. I didn’t recall seeing his behavior as it was described in the sermon, so I wanted to refresh my own understanding of the scriptures. In all honesty, this is what we should do following any sermon, lesson, devotion, etc. We need to seek the wisdom of God so that we become not clever, but wise. We cannot hold any man fully accountable for what he teaches or what we take away from his teachings. God will do that for us all. But, I digress.

As I began to read through Numbers, I wondered why God was doing what he was doing to Balaam. At this point, you already know I’m not going to give you the entire chapter’s explanation. This is the blessing – you get to go and read it for yourself. I will say that I felt some type of way because, at the onset, Balaam was being obedient to what the Lord had said. I found myself furrowing my eyebrows because how could he be wrong for actually listening or was it that he heard the Lord wrong?

I’m happy to say that it doesn’t take much for me to be grateful for a mustard-seed’s worth of an understanding because that’s all I got. Balaam hadn’t done anything wrong YET. God wanted Balaam to be so in tune with him that he would only say what God told him to say, only do what God told him to do, and not waiver. God wanted to help Balaam avoid fulfilling the yet. It took God speaking through a donkey for Balaam, so what do you think he’d do for us?

It’s a wonderful, absolutely humbling feeling to be able to hear from the Lord. It’s ten times the rush when you hear some things so clearly. But when we begin to walk out what we’ve heard from the Lord, we can become complacent in the work. We can begin to hear less and less from God because we’re focused on the last thing that was said and, eventually, we lose spiritual sight because we’re only seeing with the naked eye. 

There are some things, my friend, that God has told you to do and you need to begin looking for him with your spiritual eyes. Continue to do the work the Lord has given you, but don’t lose sight of him trying to pause you to give you clarity for the next steps along the way. Be blessed. 

READ: Numbers 22-25; Ephesians 4:11-15

LISTEN: https://youtu.be/31PyNIGh3Oc?si=GzxymXnraGZggNFu Michael Ketterer, “Spirit Lead Me”